Spiritual Life

Carroll University is more than a place to earn your degree. It’s also a community where you’ll grow as a person. Through weekly programs, retreats and partnership with local faith communities, the Office of Spiritual Life and Chaplain Elizabeth McCord will help you discover a purposeful life.

“I was determined to form a new faith community at Carroll by getting involved in spiritual life.”
— Mati Ardis '19

Gather is a weekly time of Christian worship led by the Student Ministry Team

Icon of the Presbyterian Church of the United States of America

Carroll University is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA)

Image of Humphrey Memorial Chapel exterior

Carroll is an inter-religious campus welcoming students from a breadth of religious traditions

About the Office of Spiritual Life

Carroll University is both Presbyterian and inter-denominational, Christian and multi-faith. We’re affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and draw on our Christian heritage, but our students, faculty and staff come from a wide variety of faith traditions. The Office of Spiritual Life celebrates and supports this diversity of spiritual paths through opportunities for service, reflection, inter-religious education, annual retreats and regular faith practice. Student organizations, such as InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, offer additional experiences for faith development and leadership on campus.

Carroll’s partnerships with external congregations and organizations off campus enable students to extend their spiritual community. Carroll offers countless opportunities for service on campus and in the broader community and provides support for students to reflect on what they’ve learned and how they’ve grown through this work.

Prayers and Reflections

Call to Prayer - May 26, 2020

5/26/2020

Adapted from the work of 20th Century American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, the “Serenity Prayer” has offered comfort and courage across generations and contexts. The contemplative prayer practice below draws from the Serenity Prayer’s themes. It invites us to discern what we can and cannot change in our lives.

Call to Prayer - May 11, 2020

5/11/2020

SPACES FOR REFLECTION

Everyone worships in their own way, and Carroll is dedicated to providing flexible spaces that accommodate all of those practices. Learn more about our spiritual spaces below.

HUMPHREY MEMORIAL CHAPEL

This large space is used for worship and spiritual engagement. Sunday evenings students come to Gather at Humphrey for music, reflection and community. Additionally, an open hour for drop-in, private spiritual practice is available weekly. InterVarsity Christian Fellowship also hosts its weekly, large group meeting in this space, and there are periodic special worship services.

Meditation Chapel

The Nelson Vance Russell Meditation Chapel in Shattuck Music Center features a cross, candles and prayer books from the Christian tradition and is available for private or small group use.

Prayer Room

The Prayer Room on the lower level of the Campus Center is symbol-free to be welcoming to students from any faith tradition and is available for individual use.

Spiritual Guide

The Rev. Elizabeth E. P. McCord serves as chaplain and director of spiritual life at Carroll University. Elizabeth is passionate about students’ spiritual development and loves creating environments in which they can seek out their greatest purpose. In addition to developing spiritual life programs for the Carroll community, Elizabeth provides pastoral care and spiritual direction to students, faculty, staff and other members of the Carroll family. She provides a spiritual presence on campus and is available to speak or teach at Carroll events or in the local community. Elizabeth is ordained in the United Church of Christ and has ministerial standing with the Presbytery of Milwaukee.

Resources

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