Religious life is a priority at Hesston College. A variety of opportunities are provided to help develop and strengthen Christian faith through campus ministries. There are activities involving the whole campus, opportunities to be a part of a small group, and encouragement for students to cultivate their own Christian growth through individual study and discipline.
Campus Pastor
The Campus Pastor is a vital resource
to students, faculty, and staff. The pastor is available for counseling
and help in spiritual development and is responsible for religious
life programs and ministry, Christian growth, leadership and worship.
The following Campus Ministries activities are under the leadership
of the Campus Pastor.
Chapel
Each Monday and Wednesday from
11 to 11:30 a.m., the college community gathers for chapel. Chapel
is a time for worship and celebration of Christian faith as well as
the sharing of announcements and concerns of importance to the college
community. The format of chapel will vary to reflect both the heritage
and tradition of the Mennonite church and the diversity of the student
population. Chapels will include speakers and dramatic, musical, or
multi-media presentations. Leadership in chapel will be given by students,
faculty, and staff of the college as well as resource persons from
beyond the college. Responsibility for chapel services rests with
a planning committee chaired by the Campus Pastor and comprised of
students, faculty, and staff.
Periodically the community will
gather during the same time period on Fridays to consider current
issues of local, national, or international importance. Attendance
at these gatherings counts toward the chapel attendance requirement.
All full-time resident students
are required to attend at least 24 chapel services per semester. Full-time
non-resident students are required to attend 12 chapel services per
semester. Third-year students are encouraged, but not required to
attend. Further information on the chapel attendance policy is available
in the Student Handbook. Grades and transcripts will not be released
if the chapel requirements are not met.
Other Campus Ministries Activities:
- Campus Worship–the Campus Worship Team leads a weekly Wednesday evening gathering.
- Bible Studies and Small Groups–students lead groups for fellowship, sharing, Bible study, and prayer.
- Discipleship/Accountability Groups–the Campus Pastor guides discipleship training.
- Prayer Groups–students lead use of the prayer room in Erb Hall.
- Missions/Service Emphasis Days–twice each year, representatives from various mission and service agencies provide information about their programs.
- Retreats–Stutzman Retreat Center is available for group use.
- Service Projects–prison ministries and Peace and Service Club are examples.