Drug user, LGBTQ, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, atheist, tax fraudster, or otherwise will be accepted with open arms according to the “Statement of Welcome” published by Chapel Ministries. Chapel Ministries is a new student organization that acts as an umbrella association for previously independent groups such as: Interfaith Association, Students Leading in Community Empowerment (SLICE), and the Catholic Student Association. In addition, Chapel Ministries provides opportunities like Wednesday Chapel, Brew Chat, and a Thursday night candlelight service. The organization also works with national organizations on campus such as Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru), Coalition for Christian Outreach (CCO), and Younglife.
“We see ourselves as being truly open to the entire campus… being outrageously inclusive,” said Pastor Gary Sandberg, Dean of the Chapel.
“[We] help students to find their own personal definition of spirituality, and explore that in whatever way they deem appropriate….We don’t try and tell anybody how to worship or experience what they may describe as God… We want to be an open space for them to explore that for themselves,” said Christin Koosman, President of Chapel Ministries.
“[We] …are not exclusively Christian based. We are spiritually based, but we hope that atheists, agnostics, and others on campus… absolutely would feel comfortable coming to any Chapel Ministries event,” said Sandberg.
In addition to offering spiritual events, Chapel Ministries provides learning and service opportunities.
One service based organization in Chapel Ministries is SLICE, which is a campus division of Building Responsibility, Equality, and Dignity (BREAD), a congregation based association in Central Ohio. BREAD works to effectively resolve community issues like hunger, homelessness, and substance abuse, and SLICE is the first ever college division of BREAD. SLICE itself serves as a place where students can be proactive in learning about and addressing social justice issues.
“BREAD… is about creating fundamental change… so that we don’t need band aid solutions like a food pantry… We are not just feeding the people, we are figuring out why they are hungry and solving that issue… BREAD is about doing justice,” said Madeline Aeschbury, chairperson of SLICE.
By providing multiple worship, service, social, and study opportunities, Chapel Ministries aims to provide something for all students.
“[Chapel Ministries] …fulfills the obligation we have to our students…that they can be spiritually alive,” said Sandberg.
Chapel Ministries also actively seeks to partner with other organizations and offices on campus.
“[We hope] to intentionally collaborate… we are looking for any event that is outside of the weekly standard events like Wednesday Chapel, candlelight, and the Catholic Mass. Every event that we bring on campus we want to co-sponsor and to collaborate with multiple offices on campus… [like] the Jewish Student Association, as well as the Office of Diversity & Inclusion and Women’s Empowerment Alliance. We are looking to create opportunities for collaboration in virtually everything we do on campus,” said Sandberg.
“[We] seek to collaborate with as many campus organizations as possible because I think sometimes we all have a really narrow view of what spirituality is… [we] want to work with any student organization that is open,” said Koosman.
Through increasing student attendance and awareness, Chapel Ministries aims to allow all students to take a sense of ownership in the many spiritual events on campus.
“It is nice to have more student input, so that is why we [Chapel Ministries] became a student organization. We have a lot of student leadership involved… Getting students involved gives people a more meaningful leadership role, which gets them to come back more,” said Koosman.
“We [SLICE] love being a part of Chapel Ministries, because it encompasses a wide range of beliefs… it does not matter if you are Lutheran, Catholic, Muslim… we are all called to do justice. The door is open… even if you are not religious,” said Aeschbury.
Students looking to become involved with Chapel Ministries can contact either Sandberg at gsandberg@capital.edu or Koosman at ckoosman@capital.edu, or attend any one of the weekly events such as Catholic Mass or Wednesday Chapel.
