What is the worship at our seven Concordia University campuses like? Here is a survey from what the universities post online:

Concordia University - Ann Arbor

CUAA’s chapel services are explained here. Basically, there is a daily 20 minute service at 10:30 am in the chapel. Additional services include: “Monday matins/morning prayer,” a Tuesday night (10:15 pm) “hour of contemporary worship led by student musicians and vocalists.,” a Wednesday evening (10:00 pm) service of “Evening Prayer,” a Friday afternoon (3:05 pm) service of “none” (sic), monthly “Communion Services,” and “special services.”

Chapel services are livestreamed, but they don’t seem to be archived anywhere. I was unable to find any videos about chapel, campus ministry, or spiritual life on CUAA’s YouTube channel.

Concordia University - Chicago

Chicago’s chapel services are explained here. Daily chapel:

Each weekday from 11-11:20 a.m. (CST/SDT) is considered Sacred Time, set apart for a special purpose--no classes or meetings are scheduled.

You’ll find no better place that bears the power of God’s word through the gift of exceptional music. While morning chapel is traditionally based, it features a variety of musical styles. Morning Prayer and Matins are regularly prayed, the Résonanz ensemble leads alternative worship services, and a quiet, meditative prayer service called Taizé occurs every few weeks.

As part of the University's strong extended faith community, guest preachers regularly include LCMS pastors, CUC theology faculty, and other spiritual leaders. Nearly every morning the ordinary becomes extraordinary in Concordia-Chicago’s chapel—and all to the glory of God for the furtherance of the Gospel!

Daily Chapel is streamed and recorded. The services are liturgical, pastors are vested, and the music is traditional for the most part. Sometimes there is a praise band. There are lay readers of both sexes. The Divine Service that I watched was liturgical (DS4?) with minimal ceremony.

Sunday services are explained:

On Sunday mornings, we join to respond to His mighty works by prayer, praise and thanksgiving.

Sunday morning worship is at 10 a.m. in The Chapel of Our Lord, and is conducted by ordained members of the CUC faculty and staff. A large number of students attend, and the entire campus community is welcome.

There are also a number of other houses of Christian worship in the River Forest and Oak Park communities. Feel free to speak with the University Pastor to find one that fits your needs.

There are also “other worship opportunities:

• Prayer and Praise is on Sunday at 9:30 p.m. Led by the Prayer and Praise Ensemble, students are invited to an informal mix of word, fellowship, prayer and praise.

• Compline is on Monday night at 9:45 p.m. This is a student-led prayer service used at the close of the day.

• Vespers is each Tuesday at 9:45 p.m. This is also a student-led evening prayer service.

• Holy Eucharist is held each Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. during the academic year. 

• Evening Prayer is on Thursday night at 9:45 p.m. This is a student-led evening prayer service.

• Hymn of the Week Meditation is a weekly devotional based on the great hymn texts of the Church.

Concordia University - Nebraska

CUNE’s chapel services are explained here. There are five weekly traditional services and three contemporary.

Evening Prayer: “On Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 9:40, a faithful group of students gather for worship in one of the time-honored liturgies of the church. The various settings of Evening Prayer provide a rich form for you to praise and pray.”

Praise: “The sounds emanating from Weller Chapel on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. have a contemporary bend to them. The guitars, drums, shakers and tambourines may not be the same ones that Israel’s King David used several thousand years ago, but certainly the joy and honor of God is the same.” More information is here.

They do not seem to livestream or archive services.

CUNE has posted this “snapshot” of their chapel worship:

Concordia University - Wisconsin

CUW’s website includes a section within Christian Life on Lutheran Identity and are proudly LCMS. Daily Chapel is livestreamed and on YouTube. Per the website: “Daily Chapel Worship services meet in the Chapel of Christ Triumphant each day of the regular school year from 9:30 am to 9:45 am.” Most of the chapel services seem to be traditional liturgies with vested pastors, though some of them seem to be informal talks by men in shirts and ties without vestments. There is no way to tell if they are clergy or laity.

CUW had an ad that ran locally during the Super Bowl. At the 6th and 17th second mark, there are vested pastors and incense:

Concordia University - Texas

CTX, which is currently in a bitter struggle for autonomy from the oversight of the LCMS, has an explanation of chapel from “Pastor Jake”:

Also:

What should I wear? Dress comfortably, casually, and be yourself. However you normally dress, we expect you to come dressed for us to experience the authentic you.

Where should I sit? We want you to feel comfortable. Sit in the back, middle, front, back, sit, stand, or lay on the ground (ok, that might be too far). Please don’t be offended if we come to say hi or hi-five you at the door. Our goal is to make you feel loved and known. And please let us know if there is anything that was just "off" or really "on" for you as you experienced our gatherings.

Can I watch it online? Yes! We stream each service on Youtube. 

What goes on during chapel? We will most likely sing, hear a reading from God’s Word, and a trained speaker breaking God’s Word down into biteable parts that can apply to your life.  We will spend time praying too. Our goal is to keep the experience to 25 minutes total.

What is #PackTheHouse Wednesdays? After chapel on Wednesdays we offer snacks and drinks for us all to build community and connection. We hope that every seat would be filled on Wednesdays and many would join us online to unify as a community in worship.

Concordia is a safe place to explore what you believe. I have been served as a full-time campus pastor since Spring 2022. In the time that I have been at Concordia, I have seen students meet Jesus for the first time by hearing from the Word of God and new friends that they are loved, known, and forgiven. When students are open to learning and growing, God meets them in a relationship and reveals Himself. 

