5. Campus Personnel Focus Group (Part 2)

Back to Part 1

FF: So, evangelism or support?

MB - I see campus ministry as a support a place for people who were involved at home and are looking for a place to be involved here. Then maybe a friend brings a friend and they get involved. So evangelism happens, but it isn't a focus.

TB - Definitely growth comes from a friend bringing a friend in all the ministries. I don't have a chapel on campus, so I'm in different congregations every weekend and churches are saying we need a pastor. So I'm leading a group on campus for theological discussion with graduate students who might be feeling a call to ministry. Parachurch groups seem to be oriented to those who were new to the faith. The RCC, and other Lutheran ones seem to be oriented to a deeper level - people often move on from the parachurch groups to us because we get into the deeper theological questions. I think that's vital, because it's really not offered anywhere else on campus.

KH- We have 3 students who live in the building who have responsibility for maintaining the building but also lead the outreach teams who do lock-ins in local congregations. So that connections are happening and growth is happening, we just don't necessarily see it. It's hard to measure the rewards and the successes because they take such a long time to show result.

TB - I've had 2 students come in and say to me that knowing me kept them from taking their own life. Fred probably has an even greater impact since he deals with more kids. He's been very involved in the yellow ribbon campaign (preventing suicide). We're both involved in summer orientation.

MB- He's on an advisory group in the nursing school. He's also come over for crisis management.

FF: What's the genius factor?

KH - Fred.

MB- How many years has Fred been here?... it was the early 90s when he was first here because there was an ad in the paper - with his Marty Party for reformation. Hot tub… and I thought, "That's the kind of minister I'd like to have."

TB - They just had it (the Marty Party). Fred will share the saltier of Martin Luther's writings from when he was older. I come out in my white robe and play the Zwingli part - all in the parking lot around the hot tub. Then we came into the church and we ended up having a whole discussion about the difference between Zwingli and Martin Luther historical… It was great. Very fun. He's a hard worker - a generalist and has so much energy. He runs 24 hours a day. It will be hard to keep things going with a new person in this position, it would be hard to maintain during transition because …

FF: Fred's longevity is a huge factor?

KH - In many respects he's a big kid - acts like youth, can play with them and relate to them, but also still be a mature adult. Also the computer lab is a great way to bring in students.

TB - Longevity is becoming more of an asset in all areas of ministries - particularly when it's a good match. Fred has so many contacts - just from being around here for a long time. I'm at the point now of having to say no all the time. I love Fred but I worry about him because he does have such a high revving motor and is eager.

FF: Impact on the community?

MB - Where I've seen it is the parish nursing curriculum. He's involved and led the session related to worship and prayer and then participated in the consecration service. So he was involved with them. Also,

KH- Various groups do come in and use the facility - NA and AA, university groups use it for retreats or one type of meeting or another. It's a hard question to answer unless you follow Fred around in the community. There has to be some kind of separation between Crossroads and the city parishes - they have different flocks.

TB - I'd like to chime in here - this building used to be ours, but they decided to save the personal ministry rather than building. I'm saying that because if you mention Crossroads around town people guess about different buildings and they aren't sure where the building is, but if you mention Fred, people say "OH Fred!" And then they know who he is and what he's up to. Around town, parishes often don't do much with students because it's money going out but not much coming in. But Fred reminds people that there's ministry going on with young adults here and it's a good thing. Plus he's there to welcome knew people, he's a person on campus who offers a conscience (like about where products in the bookstore come from - child labor, etc.), he's well respected and he has an entry into the community and can get things done. Between the two of us we can get a meeting with anyone we need to get things done.

KH - There's a local group called Common Ground Fred doesn't attend because they deal with their established flocks - it doesn't apply to his world.

FF: Tell us about how students can be connected with Crossroads?

TB - Ecumenical Lenten services here with service and soup and bread lunch - mostly free. A wonderful thing so our students mingle - they're always amazed because it's open communion. That's a new thing for many of them. Sets the tone or example that this ministry is open, caring, hospitable, we want all folks to come and share in that love of Christ.

MB- I specialize with school of nursing, I don't know that any of my students are involved with Crossroads -

FF: So, Fred is the connecting point?

KH - I don't worship here that often, but we do have a couple students who worship here. You can see the good relationship between Fred and the students.

TB - A lot of it has do with where Fred is connected - classes he teaches, international students, other places… plus the denominationally committed people.

MB- He has a lot of weddings - I don't know if they're all people who met here or not, but he does a lot of weddings.

TB - Fred averages 18-20 weddings a year. So he won't go off campus to marry folks anymore - it just takes too much time and energy.

LA (just arrived) - you have to book him pretty far in advance. We wanted him to do the service, but he was doing another. So he did premarital counseling for us and hooked us up with another pastor in the cities, which worked out really well.

TB - He does a lot of pre-marital counseling for all kinds of people who are getting married off campus.

TB- FCA, intervarsity, CC are all a social alternative to the bar scene. Then they come to us for deeper spiritual questions.

(Tim, Mary, Ken all left)

Continue to Part 3