As is tradition, Gustavus Adolphus College packed Christ Chapel for five services in three days as part of the College’s 42nd annual Christmas in Christ Chapel, “Tender Rose, Starry Night”. For the first time this year, the College produced a live stream of the Saturday evening service so that alumni and friends of the College all around the world could enjoy this holiday tradition from the comfort of their own homes. The live stream was extremely successful as more than 7,500 people tuned in from 24 different countries and 49 different states.
“Christmas in Christ Chapel is a tradition that has been treasured by the Gustavus community for over four decades. When presented with an opportunity to share this distinctive worship celebration with people in places like never before, we embraced the challenge, and our students were truly spectacular throughout,” Chaplain Brian Konkol said. “The remarkable response showed that sharing Christmas in Christ Chapel around the world was a worthwhile undertaking.”
Heroic Productions, which annually provides audio, video, and lighting solutions for both Christmas in Christ Chapel and the Nobel Conference, produced the live stream with the use of nine different cameras.
“Heroic is very proud of its relationships with Gustavus,” said Jon Young ’77, President and CEO of Heroic Productions. “Our goal for Christmas in Christ Chapel was to provide “front row seating” to people watching around the world without disturbing the integrity of the worship experience for those participating live in Christ Chapel.”
A tradition since 1973, Christmas in Christ Chapel is a time for the Gustavus community to celebrate the holidays with one another through music, dance, spoken word, and prayer. Approximately 350 students, faculty, and staff bring the program to life each year through the use of music and visual art. A new theme is chosen each year in order to educate participants and audiences alike about faith and cultural traditions. Choirs and orchestras lead the five services, with approximately 1,200 people attending each one.
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