The College Chapel and Chaplaincy

Our College is very lucky in the facilities that it has, including the College Chapel. A rare example of art deco architecture, it was built for the centenary of the College of the Venerable Bede in 1939, and became a listed building in 2007. The vastness of its size (it can seat over two hundred people) and its stunning acoustic, means that the Chapel allows for a whole range of different styles of worship, from the College Carol Service where the whole chapel is jam packed, to our weekly taizé service when students sit around the altar and sing and pray by candlelight.

The College has a vibrant Chaplaincy, led by the College Chaplain. Although the Chaplaincy is Anglican in foundation, all members of the college are welcome at our services. The Chapel is also an ideal place to come and be quiet, or to have some time to reflect.

The Chapel is used every day for prayer, and we welcome prayer requests, either directly to the Chaplain, or by writing a prayer card in Chapel and placing it on our prayer board.

The Chapel Choir at College is quite exceptional, and is auditioned every year in Freshers week. We offer eight choral scholarships a year, and three organ scholarships. If you have any queries then please contact the College Chaplain, timothy.m.ferguson@durham.ac.uk.

The choir sings two services a week in term time: Choral Evensong on a Wednesday at 5.45pm and the College Eucharist on a Sunday at 11.00am.

Members of the public are also welcome to attend our services. Details of all our regular services can be found on the termly Chapel card on the Chaplaincy website (see above). The choir regularly sing in Cathedrals, both in Great Britain and across the World. The Chapel is also used for concerts and recordings.

There are many different ways to be involved in the Chaplaincy, and students regularly serve, read, lead worship and prayers and preach at services. Members of the Senior Common Room also take an active part in the life of the Chaplaincy.

The Chapel is licensed for weddings, and many of our former students choose to return to the College to be married. The Chapel is also used for baptisms and funerals when occasion requires.

This is the mission statement for the Chaplaincy:

The Chaplaincy seeks to serve the whole College Community, and in its worship and work to witness to the God who loves all people. We are concerned for the dignity and care of all creation, and believe we play a part in bringing about a more just and whole world.