What Does Vespers Mean to Bethel Students?

Every Sunday night at 9 p.m., Benson Great Hall dims as calm, purple light illuminates the stage. Atmospheric music begins as a student opens in prayer before the band invites hundreds of people to join them. The music begins. And hundreds of voices join together in worship.

For over 30 years, Vespers has been a staple of worship at Bethel. "Vespers serves as a place for people to gather as one in worship and dwell in His presence," says Elvira Obada ’24, who serves on United Worship Ministries, the team that leads music at Chapel and Vespers. 

Here, we explore Vespers and what it means to our students and the Bethel community:

What is Vespers?

Vespers is a weekly musical worship service formed by students in the 1980s. The hour-long worship is centered entirely around music. It presents an opportunity for people to gather and worship through music, find support in their peers, and, if they choose, seek out prayer. While the selected songs often center on a theme, speakers, sermons, and sharing time are not included.

Who leads Vespers?

Since its inception, students have run Vespers. Each week, a different student worship band leads Vespers with more than 50 student musicians volunteering across four teams through United Worship Ministries. Along with Vespers, these bands also perform at Chapel. Eight band leaders—two from each band—also make up a fifth band that plays each year during Welcome Week, the first week of Vespers and Chapel, and the final week of each semester. 

Campus Pastor for Spiritual Formation and Care Matt Runion S’03 commends the student leaders for the humility they show leading Vespers. And all the students on the worship teams are volunteers.

Why go to Vespers?

To DeHaan, Vespers represents a moment of unity and intentionality for the Bethel community and others to come together and worship and praise God.

Vespers presents opportunities for those attending to encounter God in unique ways. For many, it’s a chance to gather and be together in God’s presence. “I find great value in that sense of community,” says Daniel Carlson ‘25, a physics and applied physics: optics major who is a student-musician at Vespers. Many of the student leaders like Carlson and Tracee DeHaan ‘24 also attend on other weeks. They love being able to direct themselves toward the Lord as they prepare for the week. That being said, DeHaan cautions that you need to come prepared for worship. “People get out of Vespers what they put in,” says DeHaan, a nursing major. “If you haven't prepared your heart for worship or your mind, it's hard to get anything out of it.”

Runion remembers his own formative experience at Vespers while attending Bethel Seminary. He remembers frequently attending Vespers and being able to quietly worship in the back. The student leaders never knew they were helping him through a challenging year.

How can you attend?

Anyone can attend Vespers at 9 p.m. Sunday nights in Bethel’s Benson Great Hall. Campus is open during that time, and parking is readily available. Every week, United Ministry creates a Spotify playlist of the worship set.

What does Vespers say about Bethel?  

Vespers serves as an example of Bethel's commitment to community and church outreach, showcasing servant leadership and encouraging students to pursue their gifts. To Runion and the students leading worship each week, Vespers shows that there is a heart for God, worship, and community at Bethel. “It is one great example of how Bethel is serving the church and the greater community around us,” Runion says.