The first goal of Christian Vocation—Engaging the Community—empowers Messiah College toward further realizing its mission by building on its unique heritage and identity, and by engaging the local community in dialogue and partnerships in pursuit of Christian vocation. This goal corresponds to the first part of our definition of Christian vocation— love of God and neighbor.

Messiah affirms that Christians are called by Christ to “build bridges of understanding and peace in a world divided by suspicion, hatred, and violence” (from Messiah’s “Foundation Values” statement). This goal challenges us to envision ourselves as agents of reconciliation across social, cultural, racial, and theological divides. The following initiatives address the ways that Messiah College seeks to engage the community.

• Peacemaking and Reconciliation — This initiative encourages Messiah students to envision how “calling” can become a reconciling vocation and to enable them to connect their academic training to concrete peacemaking endeavors. Activities include:
  • Host a fall lecture series on peacemaking as vocation (Sider Institute)
  • Sponsor students to attend Mennonite Central Committee events and an annual United Nations seminar
  • Revitalize Messiah’s peacemaking minor
  • Create and encourage the use of a common language to assist with dialogue about racism and racial reconciliation (Multicultural Affairs)
  • Provide students of color with mentoring opportunities through the STRIDE program (Students Taking Responsibility in Developing Education)
• Ecumenical Vocations—This initiative supports and nurtures the College’s commitment to ecumenical ministry and helps foster an awareness of the need for vocations of ecumenical reconciliation. Activities include:
  • Develop a new course related to ecumenical theology and vocation
  • Cultivate local and national ecumenical relationships on behalf of Messiah College (Newman Club and Faith in the Academy)
  • Support student travel to local and/or national ecumenical events
• Discipleship as Citizenship—This initiative helps students understand that civic engagement is an important aspect of Christian vocation. Activities include:
  • Establish meaningful relationships with community, civic, and cultural leaders in Harrisburg, including a “listening tour” of the city (Harrisburg Institute)(EpiCenter)
  • Explore options for establishing a student residential learning community in Harrisburg
  • Facilitate a national discussion on faith-based societal engagement and service-learning (Agape Center)