From morning chapel services to evening events focused on discussion and creative expression, Point Loma Nazarene University students participated in a range of gatherings across campus during Renewal Week.
The once-a-semester event organized by PLNU’s chapel planning team took place Feb. 2-6 and featured a mix of new and returning events.
Alongside traditional morning chapels and prayer gatherings, this year’s Renewal Week included two new events: Burgers and Bros and Kaleo. Both aimed to foster community and creative expression beyond a typical chapel setting.
“The main purpose of Renewal Week is that it is this community, set-apart time to really intentionally seek God and seek the heart of God,” Esteban Trujillo, university chaplain, said. “We always talk about the idea that we cannot create renewal, but we can be intentional about how we seek God in the midst, knowing that the [Holy] Spirit is the one who is offering renewal in our lives.”
Chapel interns, Kendra Hudson, a fourth-year Christian studies major, Domonick Sena, a fourth-year business marketing major and Naomi Norton, a fourth-year psychology major,
also played a role in planning and carrying out the week’s events.
The interns assisted with event setup and supported the execution of programs, with an emphasis on student experience.
Sena said the team kept students in mind when preparing for the week.
“Renewal Week is about finding different ways to worship God,” Sena said. “My biggest prayer is that God would reveal himself differently and in new ways to students.”
One of the newly introduced events, Burgers and Bros, was a gathering for men held Tuesday evening at a volunteer’s home. According to Trujillo, it marked the first gender-specific event included during Renewal Week.
“It was not just grilling hamburgers; we wanted to draw our male students into places of community,” Trujillo said.
The event featured a panel discussion with Dan Bos, associate director of Worship Arts, Tim Hall, PLNU psychology professor, Bucky Bateman, mental health counselor supervisor and PLNU alumni Paul Towne and Josue Barragan, who shared their college experiences, leadership roles and the importance of community.
Elijah Lodenquai, a fourth-year media communication major, who attended the event, said the gathering created a strong sense of connection.
“It was really cool to be in that environment with a lot of guys, just talking about life together,” he said. “It’s great to plug into a group of guys who you know will hold you accountable and be there for you in the lows and highs.”
Kaleo, the second addition to Renewal Week, was an evening centered on creative expressions of worship through the arts held on Thursday night in Brown Chapel.
“Kaleo brings students and alumni together to share creative expressions of worship,” Hudson said. “It shows different ways you can worship that look different than a typical service.”
The event included poetry readings, music, dance and visual art. Hudson performed pottery on stage alongside David Carlson, PLNU art professor, while other students shared other artistic expressions throughout the evening.
The regular morning chapels on Monday, Wednesday and Friday were led by guest speaker Richard Griffiths.
“Having Richard Griffiths in chapel and seeing the way that students have been responding has been so cool,” Hudson said. “As much as I think Richard had an impact on students, Richard had an impact on me, too.”
Priscilla Mia, a fourth-year Christian studies major, also reflected on Griffiths’ messages.
“Richard has brought a real sense of hope through the way he preaches the gospel,” Mia said. “You can feel that people are stirred and engaged during chapel.”
Griffiths said that he hopes students feel encouraged to reach out to others after Renewal Week.
“The Lord has called us to be peacemakers and blessers in the world, and that means being engaged with people,” Griffiths said.
Other returning Renewal Week events included early morning prayer services, “Walk and Talk” sessions, which paired students with faculty and a prayer and yoga gathering at McCullough Park.
Kevin Velazquez, a second-year health science major, attended the 6:30 a.m. prayer service.
“Most people wake up and scroll on their phones, but this made me wake up and go straight to prayer,” Velazquez said. “I was tired, but I still chose to worship.”
Megan Snyder, a second-year psychology major, said the “Walk and Talk” event allowed her to connect with a faculty member in a meaningful way.
“I was really seeking mentorship in that moment, and this felt like a once-in-a-while opportunity,” Snyder said. “I think opportunities like this show how much we can learn from each other.”
Olivia Roberts