What do you get when you combine a Methodist hymnal, Scottish prayer, Episcopalian liturgy, and Catholic blessing, all taught by a Lutheran minister in a college chapel? Not an overly complicated joke, although that’s enough material to make one.
The real result, though, is an ecumenical service that Professor of Religion Derek Nelson ’99 started this semester: “A Good Half Hour.” Held at 11:15 a.m. on one Tuesday each month in Pioneer Chapel, the service is open to all. The two meetings so far each included prayers, short hymns, a Scripture reading, communion, and a brief message delivered by Nelson. The service’s purpose is to be a short mental getaway for people, especially students, who want to trade the hustle and bustle of life for a spiritual respite.
“A college is necessarily a results-driven kind of place where we have our hierarchies, our different ways of dividing people up into categories and grades,” said Nelson. “In addition to the theological reasons why you might worship, I want people to feel they can just be here for a while and be accepted as they are.”
In a culture full of performance reviews and progress checks, “A Good Half Hour” offers a different take on what makes people valuable. For Nelson, it’s not what we produce or how well we “perform” on a certain day; what matters most is that we’re people, plain and simple.
“I want people to have a different calculation going on, one where everyone is infinitely worthy; a grace logic instead of law logic,” said Nelson.
While Wabash is well-known and well-loved for its demanding workload and competitive atmosphere, this environment can be draining and lead to burnout. Students need breaks, and even one Tuesday a month has made a difference.
“There are pros to a liberal arts college being small: We’re always learning new things and being trained in many aspects, but participation in everything is always a looming obligation,” said Bryce Kinnaman ’27, who attended both services this semester. “I think that ‘A Good Half Hour’ is a nice place to just be.”
Like many other Wabash innovators, Nelson drew his inspiration for “A Good Half Hour” from the past. While he was a student at Wabash, Nelson wrote a term paper for Religion and Philosophy professor Bill Placher ’70 about the College’s religious history. He learned that back in the 19th century, there were multiple religious services per day held in the Chapel, all of which required students’ attendance. Gradually, as Wabash diversified and more opportunities for worship sprung up in Crawfordsville, required religious services faded away. But worship did not cease. A local Lutheran church met there for a time, and Eric Dean H’61, a longtime religion professor, preached in the Chapel every Sunday when he taught at Wabash. Eventually, the Religion department began sponsoring a small weekly prayer service held in the Tuttle Chapel of Center Hall, but that service was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and has not been revived.
A desire to reincarnate one of Wabash’s oldest traditions inspired Nelson, but there is also an element of personal fulfillment for the ordained Lutheran minister in “A Good Half Hour.” Returning, even for a short time, to an occupation he loves brings Nelson joy.
“I miss being a pastor; I want that to be my last job that I retire from,” said Nelson. “There’s something special about the connection, especially with sacraments. Baptism and Holy Communion are unique things. It’s nice to do that with people that I care about, and most of whom I know.”
Nelson hopes “A Good Half Hour” can mirror the creation story of Genesis and help people experience the rest they are meant to enjoy. The point of our rest should not be to prepare us for more work; rather, rest is a critical part of humanity and worship. Nelson’s goal is that attendees feel rested, down to the very core of their being.
“Just come and have a different kind of half hour than you usually have,” said Nelson. “If you want to sleep, that is just fine. If you want to sing, you can. If you don’t want to sing, you don’t have to. I want it to be an unusually merciful place for half an hour.”
“I’m glad we started this,” said Kinnaman ’27. “It’s definitely something I enjoy and look forward to, no matter if I only know I’m going to the service 15 minutes before I walk in the doors.”
Anyone who has an idea for a “Good Half Hour” service or is interested in helping Nelson with the service is encouraged to reach out to him. Two more are planned for this semester — one in November and one in December — and everyone is welcome to attend.