Students reflected on the morals and values instilled in AU’s culture during Methodist Heritage Week from Sept. 10 to 16.
The purpose for Methodist Heritage Week is to:
• make the AU United Methodist community more visible,
• share information about the Methodist community and
• teach others more about the Methodist heritage of AU, according to Rachel Ternes, Publicity and Outreach Coordinator for the AU United Methodist-Protestant Community.
The week culminated in a Sept. 14 event where participants discussed AU’s Methodist principles, morals and values. AU Methodist Chaplain Mark Schaefer facilitated the discussion, which began with a Q&A.
“United Methodist Week was pretty successful,” said Valerie Nadal, the hospitality co-coordinator for the AU Methodist Community and a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Public Affairs. “We received a lot of positive feedback and there was a good turnout for many of our events, particularly our tie-dye T-shirt event and our Food on the Quad event.”
The group wanted to make their presence known through educational events.
“UM [United Methodists] events are a great way to meet new people and make new friends,” said Hannah Konig, the leader of the United Methodist Women’s Group and a CAS junior. “We have a lot of fun events and we are very welcoming and excepting.”
AU’s Methodist community is very active, hospitable and largely service based, Konig said. The group’s mission is to “Love God. Serve Others. Welcome All.”
Although AU no longer requires its students to attend mandatory chapel, Methodist values remain a central component of the school’s culture.
AU’s charter legally connected the school with the United Methodist Church, but the school has been impacted culturally by this affiliation as well, Schaefer said.
The University strives to produce students who will go on to change the world for the better. Service is an important value that the school has gained from its Methodist heritage, according to Schaefer.
AU also remembers its Methodist heritage by giving Methodist scholarships for students of that denomination. Children who are dependents of Methodist clergymen can apply for the Methodist Tuition Remission Scholarship, according to Schaefer.
AU also awards graduate students the United Methodist Graduate Scholarship every year. The graduate student must be a member of the United Methodist Church for at least two years and have strong academic skills, according to AU’s website.
Kathleen Kimball, a recent AU graduate, said AU’s Methodist community is known for its welcoming and accepting attitude.
“The United Methodist community at AU is extremely hospitable and takes great pride in serving others,” she said. “It has shown me that my life isn’t just about me.”
news@theeagleonline.com
