Concordia University Chaplaincy

“You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

In many ways, the ministry at Concordia University in Montreal remains the same. Over the past nine years, I have continued to offer workshops, spiritual direction and pastoral care to students. Our department provides a place of community and a home-away-from-home for many students. My colleagues and I encourage others to deepen
their faith and spiritual life through discussion groups, volunteer opportunities and opportunities to experience faith and spirituality. It is a ministry I still enjoy and feel called to.

When a student comes in and shares a concern or a difficult situation with me, I am a witness to their struggles. When a student pops in, relieved because they have just completed a big paper, or were accepted into a program they had hoped to get into, I am a witness to their joy and hope. When a student hangs out in the lounge, studying, eating their lunch, chatting with others, I am a witness to their ordinary life. When I lead a discussion group, we share our experiences of the divine, and we are witnesses to each other.

Maybe what changes over time, however, is how I think about the ministry I offer, and what terms of reference I use. Over the past year, Christ’s call to be a witness has
been very helpful in my ministry. It implies listening to others, being present with others on their spiritual journey, and being a witness to Christ’s love in my life. So how am I a witness at Concordia University?

When a student comes in and shares a concern or a difficult situation with me, I am a witness to their struggles. When a student pops in, relieved because they have just
completed a big paper, or were accepted into a program they had hoped to get into, I am a witness to their joy and hope. When a student hangs out in the lounge, studying,
eating their lunch, chatting with others, I am a witness to their ordinary life. When I lead a discussion group, we share our experiences of the divine, and we are witnesses to each other.

I hope and pray that, in these encounters, I am also a witness to the power of love that I know through Jesus Christ. When I ask questions about hope and faith, when we pray together or light a candle, when we share that which moves us and touches us, I pray and hope that the love of Christ might shine through me and that I might indeed
live out Christ’s call to be a witness at Concordia University and in Montreal.

I am thankful for your continued prayers and support for this important ministry and for the witness you give in your places of ministry.

—The Reverend Ellie Hummel, Chaplain