United Methodist Church

November 2013 – Faith in Transition: Being a Christian in College

The 2013 Faith in Transition: Being a Christian in College retreat for United Methodist high school youth will be held in November 2013 on the campus of Albion College. Hosted by the Albion College Office of the Chaplain and the Christian college student community, the retreat offers a great way for youth and college students to inspire each other. For more information, contact the Office of the Chaplain.

Reaffirmation

In 2012, the University Senate reaffirmed Albion College's historical relationship with the United Methodist Church.

Albion College and the United Methodist Church

Albion College is historically related with the United Methodist Church, the modern form of the denomination that founded the College in 1835. If you are interested in Albion College, come from a United Methodist background, and want to grow your faith, you will find United Methodist friends, support for your faith, and great opportunities to grow in wisdom, knowledge, and vital piety (John Wesley's vision for higher education). Albion College prepares strong leaders in the United Methodist Church (clergy and lay) because of its academic excellence, peer ministry opportunities, and engagement with global diversity.

If you are from a different Christian tradition, you will find that Albion College focuses on Christian unity and understanding diversity within Christianity. There are many different Christian student groups, and students can join any/all of them. Albion College Chapel is a student-led interdenominational worship, supervised by the Office of the Chaplain, and its leaders come from all the Christian student organizations. Chapel meets every Wednesday night at 9:00 p.m. in the historic Chapel of the College -- the Kellogg Student Center Stack. Students become stronger ecumenical leaders because of their engagement in Chapel; many pursue ministry as a career.

Students from other backgrounds are equally included in spiritual life at Albion College. There is no preferential treatment; the College has a core commitment to supporting a spiritually diverse campus and promoting academic freedom. There are a number of student organizations that support students from under-represented backgrounds. Spiritual life is coordinated by the College Chaplain in an interfaith model.

United Methodist students at Albion College become stronger leaders through engagement with our rich interfaith community. They are more prepared for modern workplaces and in our global society. For those that enter the ministry, they are more prepared for the challenges of the church in today's society.

Ongoing Connections

Albion College has a strong commitment to providing financial aid to students from a United Methodist background. This commitment is based on the College's historical relationship with the denomination, including support from United Methodist alumni. For details, please contact the Office of Admission.

Albion College Chapel celebrates Albion College's roots, bringing together all the Christian student organizations in worship. This ecumenical program of the Office of the Chaplain includes United Methodist students in its leadership. Many of them decide to pursue ministry as a calling. Chapel is every Wednesday night at 9:00 p.m., in the Kellogg Student Center "Stack" (the historic Chapel of Albion College).

Wesley Fellowship is an active student organization dedicated to supporting United Methodist identity and fellowship. They meet weekly for dinner on Sunday nights at the First United Methodist Church of Albion.

Exploring Ministry is a group for students considering ministry as a vocation, sponsored by the Office of the Chaplain, with the support of a multidisciplinary group of faculty and staff. Recent alumni/ae have gone on to UMC-affiliated seminaries/divinity schools, including Asbury Seminary, Boston University, Wesley Seminary, Duke Divinity School, and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, as well as a number of recent graduates attending Vanderbilt Divinity School. Other graduates have pursued short-term internship options through the United Methodist Church.

Albion College maintains an active and vocal presence at both Michigan area annual conferences. The College Chaplain is an active member of the Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministries, in both the West Michigan and Detroit Conferences.

Albion College student leaders attend regional, national, and international UMC conferences, as well as UMC-sponsored service projects.

Some United Methodist students get involved with area United Methodist congregations, including the First United Methodist Church of Albion.

The Office of the Chaplain partners with others in Methodist, Wesley, and Holiness traditions, Many fruitful programs have come from these partnerships, including a regular collaborative program between the Office of the Chaplain and Lewis Chapel A.M.E. Church (Albion) during Black History Month.

For more information on these and/or other aspects of the College-Church relationship, please contact the Office of the Chaplain.