Chapel Schedule
Unless otherwise noted, Chapel takes place at 11:10 a.m. in the First Free Methodist Church Sanctuary
Tuesday, March 28
Speaker: Bryan Stevenson
Bryan Stevenson is founder of the Equal Justice Initiative and author of the New York Times bestseller and memoir Just Mercy. Mr. Stevenson has received national acclaim for his work challenging bias against the poor and people of color.Under his leadership, EJI has won major legal challenges eliminating excessive and unfair sentencing, exonerating innocent death row prisoners, confronting abuse of the incarcerated and the mentally ill, and aiding children prosecuted as adults. Stevenson has won numerous awards and was named to the 2015 Time 100, recognizing the world’s most influential people, and in Fortune’s 2016 World’s Greatest Leaders list. Offices will be closed.
Tuesday, April 4
Speaker: Brian Bantum
Brian Bantum is associate professor of theology at Seattle Pacific University, having earned his MTS and PhD from Duke University. Dr. Bantum’s teaching and research focus on the intersection of theology and identity, exploring how the foundational claims of the Christian church serve to illumine the challenges and possibilities of discipleship in the modern world. His most recent work is The Death of Race: Building a New Christianity in a Racial World. At SPU Dr. Bantum has helped enrich campus diversity through his teaching, service, and scholarship. He will speak on the topic of embodied faith as it relates to race.
Tuesday, April 11
Speaker: Ken Fong
Ken Fong is senior pastor of Evergreen Baptist Church of Los Angeles, a congregation he has served for 36 years. Dr. Fong has been instrumental in transitioning a historically Japanese congregation to a multi-Asian, multi-ethnic, and multi-generational church. He has served on the board of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and Westmont College, and as executive director of the Asian American Initiative and assistant professor of Asian American Church Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. In recent years he has been a leader in facilitating challenging conversations on the topic of sexuality in the church, which is chronicled in the upcoming film The Ken Fong Project. Dr. Fong is also the host of Asian America: The Ken Fong Podcast. He will speak on the topic of embodied faith as it relates to sexuality.
Friday, April 14, 12:30 p.m.
Good Friday Service
Good Friday is a Christian holy day commemorating the crucifixion and death of Christ that precedes Easter Sunday. Join us for a short, contemplative worship service of prayer and reflection.
Tuesday, April 18
Resurrection Chapel
Speaker: Eugene Cho
Our campus devotes the week following Easter Sunday to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. At Resurrection Chapel we will hear from Eugene Cho, founder and lead pastor of Quest Church, an urban, multicultural and multi-generational church in Seattle. Rev. Cho is also the founder and visionary of One Day’s Wages (ODW) — a grassroots movement of people, stories, and actions to alleviate extreme global poverty. Since its launch in October 2009, ODW has raised over $5 million for projects to empower those living in extreme global poverty. He is the author of Overrated: Are We More in Love with the Idea of Changing the World Than Actually Changing the World? Offices will be closed.
Tuesday, April 25
Perkins Lecture
Speaker: John Perkins
Each year our university has the privilege of hearing from Dr. John Perkins, who helped launch the John Perkins Center for Reconciliation, Leadership Training, and Community Development at SPU. Dr. Perkins is distinguished visiting professor at SPU and the co-founder of the Christian Community Development Association. He is the recipient of numerous honorary doctorates and awards, and the author of several books, including his most recent work, Dream With Me: Race, Love, and the Struggle We Must Win. More about Dr. Perkins. Offices will be closed.
Tuesday, May 2
Speaker: Caprice Hollins
Caprice Hollins earned her PsyD in clinical psychology with an emphasis in multicultural and community psychology from California School of Professional Psychology — LA. She became licensed in Washington State in 2000 and has over 20 years of experience researching, studying, and working with ethnically diverse populations. Her consulting business, Cultures Connecting, LLC, provides culturally relevant professional development and consulting services to organizations seeking to improve their skills in effectively engaging all cultures. Dr. Hollins has taught for SPU and the University of Washington, and is currently an affiliate professor of counseling at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology.
Tuesday, May 9
Speaker: Rick Steele
Rick Steele is professor of moral and historical theology at SPU and associate dean of Seattle Pacific Seminary. He earned his PhD from Marquette University and served for 17 years in a United Methodist pastorate before coming to SPU. Dr. Steele has served in numerous leadership roles at SPU and received several awards for this teaching and scholarship. He is the author of I’ve Been Wondering: Conversations With Young Theologians. Dr. Steele will speak on the topic of embodied faith as it relates to abilities.
Tuesday, May 16
Speaker: Suzanne Wolfe
Suzanne Wolfe is executive editor of Image Journal and writer in residence at SPU, where she teaches literature and creative writing courses. She received an MA in English literature at Oxford University, where she also co-founded the Oxford C.S. Lewis Society. Her recent novel, The Confessions of X, received the 2017 Christianity Today Book of the Year Award in the category of fiction. Prof. Wolfe will share reflections on the body.
Tuesday, May 23
Story and Song
Music continues to be a cornerstone that defines culture and time. We live our lives to songs that remind us of seasons, scents, victory, and defeat. We will explore the story behind the song from the songwriter’s perspective, testimonies from the SPU community, and how the collection and strategic expression of songs tell of the Christ’s unrelenting grace and love for us. Our only response is constant surrender and to “Sing unto the Lord a new song. Sing unto the Lord all the earth!” The Gather team will lead the community in a time of song, reflection, testimony, and prayer.
Tuesday, May 30
Closing Communion Service
Come celebrate the Lord’s Supper at the last chapel service of the year. The recipients of the 2017 Barnabas Servant Leadership awards will be recognized during this service. Offices will be closed.