Jenna Anderson-
Chapel Break is a time for the Gustavus community to come together, rest, and reconnect. There is a 20-minute gap in the class schedule every Tuesday and Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.; a time where nearly everyone on campus has a break built into their schedule. During Chapel Break on Tuesday, November 26th in Christ Chapel, Associate Dean of Students Megan Ruble will be speaking, and the Gustavus Ringers handbell choir will be performing two pieces.
Ruble will be speaking about her “why” at Gustavus. Ruble has been working at Gustavus for 25 years. She started working in the campus activities office and then transitioned to the Dean’s office, where she has been for the past ten years. “Having worked in campus activities for as long as I did, their mission is about belonging and engagement,” Ruble said. These qualities are a big part of her “why” at Gustavus. “I’m a born-again Christian, so my faith is really super important to me,” Ruble said. Although not completely sure what her speech will look like, she plans to tie the ideas of belonging and engagement together with a verse from the Bible.
For returning students and staff, this year has included adjusting to the new schedule. A lot of students “without realizing it, sort of jam-pack[ed] their schedule on Tuesdays and Thursdays,” Ruble said. “The hope is that people will use the chapel time to refresh in whatever way that means,” Ruble said, regardless of their busy schedule.
One main reason we have Chapel Break, Ruble emphasized, is rest. Rest can look different for each student; perhaps a “quick walk outside, doing their own meditating or resting, or maybe for some people, what really rests and resets them is having coffee with a friend…If that’s spiritual for you, that’s super awesome. If it’s not and you still can meet those goals, it’s great.”
Along with Ruble’s speech, the Gustavus Ringers handbell choir will be performing during the November 26th Chapel Break. Cantor of Christ Chapel Chad Winterfeldt is the director of the three Gustavus handbell ensembles. “I assist with organizing music in the chapel, which includes directing handbells, and I teach some classes in the music department,” Winterfeldt said. He also teaches the organ in the chapel. This is his 19th year directing handbells at Gustavus, and the handbell choirs have been around since the mid-1990s. “It continues to grow year by year,” Winterfeldt said.
“We have five and half octaves of bells,” Winterfeldt said, “that’s 67 bells total, and hand chimes as well.” You don’t have to have a lot of musical experience to participate in handbells. “It’s a great way for any student to get involved in music,” Winterfeldt said. There are three separate ensembles, each with 13 students.
Gustavus’s handbell choirs are separated by experience. The Gustavus Ringers are the most experienced group, and they perform at the Christmas in Christ Chapel concert each year. The November 26th chapel break will serve as a sort of preview, and the“ first real public run,” Winderfeldt said, for their two CinCC pieces. They will perform “Gloria” by Arnold Sherman and “Creator of the Stars of Night” by Karn Thompson. “Gloria” is a “very lively, fast-paced energetic piece,” Winterfeldt said. The second piece is much slower and quieter. The pieces are contrasting and feature different techniques, which makes it “interesting to hear both,” Winderfeldt said.
Similarly to Ruble, Winterfeldt feels that chapel break is a time for rest. He also emphasized the goal of bringing the community together during this time. A different ensemble performs each week, creating an “opportunity for people to hear fellow students or colleagues performing,” Winterfeldt said. “It’s a space and time for all students, all staff, and all faculty to come together.” Additionally, CinCC tickets are almost sold out, so Winterfeldt encourages Gustavus students to get their (free!) tickets soon and to check back in regularly in case more tickets become available in the coming weeks.
So, from 11:30 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. on Tuesday, November 26th in Christ Chapel, students can listen to a short talk from Associate Dean of Students Megan Ruble, and hear the Gustavus Ringers handbell choir premiere their CinCC music. As Ruble and Winterfeldt said, Chapel Break is a time for the Gustavus community to rest and connect with one another, and next Tuesday will be a great opportunity to do so.