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Chapel of the Resurrection
1600 Chapel Drive
Valparaiso, Indiana 46383.

Residential Ministry

Residential Ministry is a service of the Chapel of the Resurrection designed to provide peer ministry to those living in the residence halls of Valparaiso University. Residential Ministers function as expressions of Christian care on behalf of the University Pastors and as ambassadors of the varied opportunities for worship and spiritual growth at the Chapel and across the Valpo campus.

Residential Ministers receive peer ministry training and participate in weekly study and review with the whole Res Min team under the guidance of one of the University Pastors. Peer ministry training involves work in the skill areas of confidentiality, listening, counseling vs. giving advice, attendance to those in mourning, dealing with feelings of guilt or failure, assertiveness and others.

Residential Ministers are familiar with the offerings of the Chapel and are able to help students connect with the Chapel's ministries.

Residential Ministers are trained to provide first response pastoral counsel and support and can be counted on to encourage students in need to seek additional help from one of the University Pastors or another pastor in the community.

In the freshmen halls, a team of residential ministers works to create a college-level youth group-like experience for freshmen, featuring small group Bible studies, group-building social activities and service opportunities. In addition, these residential ministers make efforts at intentional contact with the freshmen as they see them on campus and they make themselves available for casual conversation in the residence halls.

In upper class halls, residential ministers either live in the hall itself or make a commitment to spend much of their unstructured time in the hall in order to make themselves available for students in need. Residential ministers will be initiating conversations throughout the hall in an effort to keep up with what's available in the hall in terms of Bible study and prayer groups and to make themselves visible as a trusted spiritual resource. As opportunities present themselves residential ministers will plan small group Bible study and prayer groups and arrange for other events in an effort to support the spiritual lives of the residents. Residential ministers will make themselves available in the residence hall for casual conversation on spiritual matters.