4. Interview with Patty and Jan (Part 2)

FF: Defining Marks of Christus Rex?

P: Social justice issues. Service component of Christus Rex is large, lots of opportunities but no shame in not participating.
Sense of community
Hospitality - well known throughout the U and community.

J: Underlying theme - we are all God's children and all valued
P: Look for people's gifts, what they bring and value it. Very gift based

FF: A safe place that values people - everyone?

J&P: (emphatic agreement)

P: we like it here. My 8 yr old likes it here. He can feel its safe. I want him to see the openness and feel valued.

J: There's probably some individual stuff they are trying to improve, but none come to mind.

P: For the people who need a more rigid church structure there's another Lutheran ministry on campus.

FF: Worship/Participating Community?

J: Not a lot of diversity (ethnic/socioeconomic) at Christus Rex - also matches the campus.

P: Diversity in people with disabilities, though - especially considering it's a small population on campus. (i.e. disproportionate to the percentage of students with disabilities at UND)

J: Majority of students are traditional age, including medical students, grad students. Most Native American students are older and have families

P: No Sunday school at Christus Rex, so people with families go to bigger churches that offer that stuff.

FF: What sustains this?

J: High commitment of Tim & Kathy - time, connections, many community people involved here. So they are involved on campus and in the greater community. Tim is a sought after leader.

P: Definitely very dedicated.

J: Some people in the wider community are committed to supporting this ministry also.

FF: How do meetings work?

J: I bring my own agenda to faithful leadership committee. We can be in the middle of an agenda and something will show up and stay in discussion. Tim & Kathy are heavily involved in all the committees.

P: In the committees I've been involved in there's no agenda - that allows everyone's gifts to come out.

J: Despite the meetings being totally not task oriented, I always come out feeling refreshed. It's learning by discovery rather than by design. Tim & Kathy are a part of all ministry team meetings.
There are 6-8 ministry teams and one "church council"
Education, Pres (?), Hospitality, Building/Grounds, Worship, Faithful Leadership
Deacons are separate structurally from the committees.

Observations:

• "Anything goes with a safety net" - flexible, energetic environment for students to grow in leadership and faith.
• "Questioning is welcome, diversity is welcome." Openness to struggle and discernment, understanding that pat answers are not acceptable. See the questions as the essential journey of learning, self-discovery.
• Non-judgmental, accepting atmosphere.
• Theological basis: we are all God's children and all valued.
• Gift based ministry: Look for people's gifts, what they bring and value it.
• Tim and Kathy are high visibility on campus, have high involvement with students on an individual basis, also time commitment to participate in all ministry teams
• Not task oriented, practice learning by discovery
• Defining marks: service to community (social justice), hospitality, sense of community
• Congregationally oriented organization. Christus Rex operates like a regular congregation with committees, lay and community leaders, etc.