Baylor University Spiritual Life Celebrates Opening of Elliston Chapel with a Week of Contemplative Services

April 28, 2015
Elliston

Elliston chapel rendering.

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Media contact: Lori Fogleman, (254) 710-6275

WACO, Texas (April 29, 2015) – Baylor University will celebrate the completion and opening of Elliston Chapel with gatherings and services from Tuesday, April 28, to Thursday, April 30.

“We wanted to build a sacred space as part East Village, but we also wanted this one to be accessible to the general Baylor community,” said Burt Burleson, D.Min., university chaplain and dean of spiritual life. “Elliston Chapel is unique in that it’s not a part of another facility. It’s everyone’s chapel.”

Each service will last less than 30 minutes and be contemplative in nature.

The schedule of events is as follows.

Tuesday, April 28, at 4:30 p.m. - Prayers for the Persecuted

Wednesday, April 29, at 3:30 p.m. - Vespers, a liturgical prayer service

Thursday, April 30, at 4:30 p.m. - Taize, a prayer service based on the simple, chant-like approach to prayer of a monastery in southern France

In addition to the three public services, Elliston Chapel will welcome prayer services and religious programming from various campus groups.

Elliston Chapel is a 3,000-square-foot, 120-seat chapel that will accommodate small Bible studies, group worship and individual reflection. It was funded with a lead gift from Molli, B.S. (Education) ’75, and Gary Elliston of Dallas.

The chapel is located at 1701 S. Third St. It is open to the public daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

“Elliston Chapel is an uplifting space filled with bright energy and open windows,” Burleson said. “Our hope is that it will be used not by chaplains leading services, but that student organizations will use it for worship, prayer and various other spiritual programming. We wanted to celebrate its first week by welcoming the chapel to Baylor with all of these services.”

by Ashton Brown, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 16,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.