Past Events
Check out one of our big past projects: our labyrinth walk!
Ash Wednesday Service.
On Feb 6th, we offered a full Ash Wednesday service with the Holy Eucharist and the Imposition of Ashes in our usual meeting space -- the large rear room of the Interfaith Center. All were welcomed, regardless of religious/non-religious background.Fair Trade Crafts Sale a Big Success.
The very good news is that these crafts and the packets of fair trade chocolate, representing a total value of just under $600, were completely sold out by the time the Fair ended at 2pm on the 28th. The proceeds will be largely returned to the craftspeople and growers who produced them, through a program sponsored by Lutheran World Relief. This assures that skilled artisans from third world countries receive a fair price for their creations. This is often not the case in the general world market. So in this season which for Christians points ahead toward the greatest gift that humanity could ever receive, we were grateful to be able to bring to campus these fair trade gifts which give double, to the person who receives them and to the craftsperson in a poor country who made them.
Students Lead Lunch Programs.
Last year officers helped select the lunch programs, but this fall semester our officers actually presented them. In the past this has been a chaplains’ responsibility -- and will likely be at times again in the future -- but it’s great to have motivated and committed students take on this leadership role. So far, discussions have included “Does God Know Everything About Us, Including Our Future?“ and “How Does God Feel About War?” Good presentations and great participation in discussions!Ministry Celebrates Graduation of Long-Time Members.
Officers Elected for 2007-2008 Academic Year.
Stimulating Videos for Discussions
Two videotapes from the series "Questions of Faith" provided the basis for April lunch programs on prayer and the bible. On April 9, "What Good Is Prayer" showed a variety of well-known religious leaders discussing the varieties of prayer and how they can work to bring us closer to God -- the comments were often personal and insightful. Then on April 23, Christian leaders and a rabbi presented their own perspectives on how the bible can be both God-inspired as a whole and not literally true in every passage or detail. With both videos, we followed our practice of watching only a short clip, then reacting with discussion, before we watch another short clip. A great time was had by all!Quiz: Can you name the world religion for each symbol below?
“Visitors-in-Faith” Day brings Personal Religious Exchanges
On November 13th our Lutheran & Episcopal Campus Ministry invited guests from various world religions and Christian denominations to attend our weekly lunch meeting. Advertised through campus mailing lists and posted flyers, the event encouraged visitors to come and make a personal statement of what they especially liked or were inspired by in their own religious community. There was a good response, as eight student visitors, a University administrator and a professor joined the ten student members of LECM present that day. Including Lutheran Chaplain Rev. Sandy Alexis and Episcopal Chaplain Menalcus Lankford, there was a total attendance of 22 -- definitely a three pizza day! As representatives of Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Eastern Meditation, along with several Christian denominations, shared what they loved about their faith groups, others asked follow-up questions and -- in many cases -- talked about how they could relate, from their own religious experience, with what had just been shared. The session ended with the Muslim students present inviting everyone to join in one of their prayer events during the week. Also, everyone was invited to attend the interfaith Thanksgiving Dinner, sponsored by the Religious Staff Council on Nov 20th, 5-7pm.Quiz answers: L to R, top row: Sikhism, Taoism, Zoroastrianism and Hinduism; bottom row: Buddhism, Islam, Judaism and Christianity.
September 24. Planning Dinner for Officers and Chaplains Yields New Program Suggestions.
After watching a short video on campus ministries and eating dinner -- including a high energy dessert course -- we continued working from a three page master list of program suggestions. We came up with a complete program schedule for our Fall semester lunch meetings and considered new opportunities for service projects, workshops and field trips--though on these no final choices were made. We were also able to designate certain programs for the Spring semester, with specific dates to be determined later.
The dinner came about due to the decision by the group members last Spring to pursue more varied, issues-oriented programs at this year’s lunch meetings. This requires considerably more planning and topic research, but we left the dinner feeling that we had taken a solid step toward this goal.
May 1. New Officers Chosen in Annual Election.
On May 1 we had in the Lutheran & Episcopal Campus Ministry not a workers’ revolt or a pagan celebration of spring, but our annual election of officers. President Doug Drummonds ran on a definite platform involving some new ideas for weekly programs and for outreach--and was re-elected. Three other officers needed to be replaced, due to an upcoming semester in South Africa, a transfer to the University of Maryland Nursing Program and a major schedule conflict. Our new Vice President is rising Sophomore Joel Drew, our new Secretary is rising Senior Megan McCrory and our new Treasurer is graduate student Pranab Mitra from Calcutta, India. Since Pranab is a PhD candidate in Statistics, it was felt that he could handle our group’s high finances.
April 6. Labyrinth Walk.
