Ecumenical Campus Ministry

How to get young people in the church

2011-03-07T09:34:00.000-08:00

http://www.azdiocese.org/dfc/newsdetail_2/1039

From Keith

Annual Lecture Series

2011-01-16T15:33:00.000-08:00

The Cade Community Lectures

“On Being Human”

Lethbridge Public Library

Wednesdays

7:00 pm

January 19th - “What collecting has taught me about being human”

Erin Phillips, Chaplain, Ecumenical Campus Ministry

January 26th - “What policing has taught me about being human”

Hugh Richards, Criminal Justice, Lethbridge College

February 2nd - “What facebook has taught me about being human”

Jennifer Davis, General Studies, Lethbridge College

February 9th - “What volunteering has taught me about being human”

Mike Mahon, President, University of Lethbridge

Sponsored by Ecumenical Campus Ministry, the President’s Office, University of Lethbridge, the President’s Office, Lethbridge College, and Lethbridge Public Library

Christmas in the Chaplaincy

2010-12-08T07:49:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the day we handed out campus care parcels at the university. For a month my admin assistant has been distributing grocery bags to south Alberta churches. The university has had a bunch made for us but this year the budget didn't allow that so Safeway generously donated a lot of their bags. Last week Beth started gathering up a lot of bags and some of the churches started dropping theirs off to Immanuel Lutheran who graciously offer their hall for our depot. I brought in the bags Ascension donated and some that were dropped off at my house from one of our rural congregations. Then Saturday a bunch of us sorted the bags. Yesterday was the day we distributed them! IVCF staff and students came and helped Maintenance load them all up and drive them down to the University where they unloaded them and then the fun began.

Students began lining up a half hour before we began the hand out and we managed to hand out 442!!! bags in 20 mins. An hour later when I checked my email there were two lovely messages from students thanking us for the food and the encouragement. I love my job!

Pictures are here on my personal blog.

A New Academic Year

2010-10-06T17:51:00.001-07:00

Lots of great things happening this year with ECM. We've started the term with a bang - a kick off BBQ and a service to pray for our campuses. We are also in a new office at the university - you can find us in AH 173. It is a beautiful office and it has a window!

We meet in the office on Thursdays at 12:15 for worship (except tomorrow when we have an event in Counseling Services). We have also hired a student chaplain this year and she's full of energy. Sarah is organizing some social events for students on campus - details will be posted as things are firmed up. Our theology reading group is meeting as well to discuss Diogenes Allen's book, Theology for Troubled Believers.

Next Friday the university also installs our new president Mike Mahon and I hope folks come out to hear his vision for the university!

Over at the college we are planning a host of projects to support students. We have a new person working in on office on student retention and it has really lit a fire under us as we look for ways to help students succeed.

If anyone is interested in participating in our activities please feel free to email us!

Laptops in Education

2010-04-26T09:39:00.000-07:00

This has been a different kind of term. I've been dealing with some health issues so haven't been on top of the blogging like usual. But here is an interesting piece on why laptops should be banned in the classroom.

St. Drogo's Cafe this week

2009-12-14T07:55:00.000-08:00

All this week, Monday the 14th to Thursday the 17th we'll be providing caffeine and snacks to students studying and faculty marking at the university - 7:30-10:00 pm in the chaplains' office - W564. Come see us!

Defining Millenials

2009-10-23T10:07:00.001-07:00

The Chronicle of Higher Education has a very interesting piece on the "Millenial Generation." Besides pointing out all the differing views of what if anything this definition defines it raises some very interesting questions about university education. Read it here.

The link comes from Duke's Faith and Leadership Blog. This Blog is really worth subscribing to - it has directed me to some fascinating articles.

Posting Secrets

2009-10-19T21:50:00.001-07:00

Faith and Leadership has a really interesting post on the PostSecret.com site and whether or not young people are interested in the practice of confession. Read it here.

This Year's Lecture Series

2009-10-16T00:45:00.000-07:00

“What I’ve Learned about being Human from Studying...”

