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CAMPUS MINISTRY

Lutheran Campus Ministry in the

Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod

Lutheran Campus ministry in the Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod is a piece of the national ELCA campus ministry movement. The mission of campus ministry in the ELCA is to invite people in academic settings to engage in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the community that bears his name...so that they can discover and fulfill their vocation as people of God. ELCA campus ministry is a Lutheran ministry for students, faculty, staff and others on campus...and it is not just a ministry for Lutherans. All persons of faith, or curious about faith are welcome. We draw closer by discovering the diversities in our theologies and outlooks.

 

Vital campus ministries are critical to the well-being of our young people. We know that when students leave home they begin to examine their beliefs and may wrestle with and question what they have been taught in the past. Lutheran Campus pastors are prepared to support, encourage, challenge and stimulate the students as they consider the issues of faith in their lives. We find that over time the students begin to realize that the Christian faith has the depth and breadth that will hold up to their questions.

 

And at some point in this journey, we see the students begin to integrate the love and work of God in Christ into their daily lives.

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Each campus ministry setting is unique, and we go about our work in a variety of ways. We offer...

 

  • Home cooked meals

  • Bible studies

  • Fellowship and prayer

  • Coffee and conversation Worship services.

  • We engage student musicians.

  • Invite students to assist in ministry.

  • We take road trips to see the Oklahoma and Arkansas sites, and we serve the community in a variety of social service ministries.

 

Campus ministry is not static. We are always adapting/reforming to be relevant to the changing nature of our culture and the evolving needs of the students. In this way, campus ministry is an instructive model for the entire Church.

The A-OK Synod has five Campus Ministry sites:

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  1. The University of Oklahoma
    Pr. Joe Summerville
     

  2. Oklahoma State University
    Dawn Enderwood
     

  3. University of Arkansas
    Pr. Clint Schnekloth

You can help support Campus Ministries in our Synod:

  1. Let us know about college students. Colleges and universities are no longer permitted to disseminate names of students to churches. If you have a student or a friend who is attends one of our campus ministry universities, let us know and we will contact the student. You can send the information to the synod office. The student you identify does not need to be a Lutheran or even a Christian. We serve students at all points in their faith formation.
     

  2. You can pray for Lutheran Campus ministry.
     

  3. Invite campus ministers into your community to talk about the ministry that happens on campus. Campus ministry is dynamic, ever-changing and provides valuable models to our parishes.
     

  4. You can offer financial gifts. Most of our campus ministry sites are allocated about $500 a year from the Churchwide and Synod offices. That’s it, along with donations from the congregation the campus minister serves.
     

  5. Through worship, study, fellowship and service, members of the academic community taste the fullness of God’s grace. Thousands of years ago, the prophet Micah prayed, “God teach us your ways so that we may walk in your paths” (Micah 4:2). Micah’s prayer continues.

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Every person in the Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod can be a campus minister. We invite you to be a part of this essential ministry of the Church. Join us!

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