wfn.org | General Assembly backgrounder: Campus ministry

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org>]

Note #6517 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

8-May-2001
01161

General Assembly backgrounder:

Campus ministry

by Jerry Van Marter

	For 275 uninterrupted years, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has helped
foster ministry to students on college and university campuses in this
country.

	But for almost 30 years, Presbyterian Church-sponsored campus ministry has
been on the decline. The turmoil of the '60s alienated generations of
college-age young people from the church. Funding cutbacks in the late 1980s
and early 1990s further eroded the church's outreach to college-age young
people.

	Ironically, during all this time, Presbyterians all around the country
decried the absence of young adults in Presbyterian congregations.

	The 213th General Assembly will have the opportunity to begin reversing the
decline when it receives and acts on a report on campus ministry entitled
Renewing the Commitment: A Churchwide Mission Strategy for Ministry in
Higher Education by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

	The innovative report carries no hefty price tag and proposes no new
denominational bureaucracy.

	Instead, it seeks to build on the network of vibrant campus ministries that
already exist and encourages congregations to become more involved in
outreach ministries to the campuses near them.

	The overall goals of the new campus ministry thrust include:

* Enhancing the spiritual well-being of students and churches

* Retaining student involvement from confirmation through college and into
the life of congregations

* Reaching students who have no church home or religious background

* Improving the financial, programmatic and staff resources that support all
facets of a ministry to, with, by and for students

* Ministering more effectively to historically black and predominantly black
institutions

* Expanding the leadership and partnership base of collegiate ministry with
the inclusion of all racial/ethnic constituencies of the church

* Identifying the context and gifts of the local college ministries, seeking
to increase cooperation and build partnerships with local constituencies and
colleges

* Joining with ecumenical partners, other denominations and individual
congregations to advance the gospel among students.

* Renewing the Commitment: A Churchwide Mission Strategy for Ministry in
Higher Education by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has been assigned to
the Assembly Committee on Theological Issues and Educational Institutions.

Editors note: This is a background report designated for journalists and
other guests who will be visiting the General Assembly.

_______________________________________________
pcusaNews mailing list
pcusaNews@pcusa.org

To unsubscribe, go to this web address:
http://pcusa01.pcusa.org/mailman/listinfo/pcusanews