Lyon Chapel holds a special place in the hearts of University of Mobile students and alumni. For 1997 alumni Alison and Adam Creel, it is “a little heavenly haven” where they grew together in their faith.
“We spent countless hours on the front steps of the chapel reading our Bibles, praying together and discussing our future together,” recalls Alison. “On particularly hard days, we knew we could find one another along the front or back stoop of that dear old church. We knew God would meet us there.”
Those memories came flooding back on Christmas Day 2023 when Alison’s father, pastor Harold Fanning, put his woodworking hobby to the test and created a special present for the couple. Using photos of Lyon Chapel for reference, he constructed a 12-inch-by-14-inch oak model of the historic building that represents the university’s Christ-centered foundation and Alabama Baptist heritage.
“We are a family that loves the University of Mobile,” says Fanning, a past member of UM’s Board of Regents and retired chaplain. “Building a scale model of Lyon Chapel proved to be more challenging than I realized. It is not perfect by any means, but it does serve as a reminder of those precious days at the university.”
Alison says her father’s gift captures the charm and simplicity of the 140-year-old structure that once served as First Baptist Church of St. Stephens, Alabama, before being moved to campus and restored in 1988. The chapel is named in memory of Willie Mae Lewis Lyon, a founding trustee of then-Mobile College.
“I think most UM students have a certain affinity and appreciation for Lyon Chapel. It serves as a standard on campus, reminding students every day to live missionally, stay rooted in faith, and live out a Christian worldview,” Alison says.
A challenging project
Fanning comes from a long line of woodworkers — one grandfather was in the logging trade, another was a professional carpenter, and his own father was a woodworker.
But Fanning’s calling was to ministry. He served Alabama Baptist churches for over 40 years before retiring from the pastorate in 2010 and becoming a chaplain for Alacare Hospice and Home Health. Since retiring again in 2019, he has served as interim pastor in numerous churches, currently at New Market Baptist Church in New Market, Alabama. Between retirements, he took up woodworking.
“I enjoy the challenges of working with wood — each piece brings its own set of challenges. For me, overcoming these challenges is part of the lure. Whether you are trying to make a precise cut or figuring out how to join two pieces of wood together, I love the sense of accomplishment when I finally get it right,” Fanning says.
It took Fanning approximately three weeks to build the oak model of Lyon Chapel in the workshop behind the home in Hartselle, Alabama, that he and his wife, Debbie, share.
A family in ministry
Since graduating, Alison and Adam have put their University of Mobile experience to work in ministries of their own. Adam graduated with a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a religion minor and now serves as business administrator at Whitesburg Baptist Church in Huntsville, Alabama. He is one of the lead pastors on the church ministry staff, oversees the financial health of the church, negotiates contracts and other legal business documents, and manages the church’s human resources department. In addition, he teaches a weekly small group, leads a men’s discipleship group, serves as the pastor liaison for the church’s homeschool ministry, and recently completed a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in church administration.
Alison holds a Bachelor of Arts in public relations and journalism with a music minor. She is a contracted writer and content editor for Lifeway Kids and serves on the Bible Studies for Life team, writing and editing preschool and children’s worship curriculum. She also teaches a second-grade class at Whitesburg Baptist Church.
They have three daughters: Audrey, Anna and Adeline.
A UM Day reunion
The Creel family will have a chance to meet on the steps of Lyon Chapel again on Feb. 16 when their youngest daughter, Adeline, visits campus for UM Day. During UM Days, prospective students experience the university, tour campus, meet faculty and current students, and learn about academics, campus life, scholarships and more.
(To RSVP for an upcoming UM Day or schedule a campus visit at another convenient time, go to umobile.edu/umday.)
Alison says the couple is thrilled that Adeline is visiting their alma mater and considering enrollment.
“We are forever Rams fans, but more than that, we trust UM. We know the quality of education Adeline would receive, the caliber of professors she would study under, and the intensity with which she would be challenged in her faith…it is exciting to think about the prayers SHE would pray on the front steps of Lyon Chapel. Adam and I sat there and prayed for her before we even knew she’d be born to us,” she says.
A lasting reminder
More than 25 years later, Alison and Adam still proudly wear their UM jerseys and sport UM license plates on their vehicles. The model of Lyon Chapel is now a family treasure prominently displayed near their living room fireplace.
Seeing it every day brings to mind those long-ago college years – and something more.
“There is just something about it that draws you in,” Alison says. “It’s such a contrast to the modern buildings and fast-paced academic life that surrounds it. It has a way of quieting the chaos of life, reminding you of what’s important and what will last.”
EDITOR’S NOTE – This story was written by Kathy Dean and originally published by the University of Mobile. A print of an original watercolor of Lyon Chapel by 2008 alumna Megan Dean Desko is available from the University of Mobile Store as part of The U’s “Mobile Makers” collection highlighting the work of UM alumni. Order a Lyon Chapel print at universityofmobilestore.com.
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