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Estes Chapel: A Place of History, Legends and Dreams-July 2016

Published Date: June 27, 2016

By Christine Kiel Endicott

“How many students get married in Estes each year?”. This is a question frequently posed to me as the Wedding and Event Coordinator at Asbury Seminary. The truth is, less than half of the weddings we perform are for current students. The rest hear of our wedding services through a variety of ways. Some have come to a wedding with a friend, while others find us on our website at weddingsatasbury.com, or Facebook page, Weddings at Asbury. Estes Chapel is a sacred place to many for a multitude of reasons.

The legend of Estes continues with new generations getting married. Sometimes this includes having a parent and grandparent co-lead the ceremony, or siblings returning to repeat the beautiful experience for their Asbury Wedding!!!!!!!!!(1)family. Members from the surrounding community who have never been inside  before are drawn in by the peace and beauty they find within its sanctuary. It is a rare occurrence when I encounter a bride and groom who have never heard of Estes Chapel. So many of us who are entrenched in the Asbury Seminary community think of the Estes legends of revivals and worship; we often forget that many lasting and enduring relationships began in Estes as well.

Marriage is a covenant in our society whose sacred value and commitment has been shaken in recent years. Despite this, many boys and girls still grow up dreaming of getting married and becoming a family. We have a unique privilege in offering them a beautiful place to fulfill those dreams. Taking couples on tours is a highlight of my job. I never tire of seeing the glow on a bride’s face, tears in a mother’s eyes, or the swift pace of a groom as he ponders the reality of meeting his bride at the altar. What is it that draws people in when those doors are open?

Of course, the long center aisle, the beautiful windows and wood work, the stunning stained glass of Christ, and the traditional pews are all a part of the appeal. However, I believe the power of the Spirit is vibrantly present in Estes and invites the soul to linger. There is a great sense of peace that fills you when you walk in. No matter what is happening or how much of a rush I am in, I always exit more at ease than when I entered. Although the paint is peeling badly, no one seems to notice or mind because they are so absorbed in the beauty of the experience of being there.

Estes is a holy and sacred place for which we need to care and love.  Psalm 26 verse 8 says, “LORD, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells.” As Christ calls us to care for our own body and treat it as a temple, so Estes is a temple for Christ and we are called to honor and respect it. The events that occur inside of it, the music we sing, the conversations we have, and the people we welcome are being conducted in a holy place.

We love to share stories about our alumni who have special memories in Estes, and one of the most important events in life is our own wedding. Please send us your story, so we can share your history as part of the legend of Estes to inspire the dreams of future couples to come.

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One response to “Estes Chapel: A Place of History, Legends and Dreams-July 2016”

  1. John Van Valin says:

    August 10, 1968 my wife (Ann Kenison ’68) and I (’69) were united in marriage in a packed Estes Chapel with Free Methodist pastor Clyde Van Valin and United Methodist Pastor David Seamands, officiating. (Ann had graduated from all the educational institutions in Wilmore, including grade school.) So many of the details of that holy event linger in our minds.We are still in love with each other and involved thoroughly in several Chinese ministries where we consistently witness the power of God’s transforming grace.Luce Prayer Chapel next to Estes, also holds precious memories not the least of which includes an evening of prayer 50 years ago, where I surrendered my entire life to the Lordship of Christ and the cleansing of the Holy Spirit. Praise be to God.

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