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Faith and service at Messiah University

Faith and service

Spiritual growth is an essential part of a Messiah University education. We incorporate our shared Christian faith in the classroom, through residence life, at chapel, on sports teams, through the arts and in clubs and organizations. Our motto, "Christ Preeminent," shapes every experience you'll have as a student here.

At Messiah, we see ourselves as partners in your spiritual journey and are committed to helping you prepare for whatever vocation or service God has called you to. We don't want you to feel like you have to have it all figured out when you come to Messiah though. Our hope is that through your time here, you'll explore, discover and commit to your own personal faith perspective and beliefs—guided through strong Christian convictions—and leave with a strengthened heart for service, a commitment to common good, a faithful intelligence, and a passion for community and justice.

Statements of Faith
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By the Numbers

Named to National President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction

Choose from 60+ off-campus study locations in 40 countries

60 denominations represented in our student body

Grow your faith

At Messiah, we want you to grow in your faith and have a passion for Christian community. Join a small group. Find a personal mentor. Challenge yourself in a campus ministry role. From the first day you step on campus to your last, we hope your time at Messiah is a time of growth for you spiritually and academically, and a time where you’ll learn to explore and deepen your core convictions and Christian beliefs. The Office of Campus Ministries coordinates many programs and resources to help you take the next step in your faith journey at Messiah.

Chapel

Student-led Worship

Small Groups and Bible Studies

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Service opportunities

Messiah is committed to equipping you for a life of service and there are plenty of opportunities to hone your passion for service during your time here. Each year, Messiah students collectively volunteer thousands of hours to community service—locally, nationally and around the globe. The University’s Agapé Center for Local and Global Engagement is the coordinating hub for service organizations and opportunities both on and off campus.

Local Service

Looking to serve those closest to you? Our local service outreach teams focus on the communities surrounding Messiah University.

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National Service

Put your faith into action by volunteering in communities across the nation through short-term service trips.

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Global Service

Do you have a passion to serve others abroad? Opportunities for international service trips are abundant at Messiah.

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Academics as Service

Students, professionals and partners from multiple disciplines collaborating to increase hope and transform lives.

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Local Service

Looking to serve those closest to you? Our local service outreach teams focus on the surrounding communities around Messiah such as Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg and Dillsburg. Our teams work with organizations focusing on such things as poverty, literacy, relationships, mentoring, homelessness, migrant partnerships and special needs. Most of these teams volunteer on a weekly basis.

See local opportunities
Local service

National Service

Each year, service trip teams spend their time volunteering in communities across the nation through short-term service trips. Through participation on a service trip team, you can put your faith into action to obtain a deeper understanding of what servanthood is and how to apply it to your own life. In the past, groups have taken trips to the Appalachia region to help with home repair and health assessment, and urban centers like Chicago, Bronx and Philadelphia to work with inner-city ministry groups.

National service

Global Service

Opportunities for international service trips are abundant at Messiah. Work with teams in Ecuador or Poland, among others with the Agapé Center. Combine your love of sports and ministry on an AROMA (A Revolution of Missional Athletes) trip to countries such as Uganda, El Salvador, Panama and others. Provide research assistance and real-world solutions to sites in Burkina Faso, Nicaragua or others through the Collaboratory.

See global opportunities
Global service

Academics as Service

The Collaboratory for Strategic Partnerships and Applied Research is a center for service, scholarship and project-based learning at Messiah University. It is a collaboration of students, faculty from a variety of majors that apply academic knowledge and live out their Christian faith through imaginative, hands-on problem solving with non-profit organizations, governments and business partners in our region and around the world.

Academics as service

See your faith anew

Listen to these stories about how students learn to see their faith in new and exciting ways at Messiah.

Brendan Provan

Brendan Provan

Christina Muchmore

Christina Muchmore

Luke Foster

Luke Foster

Emily Bingham

Emily Bingham

Find Your Church

The region surrounding Messiah University offers a variety of churches and worship communities. Local churches and parishes are eager to welcome Messiah University students to worship and serve in their congregations. A number of churches even provide transportation to and from campus on Sunday mornings.

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Faith in the Classroom

Because your college years are a significant time of learning, exploration and experience, we challenge you to apply your Christian values not only during chapel or ministry programs--but also in the classroom--in a way that strengthens your own academic and personal endeavors. Whether it's a class discussion or a service-learning opportunity that incorporates your academic knowledge into practical use serving others, faith is a key component that is integrated into all aspects of your Messiah education.