Today’s devotional author is Prince of Peace member, Andrew Hannesh.
I have been feeling rather nostalgic this week as it’s around the time of the school year starting, seeing pictures from move-in weekend at the University of North Dakota and several other schools. I have seen pictures posted on social media and it feels like a campus I don’t recognize anymore. Obviously, most of the core buildings remain, it’s only been 2 years since I finished school, but many much-needed aesthetic improvements have been made as well. One of the most notable changes is happening at the campus ministry I regularly attended, Christus Rex.
I’m glad to say that the building is still there and is still functional, but as students moved into their dorm rooms, Christus Rex had a yard sale for most of the furniture that the church owned. Seeing pictures of “For Sale” signs on those pink wing-backed chairs and short wooden tables that were used for footrests more than tables reminds me of the wonderful memories I have of that place and the people who I’ve come to know because of it (including my wonderful wife, of course). Oh, how I would love to go back to that place and have another Free Lunch Friday or Saint Nicolas Day Festival, but I know that it has changed so much even in just two short years.
I was able to sit down recently and have a conversation about Christus Rex with the pastor who led the church for most of my time there, Pastor Chad. This summer, he ended his call with Christus Rex and cited some of the dramatic shifts in energy as contributing factors to his leaving. Even when I was a student, the majority of UND’s campus and the surrounding town is quite conservative. One of the reasons I appreciated Christus Rex was because of their much more progressive attitude, a much-needed light in the community, especially for the underrepresented population (i.e., LGBTQ+, BIPOC, homeless). Christus Rex and their staff were not afraid to be bold and were regularly involved in promoting and participating in Reconciling in Christ (RIC) / Pride events, and lead/hosted Interfaith Week – a weeklong event where speakers and spiritual leaders from several faith backgrounds could share about their experiences, beliefs, and culture.
I was deeply saddened to hear that in the last couple of years, there has been increased hostility towards Christus Rex from the UND community. Even while I attended, the church’s relationship with the high-level university staff was degrading, but there was little antagonistic behavior directly from students. It makes me fearful that this aggression, coupled with financial problems that are not unique to Christus Rex, may soon be closing their doors for good. This would be devastating for a community that is in desperate need of the light and love that Christus Rex has to offer.
Please join me in praying for the ministry of Christus Rex, that it may continue to be a safe place for all people who need a supportive place to be themselves.