FORT WORTH, Texas — Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary opened its new 3,500-seat chapel with a daylong celebration Dec. 1, including a ribbon-cutting, dedication chapel service, baptisms and a free Christmas concert. The J.W. MacGorman Chapel and Performing Arts Center is the largest venue of its kind in Fort Worth.
The 96,000-square-foot complex will serve as the setting for the seminary’s weekly chapel services, as well as graduation ceremonies, musical performances, conferences and other special events. Beginning in July 2012, it will also house the “Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible” exhibition.
Alongside its excellent acoustics, the auditorium features state-of-the-art sound, video and lighting systems, as well as a combination pipe-digital organ that can support congregational worship as well as large choral and instrumental ensembles. The main stage is large enough for a 90-piece orchestra and 200-voice choir. Two projection screens are mounted on each side of the stage, each one equivalent to a 330-inch television. Behind the stage, choir and orchestra rehearsal rooms provide space for musicians to prepare, and a hospitality suite offers a reception area for intermissions and private gatherings.
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