Shove Memorial Chapel
Shove Memorial Chapel is a reflective, spiritual, and community gathering space that is designed to be contemplative and lift-up the life of the mind and spirit. It is welcoming of diverse practices, beliefs, and traditions. Housing many different spiritual communities, along with hosting lectures, concerts, programs, and rituals like weddings and memorial services, Shove is a meaningful space for many in our community. Throughout the day, it is not uncommon to find CC students, faculty, and staff meditating, reading, napping, praying, singing, or finding a quiet space to study or just be in the chapel.
The Chapel is typically open Monday - Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. through the West doors. CC students, faculty, and staff have early morning and late-night key card access to the Chapel and Sacred Grounds.
Reserve Shove Chapel
Shove Memorial Chapel is an integral part of Colorado College. The campus is home to about 2,000 students, as well as the faculty and staff who make this a place of learning and discovery. Shove Chapel policies reflect the educational context of this private, residential, liberal arts institution.
As an interfaith college chapel (rather than a local church), that is open to a diversity of practices, beliefs, and traditions, Shove Chapel's primary responsibility is to the Colorado College community. However, as the academic schedule permits, Shove Chapel is available to the wider community for ceremonies including weddings, memorial services, and other life-cycle rituals and celebrations.
When considering Shove for your ceremony, please be aware:
- We cannot provide on-campus facilities for private receptions or parties, including wedding and memorial service receptions.
- Parking during business hours when school is in session is limited and follows the policies of Campus Safety. Please visit https://www.coloradocollege.edu/offices/parking/ for guidance.
- There may be college or community functions taking place in the grassy area directly west of the chapel. The chapel does not have control over that scheduling.
- Please take into consideration that Sacred Grounds and Shove Memorial Chapel most likely will not be available during CC campus-wide events such as Convocation, Parents and Family Weekend, Homecoming, and Commencement week activities.
- It is possible that regular banners and other artwork may be in Shove at the time of your ritual.
For internal Colorado College reservations, please contact the Chaplain’s Office.
For all inquiries related to weddings, please contact Campus Events at 719-389-6274 or by email.
For information about memorial services and other rituals and ceremonies, in addition to pastoral support and spiritual care, please contact Chaplain Kate Holbrook at 719 389-7986 or at kholbrook@coloradocollege.edu.
Shove Chapel History
The history of Shove Chapel is as unique as people of CC. We love sharing about the chapel and how the space and people continue to be a heart for the community since it opened in 1931. Built in the Norman Romanesque style, and influence by English and French Cathedrals, the Chapel is designed to be a contemplative space. The chapel seats 987 people and has a unique Welte-Tripp Organ. Our five bells ring throughout the day and were made in England. Curious to learn more about the history? Contact us; we would love to share more.
Shove Chapel was built by Mr. John Gray. Mr. Gray was born in Carluke, Scotland on July 4, 1889. He served in the Royal Canadian engineers throughout World War I. He married Jessie Marian Brown in Winchester, England during this period. They returned to the United States in 1919, first to Chicago where he designed the Ida Noyes Building for the University of Chicago. Moving to Colorado for health reasons, Mr. Gray designed many outstanding buildings throughout the state.
Perhaps his most outstanding work is Shove Memorial Chapel at Colorado College. St. Martin's Chapel, at St. John's Cathedral in Denver, is also considered representative of his architectural honesty and integrity.
Living in Pueblo for many years, Mr. Gray designed a number of schools in southern Colorado in addition to the first building on the original campus of the University of Southern Colorado. Mr. Gray was also involved in the design of the Denver Civic Center.
During World War II, Mr. Gray was commissioned as a flying officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force. After the war, Mr. Gray designed a number of buildings in New England.
Mr. and Mrs. Gray had just moved to Los Alamos, New Mexico when he died on October 26, 1975.
The groundbreaking of the Chapel occurred on June 10, 1930. The cornerstone was laid on October 17, 1930, and the Chapel was dedicated on November 24, 1931.
show all / hide all
Shove Chapel Organ
The Shove Chapel organ was built by the Welte-Tripp Organ Company of Sound Beach, Connecticut in 1931 and was recently selected by the Organ Historical Society as "an instrument of exceptional historic merit worthy of preservation."
The organ includes 3,065 pipes of various sizes and more than 200 miles of copper wire. The smallest pipe in the organ is of wheat straw, only 1/2-inch in length, weighing less than one ounce. The largest pipe, made of sugar pine wood from California, is 16 inches in circumference, stands 16 feet high, and weighs more than 300 pounds.
