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The Office of Religious Life helps students, faculty and staff connect with the spiritual side of life. |
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 Father John Ruffo blesses Pam Brumbaugh's dog, Chessie, at the annual Blessing of the Animals service. 
Members of the Elon community join together for the Day of Prayer and Remembrance on Sept. 14. |
By David Hibbard If you think your job is stressful, hectic and full of surprises -- as well as rewards -- then you haven't seen anything until you visit the Office of Religious Life. Being responsible for the spiritual health and well-being of a community which now numbers close to 5,000 people is no small task. The responsibility has grown over the years, and no one knows that better than Richard McBride, Elon's chaplain since 1984. "It's a wonderful place to stay," McBride says of campus ministry, "because the challenges are different every year." Perhaps no year in recent memory has presented more challenges, and the need for contemplation and reflection, than this one. Religious Life moved quickly to comfort a shocked and saddened community after news of the terrorist attacks reached campus. In the hours and days that followed, McBride and his staff were called upon to organize worship services, counsel individual students and generally assuage the fears of a wounded and shaken Elon. "There are a lot of students whose first reaction to Sept. 11 was to want to be home with their families," says McBride. "I'm sure this Thanksgiving, the connection for our students with their families was deeper." Creating a connection with the spiritual dimension of life is one of the primary goals of Religious Life, which has grown throughout McBride's tenure on campus. McBride was the entire office upon his arrival, when he was housed in Whitley Auditorium. The office has moved over the years (first to the corner of O'Kelly and Haggard Avenues, and then to its present Moseley Center location in 1995), and new staff have been added. Father John Ruffo is in his third year as Elon's Catholic campus minister. Leading two Sunday evening worship services, a weekly Bible study and a host of other activities for Elon's 1,000 Catholic students is invigorating for Father John, who spent 25 years in a lay parish. "The students certainly challenge your ideas, but that is refreshing. It's exciting to see how eager they are to learn, to grow." Ray Crompton is the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship minister. The largest campus ministry in the United States, Crompton says InterVarsity is cutting-edge in its approach. "There are no cookie-cutter chapters," says Crompton, who has been at Elon for 10 years. "Because we are interdenominational, we reach a large cross-section of people. InterVarsity also tends to focus on the unique needs of individual communities, so every chapter is different." Rene Summers became the first full-time secretary for the office in 1995, but McBride says her role extends far beyond routine office duties. "Rene has a great gift for listening. She's probably heard more boyfriend/girlfriend stories than anyone." Summers is Elon's connection to Young Life, a spiritual organization that links college and high school students together to share their faith. About 50 Elon students take part. "It's so exciting for me to see college students making spiritual choices without mom and dad there," she says. Today, there are nine religious and spiritual organizations on campus, including Elon Hillel (the campus Jewish fellowship), the Elon Gospel Choir and the Baptist Student Union. Working with Religious Life, these organizations plan and participate in a variety of programs throughout the year, such as the Turning 21 celebration, the walking labyrinth in October, the Blessing of the Animals and the Hometown Heroes program, which recognizes community leaders nominated and selected by the freshman class. Whether it's through the traditional Thursday morning Chapel service in Whitley, holiday events, or helping a student or staff member deal with a family loss, McBride believes Religious Life provides balance for the Elon family in today's hectic world. "Fifty percent of (college) students say they want to integrate spirituality into their everyday lives," McBride says. "I think there's a longing for connection today, a connection to purpose. Technology never quite satisfies the human yearning for connection." |
 Richard McBride has been Elon's chaplain since 1984.  The Office of Religious Life sponsors the walking labyrinth in October. |