Using the chapel

The primary focuses of Chapel are as a space for worship and as a space for quiet and meditation. It is also important to use the Chapel as a centre for information about Christian events, opportunities of service, charities, denominational meetings, etc., and so the noticeboards and magazine rack in the Ante-Chapel are in a prominent position. The noticeboards are under the control of the Dean of Chapel and the Chapel Secretary and should not be used to advertise events such as concerts, unless they are specifically associated with Queens’.

Services. Regular services in Chapel in term time are advertised in the Chapel Card. The Chapel is also used for occasional services such as weddings and blessings, funerals and memorial services, baptisms, evensongs by visiting choirs, etc. Queens’ Chapel is a consecrated Church of England church, but it is appropriate to allow other denominations or Christian organisations to use the Chapel for meetings or services by agreement with the Dean of Chapel (for instance, Roman Catholic and Lutheran wedding ceremonies have been permitted in Chapel and the Fisher House representative often organises a ‘College Mass’ in Chapel for Roman Catholic students). The College Christian Union can use the Chapel when they wish (at present their Friday morning prayers are held in Chapel and they have often used the space for their regular midweek evening meetings when the Armitage Room is unavailable in the Easter Term). It would be appropriate to allow the CICCU or SCM or another Christian denomination or student organisation seeking a venue for a meeting in the central University area to use the Chapel by arrangement with the Dean of Chapel.

Non-Christian Religions. The Chapel proper is full of Christian symbolism and is a consecrated place of Christian worship, so it would not be appropriate to allow other religions to hold religious ceremonies in the main body of the Chapel. The Ante-Chapel, however, has few such symbols and might be an appropriate space for other religions to meet or to worship. (The Moslem community, for instance, have used the Ante-Chapel for worship in the past)

Concerts and events.  The Chapel has an excellent acoustic and is an appropriate venue for concerts of all sorts, where the ambience of a place of worship is not inappropriate. The seating capacity is normally 166, but arrangements can be made with the Housekeeper for the provision of some extra chairs and space can be created for extra seating or for performers by removing the front row of pews. However, (1) The Chapel is not soundproofed, so very loud amplified music would disturb residents in Friars and Walnut Tree Court and would not be allowed; (2) If there are more than 50 people in the audience, one of the doors through to the Old Music Room and the door from there to the Court must be left unlocked as a fire exit (and the door from Chapel marked as such) and the organisers are responsible for providing a steward per 50 people; (3) Owing to the configuration of the steps in the Sanctuary, it is not easy to position a grand piano in Chapel for a concert; (4) It is the responsibility of the concert organisers, if not Queens’ students, to arrange for payments to the Performing Rights Society as appropriate; (5) If performers (whether singers, a small orchestra or even a recitalist) are in the Sanctuary, extra lighting facing Westwards may be necessary.
    Plays, operas, dance and other events, etc. may be allowed by arrangement with the Dean of Chapel, again where the ambience of a place of worship is not inappropriate.
Outside events of a semi-religious nature, such as the investiture ceremonies of the Order of the Fleur de Lys, are permissible.
Where a charge is being made to attend an event in Chapel or an organisation with no immediate connection to Queens’ has hired the Chapel, the organisers should expect to make an appropriate donation to the Chapel Fund (there is a scale of charges, from time to time reviewed by the Chapel Committee, but these can be varied at the discretion of the Dean of Chapel).

Rehearsals. Rehearsals for services, concerts and events being held in Chapel are, of course, appropriate. Regular (or occasional, by organisations such as CUMS or other college music societies) rehearsals in Chapel are appropriate in two circumstances: (1) where the use of an organ is required, (2) where numbers in the rehearsal are quite large (e.g. St Margaret Society Chorus, Fairhaven Singers).
The Chapel should not be used as an extra music room. The piano was jointly purchased by Mag Soc, the Chapel and Fairhaven Singers and should normally only be used for rehearsals by those organisations.
The use of the organ for lessons and for practice is permitted whenever the Chapel is not being used for other purposes. Occasional practice by the organ scholars or other Queens’ organists need not be booked in advance, but organists are asked to use their discretion so that other people and other Chapel users are not unduly disturbed. Organ lessons should be booked through the Bursars’ Secretary. Only organists on the list maintained in the Porters’ Lodge may sign out the organ key. Permission to be added to this list must be sought from the Dean of Chapel.

Recordings. The Chapel may be hired by choirs or orchestras or individuals to make recordings. An appropriate charge would be usual. It is rarely possible to allow such bookings in term time.

Drinks Parties.  The Chapel is not an appropriate venue for drinks or other types of party, except where the drinks are in association with an event or service in Chapel (e.g. refreshments after Evensong on Sundays, during the interval of concerts, at long rehearsals).
The Chapel may not be used, even for storage, during May Balls, though access may be granted for electricity or for the lights to be turned on .

Study The Chapel is not really an appropriate place to study, though its use as a place of quiet and reflection is to be encouraged during the exam season. Nor is the Chapel an appropriate venue for purely secular meetings of College or other societies, except where the architecture or art of the Chapel itself is being studied.

Tourism. The Chapel is open, when not in use, for tourism when the College is open. Photography in the Chapel is permitted. Tourists should be encouraged to use the Chapel for prayer and meditation.

Chapel Users are asked to remember that the Chapel is primarily a place of prayer and worship. Any furniture, including the noticeboard and the magazine rack, moved for an event must be replaced afterwards. Nothing should be placed on the Lord’s Table. Candles should not be used, except during services or at times of remembrance. Care should be taken not to hang anything on or pull oneself up using the candlesticks in the pews. All litter, including spare programmes, etc. must be removed after an event. The lights must be turned out after any event and extra lighting removed. Books in the pews should be left tidy. The vestry should not be used.