I attended American University from August 2000 until May 2004. When I arrived at American, I was excited, but mostly, I was scared of so much change and scared of being away from my parents for the first time. As someone who grew up in the church, I naturally sought out a religious community to worship with on Sundays. What I found at American is that I was able to have that need met, but also so many more. The campus ministry at American provided me with a place to worship, a place to meet new friends, a place to have my problems heard, and finally, a place to discern my own call to ordained ministry.
Being in college and being a Christian are two things that have difficulty coexisting. If a person commits to engaging their faith on a regular basis, they seek opportunities to do in the community in which they live. While I could have gone to a local United Church of Christ congregation or a local United Methodist congregation, I believe that it would not have met my needs the same way as an on-campus experience. Being a Christian and a young adult, one struggles with how to fit in, and yet maintain their sense of boundaries and ethical standards. We struggle with how to engage our faith in the real world, and yet at the same time, be comforted and guided as we confront exactly what that "real world" is all about. Having a pastor that focuses specifically on that unique set of issues is invaluable. Having a Christian community to engage with regularly eases the burdens that I named. Seeing how my faith mattered not just to me, but to my peers and my pastor (Mark Schaefer) has an incredible impact. It seems to me that if we are to hope for my and future generations to seek out a faith community, then we need to nurture them in their journey at all stages, including college. I believe that it was in part, because of this nurturing that I so readily accepted my call to seminary and ordained ministry straight out of college. I often wonder had I not had such a nurturing community and leader, if I would have waited until a "second career" to enter into the ministry. I am so grateful that I am able to call ministry my first (and hopefully only) career. Seminaries are experiencing a resurgence of "first career" (under age 30) people seeking calls to ordained ministry. It seems that to support campus ministry is crucial as the church nurtures it's upcoming community of leaders (both lay and ordained).
Mark Schaefer and his ministry at American University empowers people to find ways to express their faith. Whether it be through a covenant discipleship group, a Bible study, or helping with worship planning, Mark tries to find the strengths of each person and utilize them in ministry. Not only does this mean that students become more involved in their faith, but it also means that they feel affirmed in their gifts and encouraged to continue in their journey. However, campus ministry at American was not simply for those who showed up on Sundays and this was also an incredible strength. Mark recognizes that campus ministry has the potential for evangelism. Throughout my time at American, we held numerous campus wide events called "Feed the Quad" in which we had a BBQ for anyone who would come. For many people, the church has been a place of rejection and of scorn. Events that offered food and fellowship with no judgment or strings attached opens up the potential for dialogue and extends the welcome of Christ that for whatever reason was sadly not offered to them in the past.
Finally, campus ministry provides a system of support. During my first year of college I was raped. As much as we pray that we are kept safe from knowing such hurt, inevitably, some experience great heartache and loss during their college years whether it be through sexual assault, the loss of a loved one, or a person's own illness. When these situations occur, there can be no greater comfort than that which is offered by God. Without a campus ministry - who can remind the hurting of this truth? Who can remind the hurting that God can bear all things and can grieve, rage, rejoice, and heal all things? After my painful experience, the Campus Ministry and Rev. Mark Schaefer was one of the very first places that I turned. Over the next several months, I experienced a variety of emotions and having a pastor and a community to hold and support me through those emotions was absolutely invaluable and without it, I don't believe my recovery would have gone so smoothly.
The importance of campus ministry simply cannot be underestimated. I urge you to continue to support the programs and services that campus ministry provides.
Danielle Neff is a student at Chicago Theological Seminary.
