Reclaiming Our Heritage in
Higher Education in North Caroliina

The most visible change in mission funding in recent years has been that of ministries in higher education. The shift from both national and regional agencies (i.e. synods) to presbyteries and congregations has been nearly universal. One observer of a new thing happening among the presbyteries in North Carolina says, “You’ve just reinvented the old Synod of North Carolina!”

The five North Carolina presbyteries, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, New Hope, Salem, and Western North Carolina share a common history and a common theology for ministry in higher education. Campus Ministry has long been the passion of Presbyterians in North Carolina, a commitment that embraces both public and private institutions. In addition, the five presbyteries have covenants with nine Presbyterian related colleges and universities.

In 2004 we recognized a shared need and a singular opportunity as presbyteries. Representatives of the five presbyteries met over that year and came up with a design and made a common commitment. Our stated goal is to revive our historic leadership role by rethinking traditional patterns of doing campus ministry; by initiating new forms of ministry; and by a review of the covenants with our Presbyterian-related colleges and universities in North Carolina.

Among the new ministries being developed are models of congregation-based ministry for and with the community colleges in North Carolina. The Community College Initiative has drawn enthusiastic support from ecumenical partners, the North Carolina community college system, and North Carolina Campus Compact, the leading agency advocating Service-Learning among all higher education institutions in North Carolina.

There has also been an emerging recognition that if we are to close the gap between expectations and the resources required to maintain and expand these vital ministries and to strengthen the stake the Presbyterian Church has in higher education in North Carolina, we must undertake a significant effort to tell the story and to under gird our shared witness financially.

A Board, named by the presbyteries and the various statewide constituencies, governs North Carolina Presbyterian Higher Education Ministries (NCP/HEM). Incorporated in 2005 as a non-profit organization, the Board’s leadership has come from a cadre of former campus ministers as well as current higher education professionals, both lay and clergy. This Board’s vision statement sets its sights on “Bringing together faith and knowledge in search of truth.”

The Professional Association of Campus Ministers (PACM) and the North Carolina Student Collegiate Council (NCSCC) have been organized to provide statewide leadership by these important Presbyterian constituencies: campus ministers, college/university chaplains, and students. Links to these bodies, to all campuses, and to the Board membership may be found on the Web Site www.preshighered.org

George Gunn is Vice-Moderator of the Board, North Carolina Presbyterian Higher Education Ministries, Inc. He headed the Office of Higher Education of the former P.C.U.S. (1973-76), following Campus Ministry at the Universities of Georgia and Arkansas.

The History of
North Carolina Presbyterian Higher Education Ministries

In 2004 North Carolina Presbyterians recognized a shared opportunity in higher education outreach. The opportunity was to respond to the decision of the Synod of Mid-Atlantic to withdraw from the programming and funding of ministries in higher education. The Presbyteries needed to provide a new way to support and facilitate programs in higher education and continue funding campus missions.

Because the five North Carolina presbyteries share a common history and a common theology for ministry in higher education (campus ministry and church-related colleges), the five presbyteries have been able to come together to form NC Presbyterian Higher Education Ministries. All have committed to a common strategy oriented to the multi-campus and multi-cultural field.

The opportunity present in this change is

• To rethink traditional patterns of doing campus ministry,
• To reaffirm that students are at the heart of our mission,
• To emphasize that congregations and presbyteries need to share in the task of providing a ministry to, and with, these students wherever they may enroll.
• To break new ground and develop nontraditional ministry in higher education, in particular, the board is committed to finding ways by which congregations can be related to the community colleges of North Carolina.

As the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) seeks a more visible presence in racial ethnic minority institutions and a larger share of its membership from racial minority groups and internationals, it is imperative that the present minority ministries be expanded.

The board sees an opportunity present in the call for closer working relationships with other governing bodies. There are resources in each presbytery to be deployed for the good of the whole region. The board will build upon the strong foundation of campus ministries and chaplains that are in place as the board explores growth opportunities.

During 2003 and 2004 representatives of the five presbyteries worked to develop "Covenant Ministries in Higher Education" that ultimately created this NC Presbyterian Higher Educaiton Ministries. The resulting organizational plan takes seriously the objections raised when a model was proposed over a year prior, that had sought to meet the need of all the presbyteries in the Mid-Atlantic Synod. Once the specific needs and opportunities in North Carolina were identified, the process of forming this board went forward with renewed enthusiasm and a deep sense of God’s providence that led us to this place and time in the life and mission of the presbyteries in North Carolina.

In December 2004, the first meeting of the newly named Governing Board was convened. The Board voted to change its name from “Covenant Ministries in Higher Education” to “North Carolina Presbyterian Higher Education Ministries.”

North Carolina Presbyterian Higher Education Ministries inaugural event was February 18-19, 2005, featuring an address by GA Moderator Rick Ufford-Chase and a concert by David Lamotte, a student retreat and seminars.