 Campus Pastor Kevin Wilder (third from right) meets with all but one of the Hesston College ministry assistants who lead Bible studies or a book study from a Christian perspective in the campus dorms. They are (clockwise from bottom left): Daniel Martin, Rachelle Nitzsche, Naomi Tice, Ellie Eberspacher, Jeremy Patterson, Wilder, Heather Yoder, and Kaely Miller. The meeting begins every other Thursday evening at 11:30 p.m.; this meeting occurred at Druber's Donuts in downtown Newton, Kan. |
January 21, 2008
Thirteen students at Hesston College who are ministry assistants for the 2007-08 school year lead a variety of activities on campus. The 13 are mentored by Campus Pastor Kevin Wilder, who interviewed and choose them last spring, in consultation with Dean of Students G. Lamar Roth.
Wilder pointed out that every ministry on campus is “student led. I become more of a coach and allow them to lead and learn ministry and practical skills,” he said.
Activities include leading a Bible study ranging from 5 to 20 students, helping with campus worship--a student-led service held each Wednesday evening, or involvement with a club or group on campus.
“Each ministry assistant takes a lot of personal initiative,” Wilder said. “They organize a lot of things and make them happen. It’s tremendous to watch them write goals or lessons, lead, and be assertive in their individual roles.”
Wilder said all the ministry assistants but one are sophomores. One is an international student, one is a Pastoral Ministries student, and some also serve as resident assistants.
Wilder also noted that one student who led Bible studies for three semesters begins a semester in the Ministry Inquiry program the middle of this month. Taylor Stutzman, South Hutchinson, Kan., will serve the next four months at Peace Mennonite Community Church, Aurora, Colo. He plans to graduate with his class Sunday, May 4.
Replacing Stutzman as a Bible Study leader for the Spring Term (2008) is Daniel Martin, sophomore, Harrisonburg, Va.
Wilder said the ministry assistants are paid for their work, which averages about two to three hours a week.
"The unique thing about the ministry assistant program at Hesston College is that we're doing it with sophomores and sometimes freshmen," he said. "I doubt that happens much at four-year colleges.
"The great thing about having ministry assistants is that we're in ministry together," Wilder said.
The 13 ministry assistants are:
- Ellie Eberspacher, sophomore, Milford, Neb., Women’s Bible Study
- Kim Friesen, sophomore, Archbold, Ohio, Campus Worship PowerPoint
- Matthew George, freshman, Lebanon, Ore., Men’s Bible Study
- Sarah Hooley, sophomore, Filer, Idaho, Peace and Service Club
- Daniel Martin, sophomore, Harrisonburg, Va., Men’s Bible Study
- Kaely Miller, sophomore, Newton, Kan., Women’s Bible Study
- Kris Miller, sophomore, Greeley, Colo., Campus Worship set-up, prayer, and greeters
- Kara Mishler, sophomore, Shipshewana, Ind., Campus Worship planning
- Rachelle Nitzsche, sophomore, West Point, Neb., Nursing Students Bible Study
- Jeremy Patterson, sophomore, Hesston, Kan., Erb men Bible Study
- Naomi Tice, sophomore, Salisbury, Pa., Women’s Bible
- Beemnet Tilahun, sophomore, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, International Christian Fellowship
- Heather Yoder, sophomore, Bellefontaine, Ohio, Book Study
Hesston College Campus Ministries