Joe Stowell will be inaugurated as the 11th president of Cornerstone University on Sept. 12, in a 10 a.m. ceremony at the Bernice Hansen Athletic Center.

Classes will be canceled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“It’s a celebration of the history,of the present and of the future of the institution and their new leader,” Provost Bayard Baylis said of the inauguration.

Before coming to CU, Stowell was president of Moody Bible Institute located in Chicago, Ill., from 1987 to 2005. After retirement, he became the teaching pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel in Elgin, Ill., and then president at CU. He is a nationally known speaker and has authored many books, including “The Weight of Your Words: Measuring the Impact of What You Say.”

“I am honored to be the 11th president,” Stowell said. “I am looking with excitement to the inaugural festivities, and I am working hard on the addresses I have to make and praying that God will be glorified.”

The ceremony will begin with a procession of colorful regalia, including scarlet for theology, citron for social work and dark blue for philosophy. The ceremonial clothing is worn by faculty, administration, special guests and division chairs.

Brenda King, history and social sciences division chair and professor of sociology, will lead the procession carrying the mace. Baylis said the mace symbolizes “the mission and authority and responsibility of the institution.”

It also symbolizes the roots and reputation of the university and has a long role in the history of higher education.

Former CU President Rex Rogers conceived the idea of the mace, but Orpha Galloway, emeritus professor of music, designed and developed it. The CU mace was introduced during the 2005 fall convocation.

King said that being chosen to carry it is an honor because when she was an undergrad at Wilson College, located in Chambersburg, Pa., carrying the mace was comparable to being a marshal at her school.

“It carries with it a certain amount of respect,” she said. “For me, it’s particularly meaningful. And, I get to participate in the presidential inauguration.”

Douglas Fagerstrom, president of Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, will give the invocation. Greetings will be given by Simeon Brace, CUSG president, Lawrence Bos, associate professor of business, W. Wilbert Welch, former president and current chancellor of CU, and Edward Blews Jr., president of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Michigan.

Michael Stockdale, assistant professor of music and director of the Contemporary Christian Music program, will be performing “The Stand,” by Joel Houston of Hillsong, with the CU band Red Letter Edition.

Band members for Red Letter Edition consist of Stockdale playing acoustics, Kelsey Rottiers singing lead vocals, Ben Abney on electric guitar, Joe Ortega on keyboard and vocals and Andrew Van Burgh on base.

Stockdale said that he is also honored to play during the presidential inauguration because it is history in the making.

“Regardless of the person of the president, I believe strongly that it’s a turning point in our history,” he said. “It’s a beginning of a new era for Cornerstone.”

The charge to the president will be given by Crawford Loritts, senior pastor of Fellowship Bible Church. The charge to the university will be given by Duane Liftin, president of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill.

Thirty-five to 40 schools will be sending delegates, including local schools like Hope College, Kuyper College and Calvin College, as well as Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas, Texas, Judson University in Elgin, Ill., and Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind.

Delegates are “people who come to us to express their solidarity with us in the mission of education, and for many of them, the mission of higher education,” Baylis said.

Baylis said there also will be an “invited luncheon” following the ceremony in the fieldhouse, for the delegates, special friends and family of Stowell.