MINISTRY FOR HIGHER EDUCATION AND YOUNG PEOPLE
Program UNIT Chair: The Rev. Collins E. Asonye
Program Mission or Purpose Statement:
Interpret the Episcopal Church and its comprehensive faith to the University and vice versa, serve as spiritual home for Students, faculty and staff. To provide common programming opportunities for enriched educational, spiritual, and social experiences.
To whom is your ministry directed and how is that accomplished?
Our program is directed toward Young Adults and those who minister to them. We provide a sacred space through annually retreats for campus Ministers/chaplains, young people, where they come together to network, share ideas, worship, and experience programming that is educational as well as spiritual.
Our network works to encourage and facilitate the development of new and innovative ministries on campus. New programming and resources for non-traditional student are also being developed.
Our young adults experience the wider Church as they attend International, National, Provincial and Diocesan conferences. Our students are nurture and serve as leaders for their own programs; they are also emerging as leaders in the Episcopal Church. We travel with students from their home parish, remain with them throughout college life and assist them to return to their churches in the adult life.
We serve as advocates for young people on campus and in parishes. We assist to provide and develop resources for programming. Parishes located near Institutions of Higher Education are encouraged to start campus ministry using our network as a support and a starting place.
How is your program helpful to parish, diocese, and province? Describe the ways in which your program relates to the General Convention resolutions as well as to dioceses and our province needs and concerns.
We serve as the only connector of all higher education ministries with parish, diocese and province. We advance the ministry of the church among young people on campus; a significant population is in the Midwest. We are developing new leadership, increasing committed membership and promoting the Gospel. The children of our faith are equipped in our ministry on Campus for adult life in the larger Church.
Described the ways in which your program relates to the General Convention Resolutions as well as to diocese and our province needs and concerns.
Ministry in higher Education is properly position to the call to double our membership by 2020 especially in the five areas below:
The five Mission Priorities identified by the PB&F are:
1) MDGaol; 2) Young adults and youth; 3) Reconciliation and evangelism; 4) Congregational Transformation; 5) Justice and Peace
As the Episcopal Church calls on its members to double its baptized membership by the year 2020, “focusing on children, youth, and campus ministry.” Ministry for and with young people among other strategies are not only important but also expedient if the 2020 Movement will succeed. Mission research expert claim, that “To bring a youth to Christ is to bring a generation to Christ.”
The call on the Church to expand ministries to the singles is properly carried out by ministry in Higher Education because most College students are single. The Calls on each Diocese to identify mission possibilities that are not presently funded, but which if funded, would assist with: New Church development; Revitalization of existing congregations: Reaching children and youth; ministering to those in need. Ministry in Higher education are helping to create and build new faith community on campus and promises to connect young people into the Episcopal Church and meeting their specific needs which parishes may not be suited to provide. Many in Seminary and some yet to join are products of Campus Ministry
In what ways can the Provincial leadership assist you in your ministry?
· Continued prayer and funding.
· Attendance at our Spring Gathering and National events. Strong voice for Campus Ministry in National, Diocese and Parishes levels.
· Stronger partnership with Diocesan Staff (Technology Staff) and Provincial objectives
What are your programs plans for 2008?
Date: Feb 23-25 Event: Planning Team
No. of Participants: 14 Projected Expenses:
Date: April 4-6 Event Spring Gathering
No. of Participants: 100 Projected Expense:
June 26-30 2008 Summer Campus Minister’s Gat
No of Participants: 20 Projected Expenses:
Date: October 11-13 Event: Fall Campus Ministers Gathering
Anticipated No. of Participants: 20 Projected Expense:
Date: Nov. 1-3 Event: Planning Team
Anticipated No. of Participants: 12 Projected Expense:
Date: Dec. 28-Jan 1 National Conference
No. of Participants 85 Projected Expenses:
What long-range hopes and plans does your program unit have?
Continue to provide comprehensive spiritual and social environment to nurture and deepen the spiritual experience of our young people. Increase number of participants from Dioceses to our events. We are challenged to find ways to include non-traditional youth adults as members of our Community. Design better, faster and more cost effective means of communication for our events. Encourage and support Campus Ministers in the local parish level. Source for fund to enable Province V Coordinator visit campus ministry in the Province
What things worked well in your ministry? What things did not work well in our ministry last year?
Attendance at summer gathering at Washington Seattle, and Fall Campus minister gathering at Urbana, Illinois was encouraging, the bonding was fantastic. The ministry of the Parish Priest at St. Clements Episcopal Church, Inkster Michigan, and Fr. Ellis Crawford toward Young People was unprecedented. The weekend retreat on MDG’s was both soul nourish and hopeful for the Church. I strongly commend his effort to other parish priest in the Province.
Attendance at spring events last year was low; growing leadership skill among young people, continued support from Province members and bishops will go along way in 2008 to strengthen our ministry with young people. More students are enthusiastic and are offering their leadership skill in large numbers.
The use of technology saves us cost and provided more timely communication.
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Five of the 15 dioceses in Province V have Hispanic congregations. Others offer support for Hispanic ministry through leadership development, immigration and citizenship advocacy and education, ESL classes, and community outreach.