If you are a parent of a student who is at or is considering or will be at Concordia, know that we will take good care of your young adult. We will come alongside them, and they will not be alone. Your student is in good hands.

If you are a student, I want to encourage you to be open to reading the stories of Jesus found in the Bible, putting your trust in Jesus, and seeing your life radically transform.

The way of Jesus is to surrender your life and follow His teachings. Salvation cost Jesus His very life for our life. When you become a follower of Jesus, you don’t become perfect. But you have someone who knows what you are going through and will always be there for you. We are hopeful that through the experiences at Concordia, thousands of students in the coming decade will surrender their life to Jesus and follow His way of grace, truth, compassion and love.

Pray for us. We need your prayers. Campus Ministry’s vision is for a multi-cultural community of students, faculty, and staff in person and online, to gather, grow and go on mission with Jesus so that thousands of people meet, know, and follow Jesus in the coming years. 

Life can be a pretty wild ride. No matter what you go through in college and beyond, God meets us all where we are at to walk with us through all things.

Concordia hopes to do the same.

You belong here. Join us!

This is a recent worship service. At about minute 21:20, Pastor Jake leads an altar call. He explains the significance of the altar: “This is where Jesus, not the physical one, but it’s a memorial of Jesus sacrificing His life for us.”

Here is a recent service led by what appears to be a female student. She not only reads Scripture, but also leads prayers, including the Confiteor from Compline, and pronounces the benediction at the end:

Concordia University - Irvine

CUI’s chapel is explained here:

Monday Chapel

Start the week in God’s Word. Bring your Bible for an in-depth Bible study. A contemporary music ensemble accompanies our worship.

Tuesday Chapel

Come enjoy life as a community during this service that features Christ-centered liturgies and a purposely shortened time frame designed to give us more time for fellowship.

Thursday Chapel

This traditional service points us to Christ through special liturgies and a message based on God’s Word. CUI’s choirs and instrumental ensembles express our rich heritage of faith and worship.

SHOUT!

Every Thursday night, you are invited to participate in SHOUT! This hour-long service is led by students and features acoustic music, testimonial-style devotions, personal reflection and prayer.

Friday Chapel

We stand together on the common ground of grace, learn what it means to live in that grace, and praise our God in modern songs of faith.

“If you want to pursue your faith here, you can. [Faculty and staff] will encourage you to attend chapel, but it’s a positive thing. It’s not shoved in your face.” ~ Michael Hauser, Accounting

And here is CUI’s video presentation of their approach to chapel worship:

It doesn’t appear that CUI’s chapel services are livestreamed or archived.

Concordia University - St. Paul

Here is CSP’s explanation of their Devotional Life:

Devotional life is an important part of the campus life at Concordia, St. Paul.  We have chapel opportunities taking place Monday through Friday. Chapel is a time for the community to gather around Scripture, song, prayer, and devotional thoughts from various members of our campus community or invited guests.   Chapel at CSP includes a variety of styles and practices that are observed throughout The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.  Various choirs and ensembles offer music throughout the year in chapel, as well as theatre and dance contributions.  Holy Communion is celebrated in chapel on festival occasions.  Students, faculty, staff, and guests are welcome to attend chapel services.

Morning Chapel

MONDAY/FRIDAY – 10:30AM
WEDNESAY – 7:30AM COMMUNION
TUESDAY/THURSDAY – 11:30AM

A Typical Week in Chapel
Chapel times include a variety of forms, orders, and leaders.  It is our goal that the beautiful diversity of our campus community and its gifts can be represented in chapel.  To reach that goal of variety and involvement, our weekly order will not always be the same, but generally, some common themes can be expected.  No matter the form or the leader, though, we will always gather around the Gospel of Christ as found in the Holy Scriptures.

Monday – service of the Word and song

Tuesday – service of the Word and song

Wednesday – Convocations, Communion, and other orders

Thursday – A rotation of traditional orders of Matins, Morning Prayer, and Celtic Daily Prayer often accompanied by the Jubilate Choir

Friday – service of the Word and song

Questions about morning chapel?  Would you like to get involved or help out?  Contact the team!

Evening Chapel

Evening chapels are student-led devotional times on campus that range from very quiet and contemplative to full band leading contemporary music and everything in between.  You are welcome to join us for any and all evening chapels to end your day with thanksgiving to God and hear about his love for you.  If you’d like to help with evening chapel, contact the team or the student leaders leading the services.

Compline – Monday at 10pm. It is a traditional, peaceful worship liturgy to celebrate the closing of the day.

Taize / Contemplative – Tuesday at 10pm. It is a contemplative, reflective time of worship where Scripture is read and sung. This service often includes a time of reflective silence for prayer.

908 – Wednesday at 9:08pm. 908 is a time of contemporary worship including a worship band, student or guest speaker, and prayer time.

Holden Evening Prayer – Thursday at 10pm. It is a beautiful piano-led service of singing and prayer.

Here is a video explaining “ministry” at CSP:

Also:

Bible Study
CSP Ministry sees Bible Study as an incredibly important piece of Christian life and discipleship.  CSP Ministry offers seasonal study opportunities and resources during Lent and other times.  We also equip students and staff to lead and facilitate Bible Studies in their areas of campus as well.

Serve in Chapel
We love having as many different people involved in chapel as possible.  Do you like to read aloud?  Are you interested in running sound or visuals?  Do you play an instrument or sing?  Do you do skits or dance?  We would love to have you use your gifts in chapel!

It doesn’t seem that CSP’s chapel services are livestreamed or archived.