The Board of Trustees of Eastern Nazarene College today announced it has voted unanimously to begin the process of closing ENC and transitioning it into a new educational enterprise that will carry on ENC’s legacy of providing a transformational education that equips diverse students to lead and serve our world as agent of Christ’s love and truth.
Spiritual Life & Service
Bertha Munro, the first dean of Eastern Nazarene College once said that, “There is no conflict between the best in education and the best in the Christian faith.” At the heart of Eastern Nazarene College’s vision lies a commitment to integrating “the best in education and the best in Christian faith.” Drawn from a variety of faith backgrounds, Eastern Nazarene College supports students in their spiritual development, providing them with opportunities to live their faith. The Office of Spiritual Development fosters spiritual transformation through programs and ministries that include faith formation, service opportunities, pastoral care, and leadership development.
Faith Formation
Chapel
Students may learn what it means to be in a relationship with Christ or dive deeper into their personal faith journey through chapel experiences and worship on campus.
Discipleship Groups
In addition to chapel, one of the most important opportunities for spiritual growth in our community is through small group discipleship. A small group provides an opportunity for more genuine and authentic discussions that are often not possible in a larger group setting. We believe that the spiritual growth which can take place in small groups is so important that we will be providing a full chapel credit for participation.
Small groups can take many forms. They can be in-person or remotely through a conferencing platform like Zoom. They can focus on a topic, book, or scripture of your group’s choosing. We will also support you in helping you think through what you want your group to look like & what your focus will be.
In other words, we want to provide a lot of freedom and flexibility for you to create or find a small group that is interesting to you and will be most beneficial for your spiritual growth. If you would like your small group meetings to count for chapel credit, we do ask that your group’s leader would be approved by the Office of Spiritual Development and report to us regularly about how your group is doing. If you would be interested in leading a small group, please complete the application on the Spiritual Development Canvas Course or reach out to iela.galiano-williams@enc.edu.
Service Opportunities
FUSION Short Term Missions
The Fusion program is designed to challenge a student’s approach to cross-cultural experiences. Students are asked to wrestle with issues they are rarely exposed to and interact in a culture different from their own. The program is structured and designed to nurture the student’s prophetic imagination. This is one that compels individuals to critically challenge systematic structures and communicate God’s hope for restoration.
Chapel Teams
Students have the opportunity to use their creative talents as musicians, singers, and songwriters, leading their peers in worship during weekly chapel services. To apply for a Chapel Team, please complete the application in the Spiritual Development Canvas Course. For more information, contact L Michaels at lisa.michaels@enc.edu
Summer Ministries
Student-led summer ministry teams travel to camps and churches on the east coast, a long-standing tradition and valuable experiential learning for those interested. Each summer, the college sends out teams of students to represent the school and serve as ministers on the Eastern Field for the Church of the Nazarene and other Christian camps and retreat centers. These teams are chosen in the fall and sent out from June through August. For more information about Summer Ministries, contact Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions Madisen Fernandez at madisen.fernandez@enc.edu.
Pastoral Care
College is an exciting time for students, but it can also be difficult for some students. The Office of Spiritual Development is dedicated to supporting students during their entire time at Eastern Nazarene College.
If you are in need of spiritual guidance, pastoral counseling, or just someone to talk to, please feel free to reach out to someone in our office and we can schedule a time to meet with you.
L Michaels lisa.michaels@enc.edu
David Young david.young@enc.edu
Leadership Development
The Office of Spiritual Development is vested in the development of student spiritual leaders by sponsoring students who wish to attend leadership conferences and providing student chaplain internships and employment. Eastern Nazarene College is committed to supporting students who desire to use their lives in service to the kingdom of God.
Eastern Nazarene College also offers degree programs for students interested in pursuing further studies in religion or a career in ministry. Student may choose between majors in religion, Christian ministry, children’s ministry, youth ministry, or worship arts. For more information about degree programs that will prepare you to serve and lead others, visit the major pages or contact Rev. Dr. John Nielson at John.Nielson@enc.edu.
Spiritual Development Staff
DAVID YOUNG, Ph. D
Dean of the Chapel
Assistant Professor of Biblical Literature
David.Young@enc.edu
L MICHAELS
Associate Chaplain of Missional Engagement
Lisa.Michaels.@enc.edu
ROBERT VANBECELAERE
Faith Formation and Discipleship Coordinator
robert.vanbecelaere@enc.edu
GEOVANNA PEREIRA
Service and Missional Engagement Coordinator
geovanna.pereira@enc.edu