USF Chapel: Finding Christ in the Ordinary

This semester in chapel you will see a lot of familiar faces. USF Dean of Chapel, Dennis Thum has organized this semester’s chapel to be filled with faculty members, as the theme is “learning how to be Peter Pan Christians in a Captain Hook World.”

“Many Christians never grow up. They do not face the hard things that it takes to really mature and develop,” Thum says.

The first half of the semester is going to be working on benchmarks in a Christian’s life. Then, moving forward this spring chapel going to move beyond those benchmarks into some heavier topics.

“We have some speakers coming in April that have been through really tough things and yet found the grace of God to get through those difficult things,” Thum says.

Thum is working on connecting Tuesday Chapel with Thursday Night worship and Wednesday night Fellowship of Christian Athletes here at USF.

“We really have a hard time making space for God in our world because we’re so busy,” Thum says.

Thum explains that God is with us wherever we go and that is an important Christian Theme. He isn’t trapped in a church or put in a box. Thum encourages students to come and pay attention. Getting away from the entertainment value is hard, but it is something Thum says will help.

“Right now, the church can be so entertaining. We have so many talented people on campus and in the local churches,” Thum says.

“We’re blessed with so much talent in the church that we’re often distracted,” Thum says.

But church has never been an entertainment industry. Through polished speakers and great singers people often forget that the church isn’t made up of these superstars, just ordinary people.

“I want students to see Christ in the ordinary,” Thum says.

Chapel is held on Tuesday mornings  at 10:00AM in Z Hall, Wednesday Night Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Z Hall at 8:00PM and Thursday Nights at 9:00PM at the fireplace. Throughout the week there are many different worship and small groups. The University has many opportunities to get involved with the body of believers on campus.