Policy on

CAMPUS MINISTRY

November 7, 1975

Preamble

The Mission of Campus Ministry in the Diocese of Iowa is to manifest the presence and implement the ministry of Jesus Christ to all people who are connected with the educational institution. This ministry is a vital part of Diocesan responsibility and should be funded at the Diocesan level as required to achieve its mission.

Purpose

The purpose of Campus Ministry is to provide the best possible ministry to all students, faculty, and staff members and their families. In particular, Campus Ministry will assist all who are administrative, faculty, or staff persons to develop their ministry as effective lay persons in providing witness to the Campus Community by virtue of their continuing presence.

Nature

Campus Ministry is a specialized vocation requiring a high degree of maturity. Because of the intellectual dimension present in the academic setting, the person should have appropriate academic qualifications; special courses and internships are very desirable in preparation for this special ministry.

Campus Ministry includes an openness to experimental forms of ministry within the doctrine and discipline of the Church, as the interest and needs are evidenced in particular campus situations. An ecumenical emphasis adds strength to the ministry within the academic setting.

Functions

The functions of Campus Ministry include the following areas in which specific goals are to be set on each campus, and are subject to a plurality of applications required by the needs of each particular location.

Liturgical

Provide opportunities for prayer, worship, and sacraments appropriate for all members of the academic community in a Christian environment.

Pastoral

A. Counseling in crisis situations

B. Vocational counseling

C. Counseling with parents

D. Pre-marital and marital counseling

E. Supportive counseling

F. Providing material support as needs arise

Instructional

A. Initiate programs to enable students and staff to perceive events in their daily lives in terms of Christian concepts.

B. Develop and implement, in collaboration with other campus ministers, common programs to achieve a Christian influence in the educational institutions.

C. To assist members of the Church to develop and articulate Christian concepts to the college community.

Visibility

A. Prophetic: To set forth the Gospel as publicly as possible in terms of its implications for life in the college community and in society at-large by involvement in issues of contemporary importance.

B. Evangelistic: To proclaim the Good News by reaching out to the academic community in appropriate ways.

C. Apologetic: To explain the reasonableness of the Gospel in a contemporary frame of reference for Christians, interested non-Christians, and detractors of the Gospel.

Implementation

There are three general forms or approaches to campus ministry that have been or are being used in the diocese.

I. Definitions

A. A full-time campus ministry which is coordinated to some degree with the ministries conducted by other local parish or mission congregations.

B. A part-time campus ministry which functions as an extension of the ministry of a local parish or mission congregation.

C. A campus ministry that is conducted on an ecumenical basis and coordinated to some degree with the ministries of local parish and mission congregations.

In the first approach (A) the Diocese provides the financial support for a full-time campus minister while in the second approach (B) the financial support of the Diocese varies. In principle these approaches are based on the recognition that campus work is a specialized ministry that necessarily cuts across parish lines and is a responsibility of the larger Church. Ecumenical ministries will necessarily depend on local opportunities and will be entered into in such a way as to protect the theological and liturgical integrity of our tradition. It is to be noted that these approaches require no specific detailed model of campus ministry and while there is to be coordination with other local ministries, the actual methods of such coordination will have to be worked out in terms of the local situation.

II. Expectations

The Diocese expects Campus Ministry, however it is institutionalized, to be faithful, effective, creative, and intentional. Accordingly, the Diocesan Evangelism Commission will develop with each ministry a system for planning, reporting and evaluation which it will then propose to the Board of Directors of the Episcopal Corporation of the Diocese of Iowa for approval. In developing each system the following guidelines will be utilized:

A. PLANNING. Each ministry shall have some identifiable procedure for planning which significantly involves lay persons who are part of the academic community. Planning should be simple, it should encourage creativity, it should be as comprehensive as possible, i.e. it should touch all the “functions” outlined in the first section of this document.

B. REPORTING. Each ministry shall have a procedure for reporting and explaining the rationale for its ministry to the Evangelism Commission. The procedure should be simple. It should be one which does not attempt to quantify excessively. It should be one in which hunches, intuition, and affect, have a role along with raw “data.”

C. EVALUATION. Each ministry shall have a procedure for an annual evaluation of its on-going program. In addition each ministry might have a procedure for periodic comprehensive review, perhaps every 5 years, in which outside resources might be utilized. In all cases the purpose of evaluation is to be seen as that of providing resources to improve ministry.

D. BUDGET-MAKING. Each ministry shall submit an annual program budget at a time specified by the Commission. The budget should be produced with appropriate consultation by local church agencies. The Commission shall submit each budget proposal with supporting data to the Board of Directors of the Episcopal Corporation of the Diocese of Iowa with its recommendations. A procedure for expending and accounting for funds should also be developed for each situation.

E. PASTORAL PROCEDURES. The procedures for planning, reporting, evaluating—and budget-making, in all cases shall have a pastoral nature.

F. THE BISHOP The Bishop shall have a significant role in all these matters, to be determined specifically for each ministry, to assure the accountability of campus ministers for their efforts in campus ministry to him.

G. COORDINATION. Campus Ministry shall be coordinated with local church agencies.

III. Appointment of Chaplains

The Bishop shall appoint Chaplains after consultation with appropriate church agencies under the terms of the canons. The Bishop may designate parish priests as Chaplains in a particular place, also after appropriate consultation.

IV. Campus Ministries Which Have No Diocesan Financial Support

The preceding guidelines apply to those situations in which the Diocese provides financial support. In places where there is no financial support, the Diocese encourages local congregations and their clergy to work seriously at developing program and ministry to the campus in the areas outlined above. The Diocese asks its full-time Chaplains to be available as consultants to those congregations. It proposes that provision be made in future campus ministry budgets to allow participation by laypersons and clergy in those situations, in seminars and workshops which might help them improve their ministries.