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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 1987)
Interfaith gives support, safety By Will Holbert Of lh« Emerald The people who work there call it a place of refuge, of safety, and of fellowship. Peo ple can go there for many dif ferent reasons: to have fun. to find help, to make friends, or to worship Clod. The Campus lnterfaith Ministry prides itself on being many things to a lot of dif ferent people. Housed in the Koinonia Center across from PL.C. the lnterfaith Ministry is an ecumenical organization representing 10 local denominations, including Catholic, baptist. Jewish, and Quaker organizations. "Campus lnterfaith Ministry itself as an ecumenical program is Chris tianity plus — it encompasses Christianity, but it also en compasses the Jewish com munity. So our thrust isn’t primarily Christian, it's broader than Christian. It's more of a spiritual focus." said Susan Fjerkenstad, Inter faith program coordinator. The Interfaith Ministry in its present form started in the late 1970s. Hack then it was known as Campus Christian Ministries. Members decided the organization was too nar row, and when the |ewish community joined it became Campus Interfaith. The Inter faith now incorporates the staffs of the 10 "faith com munities,” as Campus Inter faith Pastor Tom Heger prefers to call them. “It makes a whole lot more sense for us to do something in common than in competi tion or isolation,” Heger said. Heger. 43, has worked with Interfaith since 19H2 as a Presbyterian pastor. He also serves as the representative pastor for three other local denominations. iieger sees Interfaith's pur pose as providing a safe place for students, a place where they can ask tough questions, and "be both vulnerable and supported" at the same time Today's society contains an abundance of materialism and selfishness, according to Heger. The church as a whole, and his campus ministry in particular, should provide an alternative to such a society in Hager's view. Interfaith can put students in touch with the religious organizations of their choice The selection ranges from the conservative to the more broad and open religious groups. They also hold devo tion services and discussion groups. Moslem students gather to worship at the center, and Jewish members celebrate High Holy Days there But religion plays only Turn to Interfaith, Page 18A QJniRfi 'MJcan 342-6375 87 7 E. 13th Ave. |next to Uof 0 bookstore) Child_ Continued from Page 8A Reynolds' long-term goal is to have a resource referral service on campus, but currently sug gests parents contact Victoria Koch at the American Red Cross. The Red Cross keeps up dated lists on who has spaces. Beginning this fall. Westmoreland will offer 22 spaces for a combined pre school and kindergarten pro gram for ages three to six. The six EMU programs have separate activities for different age groups. Westmoreland has never had a child care site for its 400 plus family units, but students ap proved funding for staff, which led to the Westmoreland addition. "I'm real glad students were given a chance to say what they felt in the University's Spring election They voted to increase spending for child care by a 3-to-l margin,"said Reynolds. Increased child care was also strongly supported by student government, "who don't even have kids."said Reynolds. The Amazon housing com munity has a child care co-op offered first to its own residents It operates from 7:45 a.m until 5:30 p m. Monday through Fri day. and offers 24 spaces for two-and-a-half to six-year-olds. The tuition ranges from S58-S180 per month, and because it is a co-op. parents must help out a few hours a month. Registration can be for a quarter or for the full school year. Applicants can contact Suzy Blanchard. Amazon Teacher/Director at 485-6554 Blanchard suggests parents go to Amazon community tenants' meetings and let members know there is greater need for child care. She and Reynolds each want to set up a parent network tor infant tod dler babysitting. The Amazon situation ex emplifies the crisis for quality daycare. There are over 100 school-age kids among Amazon's 246 houses, and the daycare's 24 spaces hardly meet that need. Order Cable Now And Get ONE MONTH FREE HBO* Get Blockbuster movies, specials and SDorts 24 hours a day commercial free greater variety better reception SAVE s1995 on hookup. Now only $5.00 Call TCI Cablevision 484-3000 and mention this ad #For new subscribers only. Must be placed by Oct. 20, 1987. Not available in dormitories. Must have valid student I.D. Must pay $21.45 at time of connection. ($5.00 hookup fee plus first month’s fee.) 990 Garfield • 484-3000
