Comments for College ministries: I am a big, fat liar at http://pres-outlook.net , comment 1 to 4 out of 4 comments http://pres-outlook.net Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:24:31 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://pres-outlook.net/opinion/guest-commentary/6773.html#comment-4378 You are singing my song. I was ordained --first as an elder and later as a MWS --at a PCUSA campus ministry church. There was no "gap" for me, but there is for so many students---the absence of vibrant mainline campus ministries on secular campuses --and even some PCUSA related colleges is nothing short of sad. We worry about the members that walk out the door. But few of us worry about the members that we send off with mini-fridges and big dreams, never to be heard from again. Susan Olson 14 years in college chaplaincy - Susan Olson Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:53:01 +0100 http://pres-outlook.net/opinion/guest-commentary/6773.html#comment-3793 Thanks John for a wonderful article. I have spent my entire ministry as a campus minister, most recently almost 12 years at U.C. Berkeley. 3 years ago I co-founded an organization called Student Center Associates, (SCA)www.studentcenterassociates.com Our sole purpose is to reverse the trends John Richardson so ably pointed out. The problem boils down to a lack of vision and a lack of funding. Here in Berkeley we have 175 students living at Westminster House and over 100 additional students active in a vital healthy college ministry at First Presbyterian Church. Westminster House and First Presbyterian along with other campus ministries just co-sponsored Dr. Francis Collin's Lecture on campus. Almost 1500 students and faculty came out. Students volunteer in local elementary schools and are involved around the world in social justice ministries. Some of our graduates are now pastoring churches, many others are leaders in their workplaces and congregations. If more Presbyteries and Synods would support their local campus ministries efforts to become self-supporting by building student housing we could see a renaissance in campus ministry around the country. SCA is currently overseeing the development and construction of student housing projects for campus ministries and churches in West Virginia, North Carolina, Illinois and California. We would love to be doing this in every state. - Randy Bare Sun, 10 Feb 2008 12:00:00 +0100 http://pres-outlook.net/opinion/guest-commentary/6773.html#comment-3792 John Richardson's excellent commentary didn't go far enough back in history when he wrote, "From the late 80s to this day, Fort Hill Church and the Presbyterian Student Association at Clemson University are committed to creating arguably one of the best examples of a successful campus ministry program in the country." As a Presbyterian and a 1955 graduate of Clemson, I can verify that at least that far back Wednesday night was "church night" at Clemson. No campus activities were scheduled at this time including sports events. All cadets were encouraged to attend the student group of their choice. To continue a tradition that started during World War II, we closed every meeting with the prayer, "May the Lord watch between me and thee -- and them -- while we are absent one from the other." The "them" were those serving in the armed forces. I would like to claim that I never missed a single PSA meeting in my four years but I would be a "big, fat liar." (I missed one meeting when my English professor broke the college rule and held his final exam review on a Wednesday night and I needed the course to graduate!) I later graduated from the Presbyterian School of Christian Education and have spent ... 45 years in Presbyterian Camp and Conference Ministries. - Bill Key Thu, 07 Feb 2008 12:00:00 +0100 http://pres-outlook.net/opinion/guest-commentary/6773.html#comment-3780 Excellent article, Amen to it all. - jim conner Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:00:00 +0100