Ligon Chapel Amps Up

Ligon Chapel Amps Up

Montgomery, Ala.— The chapel inside Flowers Hall, the first building built on the Huntingdon College campus when the College moved from Tuskegee to Montgomery in 1909, has served as the heart of the building and the heart of the campus for more than 110 years. Renamed Ligon Chapel after the space received a facelift in 1998, except for cushioned chairs and a larger stage than the original design, the chapel still looks much like the earliest photos of that facility.

However, behind the stage and below the balcony new lighting and sound, installed as the spring semester began, have amped up Ligon Chapel befitting of 2023—and then some. So, while the facility still looks like the chapel of every alum’s memory, it’s far from that chapel in the breadth of its usage for today’s students.

“We have completely transformed historic worship space into an updated, modern worship and performance space that can be used by all,” said the Rev. Rhett Butler ’13, chaplain of the College. “However, you walk in and you can’t tell anything has been done.” That is, until the lights and microphones come on.

Chaplain Butler leads weekly Tuesday Night Worship (TNW), a lively contemporary worship service that meets at 8:30 p.m. in the chapel. “Sacred arts and liturgy are important to me and I’m really excited for all we can do with this system,” he said. “The sound system and lighting are an all-digital system that is top-tier professional—selected and installed to work with the amazing acoustical features of this historic, sacred space. Music, concerts, dance, gospel choir, concert choir, worship team, and even theater productions can be presented well in this space, which has not been true for many years.” The chapel’s sound system previously only allowed for five microphones and the overhead lights were either on or off—no spotlights, colors, or nuances. The new system has all the components necessary for an advanced concert facility and a modern church service.

The chaplain will have at least three interns working with him to control the lights and sound this semester and forward, providing sound experience in worship technology for their resumes as they look forward to entering seminaries or other paths in lay ministry.

Huntingdon took advantage of the spring semester 2020, when students and faculty left campus in early March because of the spreading pandemic, to recover the seating in the chapel.

“Throughout 2000 years of history, music and ministry have been intertwined,” said Chaplain Butler. “From the great cathedrals to the chants of ancient monks to the choirs and worship teams of today, music is a central component of worship. Music is also a central component of the liberal arts experience, so we are thrilled that our music students, as well as those who are part of the Concert Choir, Gospel Choir, worship team, Huntingdon Winds, Huntingdon Jazz, the new Glee Club, and other ensembles will be able to perform in a space that allows their talents to shine.”

Huntingdon College is a coeducational residential liberal arts college of the United Methodist Church offering more than thirty undergraduate programs of study, an Honors Program, Presidential Fellows Program, Kingswood Initiative, choral and instrumental music programs, dance and cheer teams, student organizations including Greek life and Campus Ministries, 21 NCAA-Division III athletic teams, and coed ESports, new for fall 2023. The College also offers the Master of Athletic Training.

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