By Rick Vacek
GCU News Bureau
The weekly Chapel gatherings in the spring semester at Grand Canyon University will welcome back three dynamic speakers from years past and also will feature two new voices.
February will feature two of the returnees from long ago. Jon Demeter of Redemption Church, whose only Chapel talk was in 2014, is scheduled for Feb. 8, and on Feb. 22, Chris Brown of North Coast Church in Vista, California, will bring his unique passion to GCU Arena for the first time since 2016.
Also returning is Todd Clark, Senior Associate in Senior Leadership at Slingshot Group and former Teaching Pastor at Christ’s Church of the Valley. His one Chapel visit was in 2015.
“We are excited to see a few speakers from past Chapel services return to campus,” said Dr. Tim Griffin, Vice President of Student Affairs, Dean of Students and University Pastor, scheduled to speak at Chapel on Jan. 11. “Jon, Chris and Todd are all wonderful communicators with an enthusiastic passion for college students. We are fortunate that they were able to add us to their busy schedules and look forward to their time with us.”
The first-time speakers are Dan Steffen of Pure Heart Church on Jan. 25 and GCU alum Nick Ely of Christ Church on March 1.
To accommodate the revised class schedule for the semester, which features online learning Jan. 4-8 and April 5-16, the first and last Chapel gatherings of the semester will be exclusively online.
In another change, GCU President Brian Mueller will speak on March 15 rather than on the first day of the semester.
In-person Chapel sessions have been moved up to an 11 a.m. start for the spring semester and begin with approximately 15 minutes of music by the all-student Worship team, followed by the speaker’s talk. As in the fall semester, attendance will be limited to students only, and they must obtain a free ticket to be admitted.
The Gathering, GCU’s weekly worship service for students on Tuesday nights in Antelope Gym, still is on hold until the pandemic subsides.
Here’s the spring semester schedule, with links to past talks by that speaker:
JANUARY
Jan. 4 – Terry Mackey, Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church (online only)
Chapel message: Nothing to fear, even this year
Chapel receives passionate lesson in ‘Mackey-ology’
Jan. 11 – Dr. Tim Griffin, GCU Pastor and Dean of Students
Griffin to Chapel: Elect to put your faith in Jesus
In 1st Chapel, Griffin urges unified commitment
Griffin’s catchy Chapel talk goes big on ‘Smalls’
God has the right answers, Griffin tells Chapel
Jan. 18 – No Chapel (Martin Luther King Day)
Jan. 25 – Dan Steffen, Pure Heart Church
FEBRUARY
Feb. 1 – Musical Worship Chapel
Feb. 8 – Jon Demeter, Redemption Church
Chapel: Don’t let fear bury you … or your talents
Feb. 15 – No Chapel (Presidents Day)
Feb. 22 – Chris Brown, North Coast Church
Chris Brown rivets Chapel with prodigal son story
From start to finish, Brown’s Chapel talk is direct
Chapel: Don’t limit your faith to ‘The Box’
MARCH
March 1 – Nick Ely, Christ Church (change from original schedule)
March 8 – Luke Simmons, Redemption Gateway
Simmons: Desperate times call for … how about God?
Is faith a transaction? No sale, Simmons tells Chapel
Love will find a (right) way, Simmons tells Chapel
March 15 – Brian Mueller, GCU President (change from original schedule)
God’s love is where the action is, Mueller tells Chapel
We have free rein to help others, Mueller tells Chapel
Mueller at Chapel: ‘We are here to be restorers’
Mueller challenges us to do God’s work full-time
March 22 – Todd Clark, Slingshot Group
Last word on praying: God listens and responds
March 29 – Danielle Rinnier, GCU Assistant Dean of Students
Rinnier’s Chapel talk is something you can build on
Chapel focus: Don’t be mediocre … say yes to God
Chapel: Spirituality has grown along with campus
APRIL
April 5 – Final Chapel (online only)
Contact Rick Vacek at (602) 639-8203 or [email protected].
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Other fall semester Chapel stories:
GCU Today: God's plan for you is for Him, Garcia tells Chapel
GCU Today: Chapel talk urges us to not put God’s call on hold
GCU Today: Kruckenberg to Chapel: What are you worried about?
GCU Today: Chapel story about Peter is meant to rock your boat
GCU Today: Moore gives Chapel key addition to pandemic prayer
GCU Today: Let God do the heavy lifting, Moore tells Chapel
