Augustana Chaplaincy News Fall 2018 On Spirituality in Higher Education and Craft Gelato Yup, this is an odd combination but these were my sabbatical study topics. Like all delicious treats, I will treat you with gelato at the end. What contributes to a student’s spiritual development? How do we help students respond to life’s big questions like Who am I? What are my most deeply felt values? What is my purpose in my life? A fruitful resource in the area of spirituality in higher education is a seven year UCLA project conducted by psychologists Alexander and Helen Astin. While the study (fortunately) indicated that robust Chaplaincy programs help students in their spiritual and religious development, it also noted that spiritual development takes more than Chaplaincy. Faculty members who are open to the spiritual and religious aspect of life by making room in the classroom for contemplation and the exploration of life’s big questions are key. Anyone who is familiar with the education offered by CLC/Augustana can attest that the findings of this study about the importance of supportive faculty ring true. I am incorporating my sabbatical studies into my own teaching in Religious Studies and I have plans to bring other faculty into this ongoing conversation as well. Craft gelato! Like most travellers to Italy, I developed the habit of eating gelato daily (occasionally multiple times per day). Chancing upon a gelateria that skillfully combined fresh, local ingredients was a delight. During sabbatical, I enrolled for one week at the Italian Culinary Institute in Caminia, Italy under the guidance of Chef John Nocita. Gelato can be a delectable ingredient in the making of joy-filled community and the gift of gelato is a little experience of grace. Upon return to Camrose, I commissioned a logo from Elise Epp that alludes to that joy and grace. Milk n’ Honey points to the promised place where all will know God’s shalom. Thomas Aquinas penned the tag line, the sweetness we were meant to find, which was later translated by Gerard Manley Hopkins and appears in the hymn Thee We Adore, O Saviour (ELW 476). In my effort to share that sweetness, I purchased a high volume gelato maker. I am pleased to report that the incorporation of gelato into the work of Chaplaincy brings sweetness, grace, and peace. Shalom! Love Actually Augustana Chaplaincy News Fall 2018 Contact Us Augustana Chaplaincy Augustana Campus University of Alberta 4901—46 Avenue Camrose, AB T4V 2R3 Rev. Craig Wentland Campus Chaplain 780.679.1535 [email protected] Katelynn Cook Assistant for Chaplaincy 780.679.1597 [email protected] www.ualberta.ca/ Augustana/services/ chaplaincy/ Facebook page: U of A Augustana Chaplaincy Instagram: @aug_chaplaincy In This Issue: On Spirituality in Higher Education and Craft Gelato Meet the Student Chaplains Oktoberfest 2018 Small Events Making Big Differences Muslim Prayer Space on Campus Chaplaincy Theme 2018-2019 Fall 2018 4 — Fall 2018 Small Events Making Big Differences Chaplaincy has been taking its "Fun Raising" events to different locations as a way to connect with different demographics of students. We had a campfire in the quad, carved pumpkin in the Faith and Life Lounge, and hosted a coffee house by the bookstore in the Forum to attract passersby. We even took a couple of students on a Tuesday morning excursion to the Ukrainian Catholic Church to partake in pierogi pinching! In addition, we have been hosting events in the first year residence in hopes that our programming will be more accessible to new students. We made moon cakes to celebrate the Chinese Autumn Festival in the first year kitchen, baked cookies, and played a game of Giant Dutch Blitz during which Craig got his cardio workout! These events drew students we have not had out to other events before. The near future holds movie nights, gingerbread decorating, and a pop-up gelato stand in first year dorms. Oktoberfest 2018 At the end of September, Chaplaincy held its third annual Oktober- fest celebration in conjunction with Alumni Weekend.This new Chap- laincy tradition was once again a success, drawing students, staff, alumni, and community members to enjoy the German festivities and to reconnect with one another. Guests enjoyed sampling the local craft beers; feasting on bratwurst, potatoes, and black forest cake; and polka dancing into the night accompanied by the music of the live band. The Lougheed Centre was beautifully transformed into a German banquet hall. With the student chaplains dressed in dirndls and lederhosen, it felt like stepping into a set of the Sound of Music! Katelynn Cook—Assistant to Chaplaincy Muslim Prayer Space on Campus Between classes and other commitments, as a Muslim student, how is it possible to attend Jumu’ah, Friday congregational prayers? The closest mosque is in Wetaskiwin. The newly formed Muslim Student Club initiated conversations about whether there might be an appropriate space for prayer on campus. After assessing needs and avail- able space, the club has been happily experimenting with an underutilized classroom. (Coincidentally, this room is familiar with prayer as it served as CLC’s Chapel for a period during the 70s and 80s.) The students are being joined by a few Muslim fami- lies from the Camrose community and Chaplaincy will host a pre-prayer lunch to wel- come them to the campus. We hope these new relationships will provide rich learning opportunities for the entire campus. The dance between religious expression and public universities has historically been a little awkward. Because of its faith-based heritage, Augustana has long understood that the religious/spiritual/faith dimension of life is a part of the whole person formation promised by a liberal arts education. As Augustana encounters an increasingly diverse campus, we hope the resources provided by our heritage will make the dance between faith and learning more graceful. As a recent Augustana graduate in search of meaningful employment and an opportunity to apply my liberal arts education, I was thrilled to be offered Sara Smith's ma- ternity leave position as the Assistant to Chaplaincy. Chaplaincy has played a transformational role in my faith, and it is a blessing to have the opportunity to give back to this life giving community as my job. I thoroughly enjoy working alongside Pastor Craig, supporting the student chaplains, and continuing to serve the Augustana and Camrose community. You are invited to… What’s Cookin? Soup Supper Sunday, March 3th, 2019 5:00 pm The Chapel, Augustana Campus Come and share a simple meal, an evening of entertainment, pictures and music, celebrating Chaplaincy on the Augustana Campus. Muslim Student Club Members: Farheen Afaque and Fatima Bin Sumait Pierogi Pinching: Jessica, Katelynn, Winnie, Areesh Chaplaincy crew at Oktoberfest Table Extensions We are into Feasting