Multifaith Fellow (S9966C)
Summary, Scope, and Responsibilities
What Does the Multifaith Chaplaincy Do?
· Builds authentic relationships across different perspectives
· Creates spaces for deep conversations around questions of meaning and purpose
· Facilitates moments of silence, pause, stillness, and contemplation
· Supports the Religious and Spiritual groups on campus
· Encourages growth in and exploration of spiritual practices
· Engages in intentional silliness and play as a form of community bonding
Multifaith Fellows
Multifaith Fellows work with the Multifaith Chaplaincy on events and programs throughout the academic year. Fellows have specific projects/events/programs on which they work, and are also expected to work and plan as a team. The Fellows bring a diversity of voices into the Chaplaincy, contributing breadth and depth to program planning and helping to shape the conversation in the wider Multifaith community on campus.
Position Description:
A Multifaith Fellow will:
1. Act as the Coordinator for a particular event or events that happen throughout the year:
a. Creative Spirituality Coordinator:
One student will work with the Multifaith Chaplains and the Program Coordinator to create new programs and offerings within the Multifaith Chaplaincy which explore the relationship between the sacred, secular, and the arts through both art-making and aesthetic experiences. This position is ideal for a creative, motivated and self-starting individual interested in creating new programming; some examples would be spiritual practices of painting, dance, music, poetry; visits to the art museum for intentional viewings and conversation, coordinating poetry sharings or free-writing and pizza nights, interviewing visiting artists to reflect on their spirituality, or something new and creative that is stirring in you! Programming opportunities within this position are not limited to religious or spiritual topics.
b. Stringfellow Coordinator:
Two students will work on Stringfellow programming, named for William Stringfellow ’49. Throughout his life, and beginning at Bates, Stringfellow gained a reputation as a formidable critic of the social, military and economic policies of our country and as a tireless advocate for racial and social justice. Our Stringfellow program aims to bring William Stringfellow’s values to campus through nurturing a culture of activism at Bates. This includes efforts to connect activist students and alumni, support/nurture students engaged in activism through self care and reflection, and raise awareness of current and past activism on campus. The Stringfellow Coordinators will work with the Multifaith Chaplaincy to conceive and plan projects that support student activists and nurture a culture of activism at Bates.
c. Hearth Coordinator:
Two students help to coordinate Hearth. This includes brainstorming queries to spark conversation, helping to make food selections, sending out email invitations to Hearth, collecting RSVPs, helping to find facilitators, helping to set up and clean up, and possibly helping with grocery shopping/food pick-up if the student has a car.
d. {Pause} Coordinators:
Two students are responsible for coordinating {Pause}, a weekly, secular service of silence, music, poetry, dance and prose held in the Chapel Wednesday evenings 9-9:30pm. These students will find performers for each week of {Pause}, will work with the Program Coordinator on advertising for {Pause}, and will attend {Pause}, taking responsibility for setting up and cleaning up.
e. Interfaith Engagement Coordinators:
Two students will be responsible for coordinating Interfaith Engagement on and off campus. Currently we are looking for an Interfaith Engagement Coordinator who can focus energy and efforts toward on campus interfaith dialogue, programming, and events. Largely, the selected fellow will be able to craft this position to their particular interest. This can include but is not limited to interfaith dialogue groups, book/text studies, interfaith dinners and gatherings, helping to coordinate religious holidays and events, etc. Working with the other Interfaith Engagement Coordinator, Multifaith Chaplains and/or the Multifaith Chaplaincy Program Coordinator, this student coordinator will plan the Multifaith Banquet and interfaith centered events and programs throughout the academic year.
2. Attend weekly Multifaith Fellow staff meetings (held with Multifaith Chaplain Brittany Longsdorf, Associate Multifaith Chaplain Raymond Clothier and Program Coordinator Nicole Pelonzi) to discuss event planning and issues on campus, and to build community among the Multifaith Fellows.
3. Occasionally assist with other projects and events sponsored by the Multifaith Chaplaincy for which they are not the point-person. Such projects and events may include:
a. Attending, and sometimes participating in or ushering for various multifaith services throughout the year, including the Welcome Service during Parents and Family Weekend, Lessons & Carols, and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Worship Service
b. Assisting with events for which they are not the Coordinator/Liaison
4. Assist with office tasks such as:
a. Putting up posters/notices to advertise Multifaith events
b. Sending emails on behalf of the Fellows and Chaplaincy
c. Contributing to the Multifaith Chaplaincy social media accounts
Multifaith Fellows generally work 4-6 hours per week. Fellows are paid an hourly wage through the Payroll office, and must submit bi-weekly timesheets to be approved by the Program Coordinator.