Rockwell House Campus Ministry: Project Let Your Light Shine
by the Rev. Hope Welles Jernagan,
Chaplain at Rockwell House Episcopal Campus Ministry, St. Louis
Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
- Matthew 5:16
Rockwell House Episcopal Campus Ministry in St. Louis has some news to share:
First the bad news...
In mid-October, an electrician came to our beloved house on Forsyth Blvd to investigate some electrical issues. The technician found an immediate safety concern and indicated that repairs would not be able to be completed without removing all the existing knob-and-tube wiring in the house and replacing it with up-to-code electrical wiring (as mandated by St. Louis County).
Since this safety hazard was discovered, we have turned off the electricity to the facility and have had to vacate the house. We have graciously accepted the hospitality of our neighbors at LuMin, the ELCA campus ministry next door. All of our programming has continued without interruption. However, the house cannot be utilized in any way at this point.
But now the good news...
This situation has given us the opportunity to dream up a new and improved Rockwell House!
Introducing
Project Let Your Light Shine!
Through exploration, discussion, and discernment with the students of Rockwell and Bishop Deon Johnson, we have determined that several necessary repairs and renovations are needed in order to maintain a safe and hospitable environment for our campus ministry program. They are:
- repair and upgrade the electrical system, including installing much-needed overhead lighting in several rooms in the house
- convert our heating and cooling system from window units and a boiler to a new, energy-efficient HVAC system
- replace the house's original windows with new, energy-saving windows
- a complete kitchen renovation
- a renovated green space in the backyard with a permanent outdoor chapel
We are incredibly excited about the hidden blessing revealed to us in our current situation. We are Easter people who believe that "things which had grown old are being made new." Rockwell House has a bright and beautiful future. And... we need your help!
First, please remember us in your prayers. Change and transition are never easy. Pray for all who will work to restore and improve our hearth and home.
Second, you can help make our future bright by making a contribution to Project Let Your Let Shine. Our fundraising goal is $255,000. Any gift towards that amount will be joyfully received.
Checks can be made out to
The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri: Rockwell House Fund
And mailed to
The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri
1210 Locust St.
St. Louis, MO 63103
Rockwell House Episcopal Campus Ministry continues to be a standout campus ministry in the Episcopal Church. We have a regular dedicated group of 15-20 students who prioritize their walk with Christ in their lives as college students. The house serves as a place for worship, fellowship and hospitality for 40-50 college students over the course of a year.
In the 25+ years that the ministry has been in existence, over 10 alumni and Rockwell House interns have gone on to ordained ministry or are currently in the discernment process. Additionally, Rockwell House alumni serve as senior wardens, vestry members, choir members, Sunday school teachers, lay leaders, delegates, and committee members in the broader church.
The house itself is no small factor in the success of the ministry. College students, from first-semester freshmen to graduate students, long for a sense of home and belonging. The inclusive and faithful community that they experience within the walls of Rockwell House gives them hope for what the church can continue to be for decades to come.
Thank you for your prayers and support for our life-giving ministry. The students of Rockwell House truly shine a bright light and their glory to God never ceases. I am honored to minister alongside them.
Faithfully,
The Rev. Hope Welles Jernagan
Chaplain
Tags: News