[ecm] From Columbus: Not Your Father's College Ministry

[Rob Lundquist]

            The triennial General Convention of the Episcopal Church is
meeting in Columbus, Ohio, through next Tuesday.  I thought this press
release might be of interest to you.  Let me know what you think.

In Christ,

Rob+

 

 

Episcopal News Service
June 15, 2006

>From Columbus: Not Your Father's College Ministry

By Carol E. Barnwell

[ENS] Testimony from students and chaplains bent on raising the profile of
young adults in decision-making bodies throughout the Church energized
Evangelism Committee hearings June 15.

Kate Ketcham, assistant chaplain at Washington University, St. Louis,
Missouri, supports campus ministries becoming mission congregations. "I came
out of a campus ministry at William and Mary [in Virginia] and I know campus
ministry fosters leadership . It would be a dream to be a mission
congregation and have voice and vote at diocesan convention. We are now
unable to respond," she said. 

Several students from the Episcopal Campus Ministry (ECM) at Washington
University were present to offer testimony. Reynolds Whalen, an ECM member,
joked about the early hour with committee members who remarked that college
students being present at 7:30 a.m. certainly demonstrated their commitment.

Whalen brought the point of representation to bear when he said he had to
change his church membership to a parish near campus in order to stand for
election as a deputy. Whalen is an alternate for the Diocese of Missouri. "I
would like to be a voice for my church home," he said. 
Whalen told the committee that students participated on diocesan committees
and that students were engaged in ministry and interested in the wider
church. "We have produced a lot of young priests - it's strange that we
can't have voice," he said.  Fellow student Cat Crowder said, "being a
mission congregation would allow us to have a voice... It is important that
people who are excited about their ministry should be able to speak."

While mission status would bring up the issue of diocesan assessments, the
Rev. Mary Hileman, a committee member from Oklahoma, said the group also
considered campus ministries as potential locations for church planting. The
Very Rev. Martin I. Yabroff, Northern Indiana, took exception to the concept
of church plant because they would never be self-sufficient "as is the
strategic plan for plants."  

The value of campus ministries was foremost in the committee discussions as
was the need to recognize college ministry as more than outreach. Bishop
David Jones of Virginia, co-chair of the committee, pointed out that the
self-governance of student organizations has been "wonderful leadership
development for dioceses," adding his desire to affirm the value of future
leaders by offering a strong resolution to General Convention. The committee
will consider an amended version of A041 June 16. 

-- Carol E. Barnwell is communications director for the Diocese of Texas and
a member of the ENS Convention news team.  

 

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Rev. Robert Lundquist, Priest-in-Charge

St Paul's Episcopal Church

1208 W Elizabeth St, Fort Collins, CO  80521

   970-482-2668                  FAX 970-482-8318

www.stpauls-fc.org

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