The Center for Faith and Ministry (CFM) is a place at Campbellsville University that wants to be a beacon of inspiration. The center’s goal is to connect, equip and serve others across campus and take the Gospel to the world. It opened in April of this year and is already connecting the campus through the many opportunities the center and its staff offers.
CFM does many things around campus that students, or faculty, may not be aware of. They are partnered with many different people and churches across Kentucky and some out of state.
“We partner with organizations and churches that want to become faith partners,” said senior Kelsey Overall, the missions and internship coordinator and the office manager for CFM. “We will be praying for them, and they will be praying for us, and they get to hear things going on in the university. And we help with the theology students who need internships.”
CFM wants to work with the campus and bring everyone together. The center offers faith integration where they help faculty that want to learn how to bring faith into the classrooms more.
Overall said CFM offers certificates that are non-credited to help people in the church learn more about their position. According to Overall, this can be beneficial for someone who is in children’s ministry, so they can learn how to work with kids or take a class on the Old Testament.
Overall said working for the center has given her the chance to meet new people and to build connections with different leaders.
“I’ve been able to make those connections, and it’s opened up a whole new world for me,” she said. “It’s unifying to see how God is moving through all these people and how we all have the same mission.”
She said her favorite thing about working in the office is also the hardest.
“The hardest part I would say is the fact that everything is so new and there’s not a set-in-stone way to do anything quite yet,” Overall said. “I don’t have a certain way to do things and it’s figuring out what works but it’s also the most fun part.”
Overall said she wishes more students knew about the center and all it has to offer.
“I wish that the students knew more about our internship opportunities,” she said. “Even if you’re not a theology student, we still have ways to connect them to a church to serve and be an intern. We have a list of different places to get connected to after graduation.”
Freshman Kaitlyn Szkwarok, CFM communications and media coordinator, uses her graphics to help engage the community on social media to hopefully help grow their platform.
“It’s a God-centered work environment,” she said. “I wanted to use the skillset that I have acquired through the years from the Lord.”
The center hosts many small events at its log cabin where there are different opportunities to learn more about ministry. It also plays a part in serving on mission trips.
Szkwarok said the workspace is very warm to the staff and guests that come to visit.
“When people walk in, we offer them snacks or drinks,” she said. “It’s a very welcoming environment.”
The center has a prayer garden where students can come and have quiet time with the Lord, reflect and pray.
Senior Sierra Edwards, the minister coordinator and staff photographer for the center, said her job can be challenging, considering the many events the center hosts, but it’s worth it in the end.
“I wanted to have a job on campus where I knew I was serving people and what I was doing mattered for the students and the community of Campbellsville,” she said. “And to connect with other churches and ministries.”
Since the center hasn’t been around long, the staff has had to create everything from scratch, including what their office environment looks and feels like.
“The community that we’ve built here is close and it’s so much fun working here,” Edwards said. “I’m able to connect with ministries and meet people I never would have before.”
Edwards said the CFM has roughly 30 faith partners, most of them in Kentucky, but there are some out of state.
“We’ve reached out and partnered with several churches that are local,” she said. “Based on their needs, we have created a list of students here who are in need of internships.”
Edwards said the center tries to connect the CU campus and the Campbellsville community.
“We connect with other ministries outside of our campus and work together with them,” she said. “We are a hub for all things ministry.”
