In the spring of this year, Bethany College entered into the search and call process with the Central States Synod of the ELCA to hire a full-time campus pastor. After carefully conducting a series of facilitated conversations around needs for campus ministry, completing the ELCA ministry site profile, and evaluating potential candidates, Bethany College is pleased to welcome Pastor Melissa Woeppel ‘15 on Jan. 1, 2023.
“The work of a campus pastor is immensely important to the life of the Bethany College community. A full-time campus pastor will allow us to connect our past and our Lutheran heritage with the college’s diverse student body. I am excited to work
with Pastor Woeppel, as I know she will bring a crucial pastoral presence into the lives of students, staff, and faculty,” says Adam Pryor, Bethany College Provost and head of the search committee.
Pastor Woeppel graduated from Bethany College summa cum laude in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Communication and a minor in Religion. She attended United Lutheran Seminary in Gettysburg, Pa., where she received her Master of Divinity. While attending United Lutheran Seminary, she was a pastoral intern and became a pastoral associate at Peace Lutheran Church in Charlottesville, Va. After completing her education, Pastor Woeppel accepted her first call in the Central States Synod at the Lutheran Church of the Living Christ in Florissant, Mo., in 2019.
Originally from Firth, Neb., she found her way to Bethany College due to its affiliation with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). When visiting Bethany, Pastor Woeppel found a community that was welcoming. Choosing to come to Bethany was about more than great professors and interesting classes: at Bethany she found a place where she could participate in the band and the choir, be a leader in SGA, and participate in a sorority.
This love of participating in the life of a community has shaped Pastor Woeppel’s sense of calling to ministry. When asked what she loves most about being a pastor, she responded, “One of my great joys as a pastor is connecting with people and being present with them through the changes and challenges of life. By the nature of this call, I often get to accompany people through things like moving, new or deepening relationships, new jobs, retirement, and even loss and grief. It is a gift and a responsibility to be a part of these journeys. ”
As she looks forward to this new call, Pastor Woeppel is excited to give back to the community that helped her learn so much about the world and herself. She commented, “I want to cultivate relationships of care and trust that build community.” In her new role, she wants to provide students a place where they can belong and grow; she wants to offer a ministry of presence that lets them connect with one another, the wider community, and God. And, of course, as she explained, “This can be serious work; there is also plenty of room for fun!”
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