Higher education W
hen Paul R. Petersen told worshipers at the church where he was preaching that the new campus ministry center in La Crosse, Wis., rep- resents six denominations, they applauded. The ELCA campus pastor wasn’t surprised. “People really get excited about that,” he said. “Maybe it tells us the longing people have for churches to work more together.”
Petersen and Laura Hoglund, a United Church of Christ pastor, have worked together to set the table for six denominations and others who come through the doors of Common Ground Campus Ministry (www.
commongroundcampusministry.com), a three-story facility that opened in May 2012. Previously, Petersen led a separate ELCA campus
ministry center across the street from the one Hoglund led, which was supported by the United Church of Christ, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Episcopal Church, United Methodist Church, and American Baptist Church. Those separate centers, converted from private residences, were fine in their day, but over the years campus activity had shifted away from the area. The new ecumenical center sits right in the heart of student housing. Some 3,500 students live in a two- block area of dormitories and private rental units. While adjacent to the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, the center also is within blocks of Western Technical Col- lege and Viterbo, a private Roman Catholic university. “We can’t even imagine what the Lord will provide going forward,” Hoglund said. “We are totally in the right place at the right time.”
‘Can you say no?’
Over the years the two centers held many joint activities, so working together to create something new seemed natural and right. When Petersen broached the idea, Hoglund and her board were immediately receptive. “When a denomination comes and says, ‘Would you like to be even more ecumenical?’ and you’ve been ecumeni- cal for 40 years, how can you say no?” she asked. While both pastors were eager to get the shared
ministry off the ground, the actual process took some time because of the legal steps necessary to ensure both entities were treated fairly. The $983,000 center was financed in part by the sale of the two previous build- ings, along with a combination of congregational and private donations, grants and loans. That includes a $100,000 grant from National Lutheran Campus Min- istry Inc. and a $263,000 loan from the ELCA Mission
Hollnagel is The Lutheran’s synod correspondent for the La Crosse Area Synod.
Setting the table
Common Ground has a coffeehouse, worship center and outdoor patio seating on the main level. The second floor contains offices for each pastor, a kitchen, a recep- tion area and meeting space. A five-bedroom apartment in the lower level generates income for operating and maintenance costs. The coffeehouse, run by a private business, also provides some rental income. The multipurpose worship space offers seating for
for six 44 The Lutheran •
www.thelutheran.org
Ecumenical campus ministry in La Crosse does something new By Gayda Hollnagel Investment Fund.
6
the coffeehouse and serves as a gallery for student artists to display their work. The space also is used for Bible studies, discussions, “open mic” poetry readings and live entertainment on weekend evenings. Although summer is fairly quiet on college campuses,
faculty and staff from the nearby schools and campus housing soon began dropping by for coffee, pastries, sal- ads and sandwiches. “We’ve gotten people in here who wouldn’t normally
come,” said Elisabeth Steigerwald, a UW senior and member of the campus ministry student leadership team. “I really love having that coffee shop aspect.” Nicole Pielage, also a UW senior, added, “It was harder to get people into our old building (Lutheran Campus Ministry) because it was a house. With the cof- feehouse you can just come in, you don’t have to know anybody.”
The casual atmosphere is more welcoming, especially for students who may be hesitant to attend a religious center, Pielage said, adding, “College kids these days don’t want to be bombarded with religion, but they do
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72