After a year hiatus, Northwestern is once again offering Spanish Chapel for any students who want to experience the body of Christ in a new and inviting way. Spanish Chapel was a tradition that many students participated in prior to the 2023-24 school year before its primary organizer, Carlee Harmelink, graduated. Just like traditional Tuesday and Friday chapels, students engaged in a time of singing and listening to a message. In past years, representatives from study abroad programs, student Spanish majors and local pastors served as guest speakers during the services. Education students seeking diversity hours, Spanish majors wanting practice with the language and athletes who needed the credits all gathered in the choir room for a half hour of scripture, singing and listening. Last school year, students were deprived of the opportunity to enter into a space of worship that celebrated multiculturalism and diversity, and campus definitely felt the loss. Thankfully, students once again have the opportunity to learn more about another language and their classmates who speak that language, all while worshiping a common God.
The first Spanish Chapel of this year took place on Wednesday, Sep. 11. Students had the chance to sing worship songs and hear scripture in Spanish. Even though this may seem intimidating for attendees who don’t speak the language, junior Tihana Grady said that, “They accommodate really well for people that do not speak Spanish. You can follow along to what others are doing, and sometimes they have the scripture translated.” There are no prerequisites to attending and appreciating Spanish Chapel, only an open posture to learn and to worship.
Junior Meredith Sundberg also appreciated the community that Spanish Chapel offered, and said that she “ likes that you can come worship together, regardless of what language you speak.” Tuesday and Friday chapels are a staple of NW’s culture and campus, and students become familiar with the structure and layout after a few weeks. For English-speaking students, Spanish Chapel is an opportunity to learn a new side of God and His people and to gain a broader understanding of the global church. For Spanish-speaking students, the Wednesday services may offer a sense of community and belonging that may not be as prevalent in services that are not in their heart language. Also, since the services are typically held in smaller spaces, it offers a more intimate setting for worship. It is not possible to sit in a balcony or scroll through Instagram in the back row. Instead, students are forced to be more engaged and attentive to what is going on, which is a great opportunity to have a closer connection with the people around them and with God.
NW’s vision for diversity calls for us to appreciate the complexity of human identity in a way that fosters critical thinking, empathy and dialogue. A space such as Spanish Chapel points us in the direction of one another and the God who created us all with complexity and difference. After a service, students should be left with a better understanding of the beauty of God’s creation and the value of diversity in said kingdom. The gospel calls us to welcome those who are different from our identity, and learn about those whose backgrounds could not be less similar from our own. Coming together in worship in a language in which we have varying experiences offers an invaluable opportunity to turn the unfamiliar into familiar and the stranger into a neighbor.
