In response to the sudden and tragic loss of Architecture Seniors Dallas Colburn and Nathanael Madison on April 20, 2021, a group of Judson students used their passion for architecture and design to create an experience for the community that brings healing. In January, Judson officials announced the creation of the Hope Prayer Chapel. This new chapel will offer a beautiful indoor and outdoor setting for groups to worship together and meet for several purposes.
During a January 30 event, Judson launched fundraising efforts to turn this plan into a reality. Hope Chapel will be a special space that will honor the memories of Dallas Colburn, from Plano, Ill., and Nathanael Madison, from Wernersville, Pa., as well as honor two surviving alumni Caleb Jones of Belding, Mich., and Matthew Hamon of Columbus, Ind. The Judson community rejoices in this new space that recognizes our loss of Dallas and Nathan and represents a new sacred space on campus to celebrate God’s abiding faithfulness in this life and beyond.
“Hope comes to each of us in different ways,” states the University’s Advancement materials connecting to the fundraiser efforts. “For many, it comes from our community. It is the community and the breadth of relationships they establish that gives us peace and hope that everything will work out. For others, it is relationships they establish with a trusted set of friends that helps them hope for better things to come. And for another group, their hope for a better tomorrow comes from their private relationship with an almighty creator, healer, and sustainer. All of these are intentionally designed in this space.”
The centerpiece of the prayer chapel will be a glass cross that faces east. The direction is intentional as the rising sun is a representation of renewal and hope. The initial exterior design is comprised of circular forms to represent the community and the spaces within correlate to the individual forms of community expression – group gathering in more intimate settings.
Visit the Alumni Room in the University Center to see four images representing the chapel plans. Also, watch this video from the January 30 announcement.
To support our fundraising efforts, visit: https://projectworldimpact.com/crowdfunding/dallas-colburn-nathanael-madison
