New form of worship service to be held on campus
Senior Jonathan Chapman creates new religious service for
students, faculty and staff members
Lauren Doxsey
/ Features Editor
After spending the 2006 spring semester abroad in
Copenhagen, Denmark, senior Jonathan Chapman came up with the
idea of starting a new worship service for students, faculty
and staff on campus.
Chapman currently serves as the Student Coordinator for
College Chapel and University Worship.
“My role is to lead weekly chapel services as well as
create and lead University Worship services,” said
Chapman. “The newest of these is called Pilgrim’s
Peace.”
While in Copenhagen, Chapman attended “night
church” services. These specific services were reserved
for a time when the church would be open for anyone to walk
in, light candles, pray, be silent and worship. During these
services, every so often a prayer was sung in order to denote
the passing of time.
When Chapman returned to the U.S., he continued to
participate in religious activities, specifically in a
conference titled “Excellence in
Ministry.”
“The last service of the conference was Taize’
inspired,” said Chapman. “Taize’ is an
ecumenical community in France, which works to help people
lead lives of reconciliation.”
The Pilgrim’s Peace service is unlike any other
religious experience.
Pilgrim’s Peace is based off of this description of
Taize’ worship. Taize’ worship focuses on prayer
and mediation as a way of connecting with God. Several of the
same elements from other service practices are included in
this worship such as candles, meditative singing, prayer,
silence, readings and movement.
Participants in Taize’ worship are encouraged to
interact with God in a way which is exceedingly personal and
communal.
“Pilgrim’s Peace was created to offer students,
faculty and staff as well as community members an innovative
new Christian worship space,” said Chapman.
The first Pilgrim’s Peace was held this past Monday at
9 p.m. in Holt Chapel and will continue to be held in the
same designated place at the same time. When in service,
participants are free to wander around the chapel to sing,
read and follow the Spirit. Though the service begins at 9
p.m., individuals are allowed to arrive and depart at their
own will.
“The service is very fluid,” said
Chapman.
The main purpose of Pilgrim’s Peace is for people who
need quiet space in order to reflect, rest, be joyful or just
be. Chapman hopes this new service will function as a sacred
space for those who are looking for just that.
In addition to Pilgrim’s Peace, College Chapel is held
on Thursdays at 9:50 a.m. in Whitley Auditorium as well as
several other Elon Religious Life Organizations that offer
their own services at specific times and places.
Interested in learning more about the Taize’ community
in France, which Pilgrim’s Peace is based from? Visit
http://www.taize.fr/en for more details.
Contact Lauren Doxsey at pendulum@elon.edu or
278-7247. | 
