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Institute for Church Professions at Shenandoah University

The newly created Institute for Church Professions is a response to the needs of local congregations. The institute has been charged with "calling, forming and sending leaders for tomorrow's church and world." Several initiatives are the result of the institute. While the director reports to the president, several programs of the institute are administered within the academic auspices of the university. 

Summer 2007 was a time of transition for the work of spiritual life at Shenandoah. The new dean of spiritual life began leading a new team focusing on the spiritual lives of students.

The diverse team includes a full-time spiritual life coordinator with a Christian education background, part-time seminarians focusing on worship and mission, co-directors of the Institute for Church Professions and a full-time administrator. The team moved into the lower level of Goodson Chapel the same day new students arrived on campus and provided multiple settings for student contact during Welcome Week, concluding with Mission Possible, a day of service to the community. The eve of the first day of classes included an Opening Festival Worship Service, one of five festival services planned for the fall semester. Wednesday late-night worship, Sunday evening communion and a Sunday morning experience with 10 different churches’ worship styles are being coordinated by the Spiritual Life Team.

An extension of the Spiritual Life team is Dr. Diedra Kriewald, who is working with the dean of spiritual life to plan five festival worship services this fall, and is teaching a course entitled, “Learning the Christian Faith through Worship.” This marks Dr. Kriewald’s return to SU after 25 years of teaching at Wesley Theological Seminary.

The Spiritual Life team is committed to utilizing all of the resources of Shenandoah University and the Church to give the students opportunities to explore their faith, their gifts, their hopes and dreams as they prepare themselves to be leaders of tomorrow’s faith communities and world.

To contact the Shenandoah University Spiritual Life Team, call 540-535-3546 or e-mail cbarlow@su.edu or epreston@su.edu

Spiritual Life Team:

Rhonda Van Dyke Colby, dean of spiritual life and co-director of the Institute for Church Professions, (540) 353-3561 or rcolby@su.edu

Don Colby, director of church relations and co-director of the Institute for Church Professions, (540) 665-5453 or dcolby2@su.edu

Elizabeth Preston, spiritual life coordinator, (540) 545-7237 or epreston@su.edu

Melanie Lewis, seminary intern/mission outreach, (540) 535-3546 or mlewis@su.edu

David Abarca, church worship intern, (540) 665-3485 or
dabarca@su.edu

Cheryl Barlow, administrative assistant, Institute for Church Professions, (540) 535-3546 or cbarlow@su.edu

The Institute for Church Professions is located in Goodson Down Under, the lower level of Goodson Chapel on the main campus of Shenandoah University.

Administrative office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 
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