American Baptist College

Chapel Services

Like college chapel events everywhere, chapel is our weekly community worship and gathering experience. Chapel events are the largest community gathering time on campus. It’s an opportunity to share concerns, to forge community bonds and worship together. Often we invite speakers from around the city to preach, sometime faculty preach, sometimes members of the students body preach. We sing, we pray, we make community announcements. In addition, assembly sessions are periodically scheduled to provide opportunities for addressing various topics.

Chapel Services are now scheduled for Tuesday's 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Students are required to attend as well as encouraged to participate.

American Baptist College 2010-2011 Chapel Policy

The administration and faculty of American Baptist College strongly believe in the great contribution and vital role of chapel and its ministry of encouragement, worship, and community development. Chapel events are the largest community gathering time on campus. Therefore, chapel attendance and participation are required components of the development process at ABC. Chapel is held on Tuesdays, 5:30-6:30pm in the Chapel Auditorium.

Students, both undergraduate and graduate, are expected to attend at least eight (8) chapel services each semester.

Chapel attendance will be taken as each student receives a communication card prior to the service and returns it to the chapel greeters when the service is dismissed. Students who arrive more than 20 minutes late will not receive a communication card.

Attendance at Fall and Spring Convocations are mandatory for all students enrolled at American Baptist College.

Exemptions from Chapel Attendance

Students who do not have classes on campus on Tuesdays may request an exemption to lower required attendance to attend three (3) chapel services per semester plus Convocation services.
Students commuting 20 miles one way or more and who do not have Tuesday classes may request an exemption to lower required attendance to two (2) chapels plus Convocation services by submitting a chapel petition.
Students taking 6 credit hours or less are encouraged, but not required, to attend chapel. They are required to attend Convocation services.
Students experiencing extended absences from the college due to medical, personal or family difficulties that prevent class/chapel attendance may receive a chapel modification
Exemptions may be granted for those who can verifiably show that they work during the school’s chapel times.

Verbal verification is required from the employer within two weeks of submission of the petition. The lack of satisfactory verification will result in a delayed petition approval or denial.
Those who do work during chapel time must make arrangements to attend a minimum of (1) one chapel per semester regardless of work commitments.

Students qualifying for a chapel reduction or exemption must submit a petition. Petitions are to be submitted to Ms. Emily Jenkins, Director of Administrative Services: ejenkins@abcnash.edu and 687-6902.

Petitions must be submitted and approved each semester; exemptions will only be considered on a per semester basis.
All petitions must be submitted within the first two weeks of the semester.

Consequences for Violating Mandatory Chapel Attendance

Students who fail to meet the physical attendance requirement (based on their enrollment status) will be put on Chapel Probation the following semester and can expect to receive a letter from the Academic VP to that effect.
Students who for a second semester in a row again fail to complete their physical attendance requirement while on Chapel Probation will not be able to take classes at ABC the following semester.

The President’s Stimulus Package for Chapel Attendance
The two students with perfect chapel attendance during the 2010-2011 school year will be granted a 10% discount in their tuition the next school year.