‘Faith Works’ series presents reflections on spirituality, career

Playing off of the QEP title “Maryville College Works” the MC chapel decided on the title “Faith Works” for their weekly service in the Samuel Tyndale Wilson Center for Campus Ministry (CCM).

Tying to this year’s emphasis on the connection between work and the liberal arts, the chapel’s worship committee decided to spend this fall reflecting on the work people do throughout their lives and how it connects to their spirituality.

Many guest speakers, comprised of primarily faculty and students, were invited by the worship committee to introduce personal views of work and how it relates to religious faith, beliefs and values.

On Sept. 3, the opening service was led by Campus Minister Rev. Dr. Anne McKee as she gave her perspective on work, vocation and faith. During the presentation, she said she believes faith is not just a creed stating what one believes in.

“[Faith] is about your whole orientation of life, about how you walk through the world. Faith is much more of a point of view or the way you are in the world,” McKee said. “It’s your emotions and your ethics.”

With this point-of-view, McKee said that faith is tied into every part of one’s life, including everyday work.

According to McKee, if one is truly a person of faith, faith will affect everything they are involved in. The series will examine how an individual’s faith thus encompasses career, along with daily life.

Although the chapel and Maryville College are both Presbyterian-based, the speakers of the series cover a variety of denominations and religions, McKee said.

“One of the things Presbyterians really believe is that God is in charge of salvation. We are in charge of living it out,” McKee said. “It’s Presbyterian of me to be relaxed about having a whole variety of faith perspectives in chapel.”

Each week offers a different perspective ranging from Unitarianism to Hinduism. Because of the variety of speakers, many students will be given the opportunity to hear MC professors’ religious views. For instance, on Sept. 17, Dr. Crystal Colter, associate professor of psychology education, spoke during chapel regarding Unitarianism, and how her religion ties into her work.

Kicking off October, a Presbyterian Peacemaker from Syria, Rev. Butros Zaour and his wife will be speaking in chapel. The next week, Dr. Nancy Locklin-Sofer, associate professor of history, plans to share about her Jewish religion and how it ties into her idea of work. Later in the month, Dr. Brian Pennington, professor of religion, will be discussing Hindu scriptures. Mark Curtis, President Bogart and other will follow, and throughout the semester, the “Faith Works” series will strive to be as diverse as the rest of the Maryville College campus.

Chapel is held each week on Tuesdays from 1:15 to 1:50 p.m.