10. Saturday Evening Supper (Part 2)

A: So to recreate it you'd need more of them?

Sara: Well, or people who see things the way they see things, the gift based ministry, the answering questions with questions, that is key to the development of that ministry

Tina: Its how they play off each other, how they work together. They each took a sabbatical and it seemed like something was missing when one of them was gone, I don't know how to explain it.

Dan: Having people involved - they do a good job of empowering those who are involved. They have the best people involved on boards and projects.. they find out what a person is really interested in and then try to connect that person in that way. Tim and Kathy are really good at coming up with an idea and then bringing it up to people who will really want to grab it and run with it. Things aren't micromanaged by a board or Tim and Kathy. That's a frustration with our home church, we have a senior pastor who wants to control everything and that really stifles creativity after awhile.

H: So they are good talent scouts.

Tina: They are also really good at hospitality, we always feel welcome there. There always buying coffee and food, inviting you in - typical Norwegians I guess.

H: compared to other campus ministries Christus Rex is unique - not an ELCA congregation, not a chaplaincy office… can you paint that picture a little bit more for us. Can you help me understand structurally how it's positioned itself?

Dan: In some ways that's the challenge - there are times when it works both ways. Funding sources is an example. We've been able to get grants from places that a church couldn't get money but because we are affiliated with UND we could. But then since we're not a regular congregation there's no regular tithing/offering. Shortfalls are a continual concern at the national level for campus ministry. We have a great relationship with the university, for instance all but one of the interns have gotten credit for their internship. Typically we're considered a student organization so we have access to student housing, funding as a student group, use of the motor pool, watts line, etc.

Sara: I think the networking has been a real key to that the student population - like the deacons. So there are deacons that are Greek and some that aren't. They come together at Christus Rex, but they also take Christus Rex out into the rest of the student body. Tim and Kathy also recruit key people from the UND staff who are leaders and are invested in the life of students. That has been key - students get to know administrators, they worship with them, and then if you need help with someone you already have a connection.

H: How has this ministry added to your faith journey, how has it affected your own understanding? Not from a student perspective, from your perspective.

Tina: I would say it was the first place that got me excited about going to church. I hadn't been involved in church since high school up until I was about 25 I had very little connection. I t was the first place that got me excited, then having K&T recruit me to one of their boards where I actually had an interest… that was significant.

H: It was that one worship experience that turned you around?

Tina: Yeah. It's a mix of traditional green book and now the feast. It's a neat mix lots of students involved, time and Kathy give great sermons and when I leave I think I could apply this to real life

Dan: I agree that worship is a part of it. I don't care for a lot of contemporary worship services. Tim and Kathy have managed to keep the service focused on the worship, and yet still be uplifting that part of it feels really good. With the smaller worship space it feels more intimate too and that's good. I hadn't studied anything since confirmation, and I don't remember a lot of that. and just being interested in it I've learned a lot. Like that they change the colors in the sanctuary for the seasons of the year. I haven't done any of the book studies but those go on all year… it's different than Bible study - you learn it by the day-to-day doing of it.

Tina: They even change the flags on the coffee house to match the seasons of the church year. :

H: So though you weren't involved as students have you participated in other programs where you learned stuff?

Dan: No, it's been primarily from worship

Sara: Dan and Tina are kind of the go to people. If the bathroom needs painting, if there's a board that needs a person, they get asked to help fill it. Tim and Kathy want to involve people, but they also respect people who want to be left alone. Then they are affirming, and take it easy.

H&A: We've heard that before.

Dan: I think another part of that is that they really try to do a good job of networking, encouraging the students to bring friends, get to know more about them, and find ways of integrating the friend as well.

Supper came.

Tina: (about networking) that's where the intern program came in. Tim and Kathy were worried that they were missing people, and so bringing in a third person to be actively involved in a similar way was the intention.

We ate.

Quotables/Summary

Tina: when Dan and I went there when we were dating it was just so fun I said, "we have to go back!"
Sara: It feels like a home more than a church or another building. It feels like home…it has the rooms of a house, and it has familiar faces - even if I don't get to know that face in that place its still feels OK, it feels safe there

Assets:

Tim and Kathy are the main asset of Christus Rex - the way they see things, the gift based ministry, the answering questions with questions, that is key to the development of that ministry, how they play off each other, how they work together. How they get people involved and empower them. How they network with the university and the community.
The location of the building is also important. It is easily accessible for students who don't have a car. The friendly, hospitality of the facility itself makes it feel welcoming as well.
Learning about faith is a part of everyday life at Christus Rex. Teaching is part of who they are.