Every Sunday evening at 5:00 pm, as students and faculty across the campus prepare for the academic week, Canterbury House prepares for the spiritual week to come. During the "Jazz Mass," the congregation worships in ways that are both cutting-edge and deeply reverent. Drawing from the Book of Common Prayer, the New Zealand Prayer Book, and many other sources including stories, news items, and readings from other traditions, the Rev. Reid Hamilton presides over the service.

Music for the service is led by Matt Endahl and his Jazz group, Quartex. Composers featured by Quartex include John Coltrane, Albert Ayler, Sun Ra, Ornette Coleman, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Lester Bowie and other contemporary Jazz musicians whose work was inspired by deep spiritual beliefs. We call it the Jazz Mass not because the music is always Jazz; a typical service will include Folk, Rock, Country, Electronica, or even traditional hymns. It’s called a Jazz Mass because the entire service is open to spontaneity and improvisation. The Jazz Mass is a principle of worship, not a style of music.