The organ is of the concert type and, with the exception of drums, is capable of reproducing all the music of a symphony orchestra. Built into the body of the organ are a harp, chimes with full wood, brass and string divisions. The console, of beautifully grained oak, is of English design. It comprises three manuals with 65 draw stops, 26 couplers, 37 combination pistons and 25 accessory pistons.
The organ is operated by wind pressure, furnished by a 15 horsepower motor in the basement. The motor provides from 5 to 17 inches of pressure, the latter being equivalent to one pound to the square inch. The instrument is operated by remote control. The relay mechanism fills one entire room in the basement of the chapel. This room contains thousands of silver contacts.
The organ, which weighs 40,000 pounds, is enclosed in a hand-carved oak case. The original case cost $3,500. One of the many unique features is that the display pipes, which the congregation sees, also are speaking pipes. In many organs the so-called display of pipes is merely ornamental. The highest spire is 30 feet tall, the entire front giving the appearance of a miniature cathedral.
In 1999, the console was rebuilt by Morel & Associates, Inc. The new console is changed only in height and shoe placement to bring it to AGO standards. As in 1931, when all the modern conveniences were included, so were they again in 1999. These include 99 levels of memory, programmable crescendo and full organ, piston sequencer and MIDI capabilities.
The Distinguished Organist Series at Shove Chapel is co-sponsored by the Organist, the Chaplain, and the Dean of Colorado College to bring to the Colorado Springs community some of the world's finest organists. The response to these programs has been overwhelming. Hundreds of organ aficionados come to Shove Chapel to hear unforgettable programs from world-renowned recording artists such as Peter Richard Conte, James Diaz, and Haskell Thomson. Recently, we have been recognized as "one of America's top venues for distinguished organists." To join our mailing list and receive information about future programs, please email the Chaplains' Office or call 719-389-6638.
Renovation of the Shove Organ is ongoing. The two remaining phases—re-leathering the windcrest or air reservoir and reconditioning the reeds and flues—are estimated to cost $200,000. Donations towards the renovation effort are being accepted. Please make checks payable to "Colorado College" and mail to:
Shove Memorial Chapel Organ Renovation Fund
c/o Chaplain's Office
Colorado College
14 East Cache La Poudre Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Great
16' Double Diapason *
8' First Open Diapason *
8' Second Open Diapason
8' Hohl Flute
8' Gemshorn
4' Principal *
2 2/3' Twelfth
2' Fifteenth
2' Mixture III
8' Tuba (CH)
Chimes
Harp
Tremolo
Swell/Great 16'
Swell/Great 8'
Swell Great 4'
Swell
16' Lieblich Gedeckt
8' Horn Diapason
8' Clarabella
8' Cor de Nuit
8' Salicional
8' Viole dolce
8' Celeste
4' Octave Geigen
4' Traverse Flute
2 2/3' Nazard
2' Super Octave
2' Flagolet
2' Mixture IV
16' Double Trumpet
8' Harmonic Trumpet
8' Oboe
8' Vox Humana
4' Harmonic Clarion
Harp
Celesta
Vox Humana Vibrato
Tremolo
Swell/Swell 16'
Swell/Unison off
Swell/Swell 4'
Choir/Swell 8'
Choir
16' Contra Dulciana
8' Geigen Principal
8' Concert Flute
8' Dulciana
8' Unda Maris
4' Suabe Flute
2 2/3' Rohr Nasat
2' Piccolo
8' Tuba
8' Clarinet
8' Cor Anglais
Chimes
Harp
Celesta
Tremolo
Choir/Choir 16'
Choir/Unison off
Choir/Choir 4'
Swell/Choir 16'
Swell/Choir 8'
Swell/Choir 4'
Pedal
16' Open Diapason *
16' Double Diapason (GT)
16' Bourdon *
16' Leiblich Gedeckt (SW)
16' Contra Dulciana (CH)
10 2/3' Quint
8' Octave (GT)
8' Stopped Flute
4' Fifteenth (GT)
16' Trombone
16' Double Trumpet (SW)
8' Tromba
4' Tromba Clarion
Chimes
Great/Pedal 8'
Swell/Pedal 8'
Choir/Pedal 8'
Great/Pedal 4'
Swell/Pedal 4'
Choir/Pedal 4'
* unenclosed registers
show all / hide all