PITTSBURGH , July 3, 2012 – The Task Force on Collegiate Ministries delivered its report to the General Assembly Committee on Church Growth on Tuesday morning – describing a new vision for working with students.
As they began their work, the members of the task force realized there was not a shared vision in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) for collegiate ministries or a consistent “brand” across campuses. In efforts to create a recognizable ministry with an adaptable philosophy and practices, the task force suggests a vision for PC(USA) collegiate ministry called UKirk. The vision is articulated through a short video available on the new website ukirk.org.
The vision detailed in the task force report describes an effort to create or renew 101 collegiate worship communities, in concert with the 1,001 new worshipping communities movement the denomination is championing. Also similar to the 1,001 movement is the desire for UKirk to become active in fundraising, eventually becoming financially self-sustainable as a 501(c)3 non-profit.
The task force’s presentation to the committee emphasized its mission statement. “We are a church that reaches, loves, and teaches college students so that they may be lifelong followers of Jesus Christ,” it states – adding that this commitment follows the church’s baptismal vows to nurture believers all through life.
The call to lifelong nurture was also highlighted at the collegiate ministries luncheon on Monday as two recent graduates of Princeton Theological Seminary, Megan LeCluyse and Emily Chudy, shared findings from their senior thesis project.
After interviewing alumni/ae of the Miller Summer Youth Institute of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, currently between ages 17-32 and classified as “highly devoted” with regular church involvement, they found that only 6% were involved in PC(USA) collegiate ministry and 45% were not involved in any type of campus ministry. However, most students remained in touch with their home congregations. LeCluyse and Chudy feel this emphasizes the need for a more active PC(USA) campus ministry presence and ongoing mentorship between home congregations and university students.
The luncheon was attended by college chaplains from across the country who are also in Pittsburgh this week for the Presbyterian Associate for Collegiate and Higher Education Ministries (PACHEM) conference. On Sunday evening, this group gathered for worship and shared a meal at Hotel Metal Bridge church in Pittsburgh. Many of these chaplains are facing the challenge of coordinating worship in a rapidly changing context.
Before worship, they had the opportunity to hear a pastor from Hot Metal Bridge share the story of how that worshipping community developed. Starting as an outreach ministry in 2002, Hot Metal Bridge began with a connection to the counterculture in a Pittsburgh neighborhood and grew organically within the community. One of their first missional practices was taking sandwiches out to the hungry in their neighborhood and sitting down and sharing in conversation and relationship as they ate.
Now, they have their own building and use it not only for worship, but to continue to the community-centric ministry in which they found their start. They continue to offer a meal after worship each week. They want to build relationships and don’t want worshippers to walk in, experience something, and then walk out without a chance to connect more deeply.
The worship service the chaplains attended included praise music, drama, a meditation on the Word, and communion. And, as is their style, it was followed by a meal offering a natural time for fellowship. The hope was this opportunity to experience Hot Metal Bridge would inspire chaplains to consider new and emerging approaches to worship.
During the gathering, the chaplains had a chance to share about the ministries at their schools. Stories were told about an adopt-a-student program connecting older church members with students; about communities sharing in prayer; and others’ recognizing the joy in Christian student groups. Mission seemed to be a common thread in student ministry with many groups finding ways to partner in the service to their local neighborhoods and with some engaging in Christ’s mission in the world by traveling to other contexts such as Haiti and Malawi.
One chaplain spoke of her community college campus that had been lacking “community,” with students often wearing earbuds and feeling isolated. As campus ministry worked to intentionally address relationship building, students began to come together over meals and community grew.
Just as the chaplains engaged in fellowship and discussion over a meal on Sunday evening, student groups are following suit across the country. As they shared stories and hopes for their ministry, ideas were sparked. This is the kind of the enthusiasm that seems to be the fuel beneath the collegiate ministries task force report. Reinvigorated as UKirk ministries, they hope to reinvigorate campus ministry on PC(USA) campuses.
This enthusiasm was echoed in the Church Growth Committee. The report was enthusiastically approved and two young adult advisory delegates spoke out with gratitude, noting the value of such ministries in their own faith walks.
