We have three weekly, all-community services in St. Joseph’s Chapel. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we have a 30-minute service following the Morning Prayer Rite II of the Episcopal Church. Wednesdays we have an hour-long service following the Eucharistic Rite II of the Episcopal Church. These worship services provide a steady rhythm of prayer, music, and community gathering at the heart of our weekly schedule. In these services, we celebrate major events, hear reflections from members of our community, and practice the rhythms of worship that Christ School believes are fundamental to a flourishing spiritual life.

Every senior is able to give a Senior Speech during either a Morning Prayer Service or Assembly. Seniors are introduced by their advisor. They then have the opportunity to share a heartfelt message with the entire school before they graduate.

St. Joseph’s Chapel is alive with music. All of our chapel services include communal singing from the 1982 Hymnal of the Episcopal Church, led by the Christ School Choir and accompanied by the Chinn-Waters Organ. There are weekly opportunities for faculty and students alike to share their musical gifts with the chapel, often at our Eucharistic service. Professor Jim Cassarino has been Choirmaster, Director of Music, Fine Arts Department Chair, and Organist since 2019.

Consecrated in 1907, St. Joseph’s is the physical and symbolic heart of our campus. It serves as our primary house of worship, hosting our three weekly services and other major ceremonies. Our smaller chapel, the Father Harris Memorial Chapel, affectionately known as the Lady Chapel, was consecrated in 1938. When the weather cooperates, the students and faculty can gather in the Father Kirk Brown Outdoor Chapel, dedicated in 2019 to our Chaplain Emeritus, and adjacent to Christ School Lake. 

The Emory Garden sits on the east side of St. Joseph’s Chapel. There, alumni and other members of the Christ School community may choose to have their remains interred. It is a reverent and sacred space where we remember those many friends, family members, and legendary Greenies who have gone before us in the Long Green Line. If you wish to be interred in the Emory Garden, please contact Chaplain Peter Hartwig by email (phartwig@christschool.org). 

The Chaplain is available to all members of the Christ School community and their families to provide pastoral care. Whether you require sacramental ministry, spiritual direction, or simply a listening ear, the Chaplain can be reached by phone (828) 684-6232 (ext. 108) or email. In cases of crisis or emergency, the Chaplain is just a call away for our boarding community.

The Sacristan and the Verger are the two Senior Leaders of the Chapel who self-nominate for selection in the spring semester of their junior year. They lead the weekly chapel services alongside the Chaplain and they are the primary student leaders in the spiritual life of the school.

The Student Vestry is a committee of students who aid the Chaplain. They meet semi-weekly to talk about opportunities for chapel programming, to aid in major events, and to execute on special projects.

Weekly Bible studies are hosted by faculty and students across campus. Both leadership and attendance is voluntary. The times and locations of these Bible Studies change with each semester. Please reach out to the Chaplain for the most up-to-date information.

Based on student interest, groups such as YoungLife, FOCUS, or the Fellow of Christian Athletes will meet on campus under the supervision of a faculty sponsor. If you are interested in what groups are active at currently, please reach out to the Chaplain for the most up-to-date information.

Fellowship is a voluntary weekly gathering of students on Sunday evenings for spiritual conversation and a meal in a faculty home. Every student is welcome to attend for some thoughtful reflection and a home-cooked meal. 

Christ School has a robust tradition of annual services which mark the passing of every year. These are a core part of the Christ School experience and the formation of a true Greenie. These services include Convocation, the Senior Green Blazer Ceremony, Honor Chapel, Day of Service chapel, Alumni Memorial Eucharist, All Saints Eucharist, Thanksgiving Eucharist, Lessons & Carols candlelight service, Christmas Dinner, spring Bishop’s Visit with Baptisms, Palm Sunday service, Tapping, Baccalaureate Eucharist, and Graduation itself.

As an Episcopal school, we offer Baptism and Confirmation in the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina. Community members who wish to be baptized or to be confirmed in the Episcopal Church go through a spring class and are baptized by the Bishop during our annual Bishop’s Visit.

On Sundays, Christ School provides transportation to local churches for students who wish to worship off campus. Students may choose to attend a wide variety of Evangelical, Catholic, and Orthodox Churches. To arrange transportation, please contact Chaplain Peter Hartwig by email.

Alumni and current community members are welcome to use St. Joseph’s Chapel for their wedding, baptism, or funeral. If you wish to inquire about the use of the Chapel for such a service, please fill out one of the forms at the link below and our Chaplain will contact you within 7 business days. 

Chapel Inquiries