Annual Lecture Series
Lethbridge Public Library
Thursdays
7:00 pm

October 22 - “What I’ve Learned about being Human from Studying my Dog: All Dogs Go to Heaven”
Erin Phillips, Chaplain, Ecumenical Campus Ministry

October 29 - “ What I’ve Learned about being Human from Studying Crickets: Sex on Six Legs”
Bill Cade, President and Professor of Biology, University of Lethbridge

November 5th - “What I’ve Learned about being Human from Studying Organizations: How Collectives Shape Who We Are and What We Do”
Janelle Enns Gordon, Professor of Management, University of Lethbridge

November 12th - “What I’ve Learned about being Human from Studying Canadian and Northwest Coast Native art: Sometimes It’s Necessary to Trespass Borders”
Les Dawn, Professor of Art, University of Lethbridge

Sponsored by Ecumenical Campus Ministry, the President’s Office, University of Lethbridge, the President’s Office, Lethbridge College, and Lethbridge Public Library

Valuing Liberal Education

2009-10-16T00:42:00.000-07:00

On my blog I've posted this on the value of a liberal education.

Theology Reading Group

2008-09-04T15:13:00.000-07:00

Our theology reading group starts up again next Tuesday. This term we are reading Jurgen Moltmann's The Way of Jesus Christ. Let me know if you are interested and want details on time and location.

Welcome back for a new academic year

2008-09-03T23:02:00.000-07:00

ECM is holding a service to welcome everyone back for a new academic year, to pray for our faculty, staff and students and to pray for our ministry.

Everyone is welcome to come to

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church

1818 5th Ave. South

Sunday, September 14th

2:00 PM

Lorne Calvert on Ministry

2008-04-16T11:18:00.000-07:00

The more I have to blog about the more overwhelmed I feel by it all and the less likely I am to do it. So I'm choosing one thing to get me started again.

A couple of Saturdays ago I went to a fundraising dinner for the United Church seminary in Saskatoon, St. Andrew's College. This isn't my seminary, nor my denomination, and if I'm honest I would say I wouldn't have gone except that we've had students from the chaplaincy go through there and the people putting the dinner on are huge supporters of the chaplaincy. So, out of a sense of communal support I paid my $100 for roast beef and a talk by Lorne Calvert. I knew Calvert had been the NDP premier of Saskatchewan but didn't realize he had been in active ordained ministry in the United Church before entering politics. And lets be really honest here, I was expecting the same old social gospel/United church/NDP message I've heard many times before. Don't get me wrong - this is a message that has shaped me profoundly and I find it a bit like comfort food, warm and nourishing, if not exciting.

It was a surprising delight when I heard one of the most encouraging articulations of the place of ordered ministry (he began by saying he didn't know what to call it since the United church has all sorts of different forms of ministry - licenced lay, ordained, diaconal.... - but he was talking about the person 'up there' who everyone knows is the 'minister'). He used three passages of scripture for his talk:

Isaiah 52:7 - how beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news

Romans 10:14-15 - How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

Mark 2:1-10 - A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . ." He said to the paralytic, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

He started by suggesting that the church has so emphasized the ministry of the many that they haven't articulated an understanding of the ministry of the few. He pointed out that Paul certainly understood the many gifts of the entire body of Christ but that Paul also understood the role of some who are set aside for particular ministry. The heart of that ministry Calvert understands to be being the servant of the servants of God.

He said people working in the world have multiple portals to the world. He described how he has multiple sources of information/advice as a politician and suggested that this isn't that unusual. He went on to say though that he doesn't have many portals to the holy. The image he used was of the four men who carry the paralytic to Jesus and have to create an opening in the roof through which they can lower the man to Jesus. This is what he suggests ordered ministers do: we create openings to allow people to encounter the holy that they seek. He went on to talk of the ways in which the proclamation of the word and the administration of the sacraments are critical is allowing people to encounter God. And he told us that we should never underestimate the value of what we do on a Sunday morning. Take the eight hours to write a sermon, take the time to work with the music team, because that may be the one place in a person's week where he or she will become aware of the holy.

It was a really encouraging talk and I wish more clergy had heard it.

Erin

Religion on Campus

2008-01-17T13:47:00.000-08:00

The December 2007 issue of The Journal of Higher Education Academic Matters is on religion on Canadian campuses. Check it out here.

