Campus ministry has been an important part of life at AU ever since its founding as a seminary for Advent Christian ministers and lay leaders in 1893. Since that time, the mission and identity of the university have evolved considerably, but the commitment of students, faculty and staff to nurturing spiritual values remains as strong as ever.
As university chaplain, my mission is to provide leadership and guidance for campus ministries at AU by serving as a focal point for religious life on campus, offering a ministry of presence for the spiritual care of our students, and working with students and religious leaders in the local area to develop a diverse and thriving community of religious communities. Here are some important things you need to know about my work as university chaplain:
- Aurora University defines itself "an inclusive community," and I aspire to be everyone's chaplain. I am a Christian pastor with roots in the evangelical tradition of American Christianity, and I make no apologies for this fact. I have no interest in a bland, lowest-common-denominator form of generic "spirituality." My job is rather to help students discover and live more fully into their own faith-even if that faith is not my own!
- Whether you need help in a moment of crisis, someone to pray with, or simply a sympathetic fellow-traveler with whom to talk something through, I'm here as a resource for you. I offer free, confidential counseling for AU students by appointment, and I will make every effort to ensure a timely pastoral response in emergency situations. To schedule a routine appointment, email me at dfink@aurora.edu or call my office at 630-844-6867. For urgent concerns outside of normal business hours, call Campus Public Safety at 630-844-6140, and they will connect you with me or another member of the Wackerlin Center staff.
- I'm looking for student leaders. AU has a strong tradition of dynamic, student-led campus ministry, and I intend to build on this foundation to help students take charge of their spiritual formation and build authentic community. We already have an impressive student-led ministry in place for evangelical Christian students (InterVarsity Christian Fellowship), and I want to see this group continue to flourish. But AU draws students from a wide variety of faith backgrounds, including Roman Catholic, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh. Our common life on campus would be greatly enriched if we had student leaders who would take the initiative in forming groups to serve these constituencies. If you think you might be such a leader, get in touch with me, and I will give you all the support and encouragement you need to succeed.
These are undoubtedly exciting times at Aurora University. Momentum has building for some time to bring religious and spiritual life to the fore of our common life at AU, and I'm excited to be a part of these changes.
David Fink
University Chaplain
» Christian churches » Diverse religious places » Interfaith organizations
Community service form
Help us track campus community service initiatives by submitting your project.
