Dr. Timothy Tennent: I Can Only Imagine
Asbury students fitted from neck to ankle in white albs recessed slowly and solemnly out of Estes Chapel, each carrying various pieces of sacred architecture. It was November 2, 2017. One carried the Bible, another the cross, yet another the communion cup and plate. Other students carried the liturgical parament cloths and the long wooden candlesticks. The last item to leave, by design, was the candle of Presence, that amazing light which has been burning in Estes, probably since it was first dedicated. It represents the presence of God. J. D. Walt, Jr, our Asbury chaplain for over ten years once told me the only capital crime which could be committed on campus would be to let that candle go out!
The processional, followed by dozens and dozens of students, led all the way to McKenna chapel which would house the chapel of Asbury seminary for the next six months while Estes Chapel was being renovated. Asburians have not always worshipped in Estes chapel for their main worship service, but you would have to really go back to one of our earlier graduates to find someone who might recall our meeting at Wilmore UMC sanctuary, or even further back, when we met in the Presbyterian church on the corner of Lexington Ave. and Main Street. I suspect that we no longer have any graduates who are still on this side of glory who remember meeting for chapel in Larabee-Morris Hall. Those would be the “H C Morrison” days! But, for most of the Asbury family, Estes chapel has been our central place of worship, and it has felt like home. For decades, it has been the spiritual center on campus, and it was emotional to process out, even though we knew that it was for a good cause. For most of us, Estes Chapel is that constant place you can always enter into and hear God’s word, receive the sacraments, or be lifted up by worship.
So, you can only imagine what it felt like when Estes Chapel renovations were all complete, and on May 8th we had a beautiful service of re-dedication. The processional was truly glorious as the Candle of Presence led the way, and all the great signs of our covenant with God were re-established in Estes and it was re-dedicated to the glory of God and the service of the church.
What you may not know is that during the entire time this remodeling of Estes was unfolding, there was another great project at work here – The Asbury Hymnal. For years, our alumni have been asking us if we would ever consider putting out our own hymnal. That day has finally arrived! The new Asbury hymnbook is now in the pews of Estes Chapel. Unlike the other 1.5 million of renovations, this project wasn’t built with trowel or sheet rock, but with word processing and Finale files and prayer. It is probably one of the greatest collections of Wesley hymns and the greatest collection of theologically rich hymns of our tradition that has ever been collected.
When you walk onto the front plaza outside Estes Chapel, you are met by a life scale statue of Charles Wesley with a hymn book in his hand and a director’s quill in the other. It is a testimony to the 6,000 hymns which flowed from his life to the church. How much richer we are as the “people called Methodists” with such great hymns as Christ the Lord is Risen Today, Come Thou Long Expected Jesus, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Jesus Lover of My Soul and, of course, And Can it Be!
Charles Wesley taught us that theology must be sung if you want to grow a movement. Theology must be sung if it is to reside in our hearts, not just our heads. We have always been a singing people – a worshipping people. Once you have sung And Can it Be? in Estes Chapel, you will not soon forget it! It is one of the most common questions I receive from our alumni as I travel across the country. “Are you still singing ‘And Can it Be?’ at Asbury?” I assure them that this is still one of the defining hymns of the Asbury experience. We sing our theology. Martin Luther said, “next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.” Indeed, it is no mistake that God placed a book of worship right at the heart of the Bible. So, it is only fitting that we now have an Asbury hymnbook right at the heart of Estes Chapel.
There is something glorious about the people of God at worship, and I am so delighted that Estes is re-opened and re-dedicated for many new generations who will experience the presence of Christ in that place. I also want to tell all of our alumni/ae how thankful I am for your Director of Alumni, Tammy Cessna. She chaired the renovation team and helped to lead all the conversations about what was to be done in the renovation. When I first met with the team I told them that there were thousands of students, alumni/ae, friends, faculty and staff who will be counting on them to serve the wider community in this sacred task. I remember saying to the team, half joking, “You can come up with whatever changes you feel are right and we will stand behind you, unless you recommend that we take all the pews out, put in bean bags, and re-name it the kum-ba-yah center!” Let me say, that this team delivered excellence in a major way! Tammy Cessna represented all of our nearly 11,000 alumni so well. They spent hours talking to architects, discussing the theology of the worship space, and making countless decisions regarding lighting, the spacing of the pews, the technology for live-streaming, handicapped accessibility, and so forth. The results are truly stunning!
Thank God for his grace in bringing this about. I also want to thank all of the alumni who gave so sacrificially, as this part of the Campaign was adopted by our alumni council as the way the alumni could best “give back” to the seminary which had invested so much in them. We have all heard the song, “I can only imagine” by Bart Millard (and now the subject of a major movie). Well, if I can use that phrase… I can only imagine what God will do for the next generation of Asbury worshipers who walk into Estes Chapel – I can only imagine. Praise the Lord!
We rejoice with you as we remember our time in Wilmore! I remember also entering the chapel during Candlelight at my Emmaus Walk……. It was the closest thing to entering heaven that I have ever experienced! May God bless all future services in Estes Chapel! Is the hymnal for sale and how could I get one?