Annual Lecture Series

2008-01-08T10:06:00.001-08:00

"Why Can't We Be Friends?  possibilities for friendship in the 21st century"

Eight Annual Lecture Series
Wednesday Evenings
7:00 pm
Lethbridge Public Library


Jan. 23rd      Erin Phillips, Ecumenical Campus Ministry,
"Can Christians be friends?"

Jan. 30th      John von Heyking, University of Lethbridge,
"Can Canadians be friends?"

Feb 6th     Bruce MacKay, University of Lethbridge,
"Can people with disabilities be friends?"

Feb 13th     Marko Hilgersom, Lethbridge College,
"Can e-Friends be friends?"

Co-sponsored by Ecumenical Campus Ministry, Office of the President,
Lethbridge College, Office of the President, University of Lethbridge,
and Lethbridge Public Library

Thoughts from an experienced chaplain

2007-11-23T13:38:00.000-08:00

Bishop William Willimon has some interesting thoughts on his blog about reaching out to college students.

Here's a short bit:

I have found that today's "Abandoned Generation" brings a new curiosity and openness to the gospel as well as a willingness to hear what their elders have to say, if we will speak directly to them. Therefore leaders of the church need to revise some of our conventional wisdom about the imperviousness of young adult hearts to the gospel.

Thanksgiving for ECM and its role on campus

2007-10-23T11:39:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month, the following was given as a part of the thanksgiving message at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd by Lindsey Skakum.

Donald Miller once said,

"It is always the simple things that change our lives. An these things never happen when you are looking for then to happen. life will reveal answers at the pace life wishes to do so. This is how God does things."

I find this to be very true in my own life. It is often in the simple, unexpected, and intimate moment that God moves in striking and profound ways. I feel extremely blessed to be a part of ECM, a body that fosters a community where young adults can find support physically, mentally, and spiritually. Whether it is through a campus care parcel, a warm hugging embrace, a listening ear, or an intimate time of worship I get to witness God's hand working in the lives of others. Gently using His touch to mold and mend his children in a broken and hurting world. God is alway in the process of seeking those he has formed and created for His glory. In seeing these blessings unravel around me God calls to me in unexpected ways, sharing the love and peace he is giving to others with me as well.

Over on my blog

2007-10-16T22:18:00.000-07:00

Over on my blog I wrote about last night's Unchurch service. It was great! Check it out.

Worship tonight

2007-10-14T23:55:00.001-07:00

We met tonight for worship at Christ Trinity Lutheran church. It was a really great time of singing and praying.

retreat

2007-09-15T15:25:00.000-07:00

This weekend the student chaplains and I went on retreat to the Martha Retreat Centre to get to know each other better and do some planning for the term. It was an awesome time. We had some great conversation and laughed a lot. The sisters who run the centre are wonderfully hospitable and we really felt cared for.

Kick off BBQ

2007-09-12T10:11:00.001-07:00

Last night's bbq was a lot of fun and now the term has officially begun!

Here are some scenes:

Free Parking Passes

2007-09-07T08:17:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a free parking pass the Alliance Church on the corner of Columbia and University are handing them out tomorrow (Saturday) from noon to 1:00 pm at a free BBQ. You have to get there early - I've stood in the line and it formed way before noon. But it is worth it! Burgers are good too!

Starting Up

2007-09-05T23:49:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we're starting up St. Drogo's Cafe in W564. I'm planning to be there by 10 and we should have her fired up and running until 2:00 so come on by!

Everyone is welcome to our opening BBQ

on Tuesday, September 11th, at 6:00 PM.

The BBQ will be held at 416 12th St. South

(in the yard beside Christ Trinity Lutheran Church)

A New Academic Year Begins!

2007-09-04T12:34:00.000-07:00

Today was New Student Orientation at both the university and college. I was thinking that I'd work the college and our student chaplains would work the university but our office at the college isn't quite ready so I went to the university after all. My plan is to be at the college Mondays and Wednesday and the university Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Here are some scenes from NSO at the U of L. Melinda and Lindsey handed out 300 brochures inviting students to our activities and we've promised a lot of free lattes!

Bill Cade, the President of the U of L addressed the students and invoked the image of the pronghorn, the school's mascot. I saw pronghorns in Saskatchewan last week. They are fast.