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The Agapé Center for Service and Learning

Service for Chapel Credit

Fall 2009

Program Coordinator: Amanda Arbour

Email: AArbour@messiah.edu


 
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A unique opportunity for students to serve locally is through the Service for Chapel Credit program in partnership with the College Ministries Office on campus. In place of attending chapel services, students serve the local community through Outreach Teams, read articles relevant to service and faith development and write reflections from their experiences. Applications are accepted in the beginning of each semester.

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Objectives:

  • To provide an alternative option to fulfill chapel credit.
  • To model worship through action and reflection.
  • To provide an opportunity for growth in self-awareness, worldview development, faith development and world awareness.
  • To provide an opportuntity to include communitu service in the schedule to encourage service as a lifestyle during college and beyond.


Who Can Apply?

  • Juniors and seniors may apply to participate for a maximum of two semesters.
  • Students who serve as Team Leaders through Outreach Teams may apply as Sophomores, and are eligible to participate for as many semesters as they would like.
  • Students who are on chapel, academic, or disciplinary probation will not be accepted.
  • Admission is limited to the first 50 students who are accepted. Additional openings will be provided for eligible Outreach Coordinators and Outreach Team Leaders.


Application Process

Students must complete a Service for Chapel Credit Intent Form on-line. These are due by Monday, September 7th and you will be notified via e-mail of your acceptance.


Requirements:

  • 1 Orientation Chapel
  • 8 Site Visits (2 logs)
  • 2 Assignments (please complete the assignment which corresponds with your semester of participation)
  • 1 Debrief Chapel


Fall Program Schedule:
Monday, September 7th On-line applications due
Tuesday, September 8th Orientation chapel @ 9:30-10:15a.m. Boyer 131
Monday, October 26th Service Log #1 & Assignment #1 due
Tuesday, December 8th Debrief chapel @ 9:30-10:15a.m. Boyer 131
Tuesday, December 11th Service Log #2 & Assignment #2 due

Chapel Make-Up Procedure:
If you miss a site visit due to sickness, weather, or cancellation, you may do one of the following to make up that unit to avoid chapel probation:

  • Read an approved article on service supplied by the program director and write a 200 word response paper.
  • Attend your service site more than once a week to compensate for up to 3 lost site visits.
  • If you absolutely cannot attend your own site, you may attend a different site in addition to your primary site to compensate for up to 3 missed site visits.
  • Attending regular chapel meetings do not count towards fulfilling chapel credit through service.

If an orientation or debrief session is missed with an approved reason, the following will be required to make up that credit:

  • Orientation make up assignment
  • Debrief make up assignment

 

Consequences for Incompletion:

If for any reason a student decides, or has been asked, to discontinue their service commitment before the first Service Log & Assignment due date a release form, signed by the Program Coordinator, must be submitted to College Ministries immediately. Chapel credit will be assigned at the discretion of the College Ministries office according to the service hours completed, and the remaining requirement will need to be fulfilled by attending chapel. Medical or family emergencies will be handled according to the standard chapel policy.

Students who fail to complete the full service commitment or the agreement stated on their release form will be placed on Chapel Probation and will incur the appropriate consequences as per the Chapel Attendance Policy.

Time Commitment:
In order to receive full chapel credit for the semester, a student must attend all training sessions and serve at their approved site weekly for 8 visits. Training consists of two sessions: one for orientation during the second week of chapel each semester, and a second for debriefing/celebration meeting at the end of the semester. Students are also responsible for two reading and writing assignments to be handed in with their service logs twice a semester. Students serving in the spring are automatically exempt from J-Term chapels.


Exclusions:
Students on disciplinary, academic, or chapel probation are not eligible for participation in this program. Fall and spring break service projects are not eligible for chapel exchange credit. Service Day participation is expected of all students and therefore will not be eligible for this program. Students may not receive credit for chapel and for the service component of a course from the same service site visit.


Deadlines and Accountability:
An on-line Intent Form is due to the Program Coordiantor by the date announced at the beginning of each semester. Fifty openings are available and registrations will be closed when these spots are filled. Eligible student leaders from Outreach Teams will be provided additional openings.

Students' site visits will be verified through the Outreach Team Leaders, submitted to the Program Coordinator, and reported to the College Ministries office on the day of the last chapel of the semester. A self-evaluation will be completed at the final debriefing/celebration meeting.