Fletcher Chapel Renovations: How to Get Your Exclusive “Keep the Feast” T-shirt
Asbury Alumni love their alma mater and care about the stewardship of our spaces. We’ve worked hard for the last few years and raised the money to renovate Estes Chapel, and it is so beautiful! We have thoroughly enjoyed encountering God and loving one another well in that updated space. Now, we seek to honor Fletcher Chapel the same way. For 2019, our alumni fundraising goal is to reach a $50,000 contribution to renovate and update Fletcher Chapel.
In an effort to meet this goal, we have produced the second shirt in our Asbury For Life line, and we are so excited to reveal them to you. We now have the shirts in our office and have begun mailing them out to those who have donated to the fund already. We’ve already surpassed our $5,000 launch goal on Giving Tuesday, and we are offering these “Keep the Feast” shirts as gifts for any donation amount! Yes, you read that right. If you send us a dollar for Fletcher Chapel, you get a shirt, and you can do that right here by visiting our online giving portal! But, we hope that you will give much, much more. Why? Because we know there are many of you who have had meaningful experiences in that space and will be committed to making sure it is available and well-maintained for other students to continue having those same formative experiences! And, to that effect, we have asked Asbury Theological Seminary’s first ever Daily Eucharist Lead Intern, who served primarily in that space, what her best memories of Fletcher Chapel were. Below, Rev. Erica Wellner of the Western Pennsylvania conference of the United Methodist Church shares her fondness for Fletcher:
I fell in love with Fletcher Chapel when I came to visit Asbury the April before I began classes. Something about the shape and the quaintness of this little chapel grabbed me from day one. I believe it was my second year at Asbury when I took my first Spiritual Formation Class with Dr. Reg Johnson. All of Reg’s classes were held in Fletcher Chapel, which made it even more special to me. I spent many hours sitting under Reg’s teaching in that room, since I took almost every class he taught as part of my MASF.
This chapel holds another very dear place in my heart, outside of that first visit and Reg’s classes. I worked in the Chapel Office for 4.5 of my 5.5 years of seminary, under three amazing Deans of Chapel, Rev. JD Walt, Dr. Bob Stamps, and Rev. Jessica LaGrone. However, it was under the leadership of Dr. Stamps that Fletcher became an even more special place for me. When Dr. Stamps came into the role of Dean of Chapel, he wanted to begin a Daily Eucharist Service. Considering my deep love of Communion, I was honored to be given the privilege of being the first ever Daily Eucharist Lead Intern.
It was my responsibility to plan speakers, celebrants, musicians, readers, and assistants for the four weekly Daily Eucharist services at Asbury each semester, including J-Term and summer semesters, for 3 years. Through this internship, I gained leadership skills and developed deep relationships with faculty and staff I may not have otherwise gotten to know. I became well known on campus, and even met one of my best friends, who happened to work in Fletcher Chapel under my supervision for several semesters before I graduated.
Any time I return to Asbury, I must visit the two chapels that were my second homes on campus: Estes and Fletcher. These chapels gave me life through the teaching and preaching from many great people who spoke there. It was in these physical spaces that I met Jesus time and again when I needed Him the most during my seminary years. It was in Fletcher particularly that Jesus met me on more than one occasion; sometimes I didn’t realize I needed to meet Him, and sometimes He came even when I was unwilling to meet with Him.
Just as I was excited to see Estes Chapel get a facelift and be restored to the beautiful space it is now. I am very excited to see what the team at Asbury plans to do with Fletcher Chapel. This chapel holds many fond memories of my seminary days, and I cannot wait to see the new and improved Fletcher Chapel on one of my future visits back to the “Holy City.”
Rev. Erica Wellner
First Lead Daily Eucharist Intern
MDiv, MASF December 2014
As a Seminary student 1973-1976 I am familiar with the name “Estes Chapel”, but am not acquainted with Fletcher Chapel. Where is it located and what has been/is its function. ATS has changed since my days there, but when visiting relatives in Lexington and Wilmore, I find thoughts drawn to my days there. God’s blessings on ATS and His mission for you.
Alan Erwin, MAR, additional studies toward M.Div.
Hi, Alan! Fletcher chapel is located on the ground floor of the J.C. McPheeters Building directly across from the Asbury Inn. The space has been used primarily as a spiritual formation classroom as well as the primary location for our Daily Eucharist services, which are held four days a week during fall and spring semesters. This space has also been used as a prayer chapel as well as a training space for our Healing Academy, which trains prayer ministers in healthy models of ministry. Fletcher Chapel has become a “thin place” where many people have met the God who heals and transforms. It is a sacred space that we want to steward well for students to encounter the risen Lord.
Whenever you are in the area, feel free to stop your Alumni Office and see us. We are happy to show you the chapel, and we will make sure you leave with some Asbury goodies.
How can we make a donation?
Goodness! It seems the editor initially neglected to include that info! We have added a link to the body of the article now, but you can visit https://myats.asburyseminary.edu/hundredfold to donate. Thank you for bringing that to our attention!
Sincerely, the errant editor.
This is very exciting to hear of the good progress of Fletcher Chapel’s renovation and Erica’s testimony is inspiring. A donation for a T-shirt is on its way.
Thank you for your donation, Dale! Enjoy that soft shirt!