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Campus Ministry at York College
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The philosophy of campus ministry is based on the conviction that God is the Author of all truth and that He is concerned about the intellectual, moral and spiritual growth of all persons at all levels of life.
The Campus Ministry at York is one of the important means by which the Christian churches in Queens, acting together in the name of Christ, can be a visible presence and influence on the college campus.
Relation to Higher Education
The Campus Ministry at York seeks to build bridges of understanding between the religious community and the academic community. It reaches out to faculty as well as to students. It reaches out to persons of all races and cultures. It seeks to develop understanding and appreciation for the rich diversity of cultures at York College.
Some of the individual ministries sponsored by the campus Ministry at York are Bible Study, Counseling, Guidance and the S.H.A.R.E. Food Program.
History of Campus Ministry
The Church gave birth to higher education in medieval times and continued to nurture it for several centuries, but now the majority of the institution of higher education are secular.
When statistics revealed that more than seventy percent of all college students are enrolled in state or public institutions, it became apparent that churches would have to follow students to the secular campus to help preserve their faith. For this purpose, campus ministries developed.
At the time of the Civil War, only nineteen of America's 182 colleges were public institutions. The remaining colleges were church or religiously-oriented schools, sufficiently influential in keeping young people committed to the Church.
This picture, however, was changed by the Morrill Act of 1862 which granted land for the establishment of state colleges which, then, took the lead in higher education. The rapid growth of these state colleges alerted church leaders to a new need·to follow the student to the state campus and minister to them there.
Several denominational approaches such as the Student Volunteer Movement, the Young Men's and Young Women's Christian Associations, and the Bible Chair approach (a professorship established by the churches at a University) paved the way to the professional leadership of university pastors and campus ministers.
Established September 1982
The Campus Ministry at York College was established in 1982 by the Queens Federation of Churches to promote theological study and provide counseling to students and staff. It also sponsored programs of Biblical and ethical studies. Since 1990, the S.H.A.R.E. Food Program has been sponsored by the Campus Ministry. Staff and students alike may participate and become eligible for a substantial monthly food package.
Future of Campus Ministry
The Campus Ministry at York continues to provide the opportunity for renewed dialogue between the church and the world of higher education.
The Campus Ministry at York brings new visions and new directions for the future as it serves as advocate for justice and peace in the world.