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For the second year, our Ministry brought a labyrinth to campus as a service to the entire University community. It was available all day in the UC Ballroom, and was walked by our members, other students, University staff and campus visitors. Like last year, we invited each walker to write an anonymous reflection on the experience in one of the blank books we provided. Again almost everyone chose to do that -- probably an indication of the significance it had for them. Here’s a very brief sample: |
March 4. Field Trip to Women’s Prison.
| Interested student members of the Ministry, plus both Chaplains, traveled to the women’s prison in Jessup to learn and worship with a group of the inmates. The informal format of the sermon allowed all in attendance -- inmates and visitors -- to participate in a wide-ranging discussion. More than any other topic, the inmates raised the issue of Lesbian behavior in prison and whether or not it should be acceptable in a Christian. Since it had not been possible for this group of inmates to celebrate Ash Wednesday on the actual day, there was a Holy Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes. Some of the Ministry students and both Chaplains had done this at UMBC three days before on Ash Wednesday, so this year they got a double-dip of ashes. Maybe some of us needed that. |
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March 1. Ash Wednesday.
At 8:30 AM in the Interfaith Center, Lutheran Chaplain Sandy Alexis celebrated the Holy Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes.
Feb. 27. Special Video/Discussion on Sex and Religion.
At our regular 11:30 lunch meeting, we watched portions of a video “What’s Religion Got To Do With Sex?”. We interrupted short clips of statements by a number of well known clergy, theologians and religious writers to discuss our own reactions. The speakers represented a range of viewpoints, and this led to a lively discussion among the good-sized group of student members and visitors. However, there was one conclusion that all the speakers agreed on: the Church should not duck this discussion.
Feb. 13. Special Election for President and Vice President.
Jessica Drew, President of our Ministry group for the last year and a half, had to resign her position because of her new Resident Assistant position. She plans to remain an active member of the Ministry, however. In the special election, held at the regular Monday lunch meeting, Vice President Doug Drummonds was elected to replace Jessica as our new President. Lindsay Morrell, who has been active in the group since the beginning of her Freshman year in Sep 2004, was elected to replace Doug as Vice President. Thanks to Doug and Lindsay for stepping up to fill the vacancy. Our regular annual election will be held in May, so that the officers elected then can help to plan for the next academic year.
Dec. 19. Annual Christmas Party Lifts Spirits During Exam Week.
What are twenty page papers and three hour exams to worry about, when there is the LECM Christmas party to remind everyone of the glory of the Savior's birth! Party food of the season, fun games, a favorite Christmas video, honorary titles given out to reflect the preoccupations of each member ("Missionary to the Waldorfians and Chair of Coolness Studies", "Dean of Biology for Creepy-Crawly Studies and Head, Spiritual Disciplines and Weight Training"), cards from the chaplains and more...
Dec. 8. "Pantry Raid" Donations Taken to 40 West Assistance Center.
During Thanksgiving break, Ministry students raided their home pantries for non-perishable groceries, added them to other contributions and on Dec 8th delivered them to St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church for distribution by the Assistance Center to the poor of West Baltimore. The picture shows church volunteer Frederick Simmons receiving the groceries from LECM members Lindsay Morrell, Doug Drummonds and Joel Drew.
Nov 28.
Building on our stimulating discussion of the videotape: "What Use is the Bible?" on Oct. 31, we held a special program based on discussion of the video "What Good is Prayer?". Many theologians, clergy and spiritual writers shared their personal approaches to prayer and the ways to make it real, and we interrupted the tape frequently to share our own responses and ideas. All Christians acknowledge the importance of prayer, but many struggle with how to keep it meaningful. From the video and discussion, we got some good ideas.
Oct. 21-23. First Joint Lutheran & Episcopal Retreat.
Three members of our Campus Ministry group traveled to Camp Raven Rock in the Catoctin Mountains for a great weekend retreat. Well-known retreat speaker Tiffany Thompson inspired the sixty or so Lutheran and Episcopal students and a number of chaplains from nearby campus ministries with her humorous and spirit-filled talks. These were followed by small group sessions, general games and fun, worship and outdoor activities -- especially on Sunday morning when the fog lifted and from the top of the mountain you could see forever!
Involvement Fest
Student officers, chaplains, and members alike turned out for Involvement Fest 2005 on Wednesday September 7th, where prospective members came to see what LECM is all about! As theological discussions were held with Menalcus Lankford, Doug Drummonds collected $508.51 from the generous students of UMBC-- 100% of which was donated to the Red Cross relief fund for Hurricane Katrina victims.
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| Preparing for Pentecost. Preparing to celebrate the day when Christians, though speaking in many different languages, were able to understand each other through the power of the Holy Spirit, Pranab Mitra (right) reads a prayer in Bengali. Other members read in English, French, German, Spanish and Latin. |
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Member honored by University. Stefanie Watson (left) was one of the students honored by UMBC in Spring 2005 for making outstanding use of research in her undergraduate studies. A Senior music major, Stefanie has been researching the process of collaboration between pianist and singer. She says, "This has been a very important part of my education, largely because this is an area I intend to pursue in the future. Discovering more about it now has helped me to be sure that I do want to continue." Last summer Stefanie studied at a piano institute in Chataqua, New York, and on May 15 she gave her Senior Recital on campus in the Fine Arts Building. She is a member of All Saints Episcopal Church, Sunderland, and is the interim organist at St. George's Episcopal Church, Hampstead. |
| Welcoming new students. President Jessica Drew (center), flanked by Chaplains Sandra Alexis and Menalcus Lankford, greets incoming Fall 2005 students and their families at New Student Day on April 16. Several students signed on to receive email announcements of our future activities, and many chatted and took brochures. |
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