“Non-Christian students are looking for meaningful conversations with people.”

Allen Macartney
Special to Spur Ottawa

How are Ottawa’s campus ministries handling the COVID-19 crisis? To explore this question, Spur Ottawa connected with four ministries that are deeply involved with post-secondary students.

“It’s difficult to tell how well students are doing right now,” says Sid Ypma, the Christian Reformed campus chaplain at the University of Ottawa. “Because the university has largely gone virtual, it’s harder to stay in contact or interact easily with students.”

The days of stopping by various student services, talking with students in hallways, or sitting with them when they drop by the chaplain’s office are over for now. Newer ways of reaching out are also difficult.

“Virtual fatigue is a growing challenge,” Ypma acknowledges. As COVID drags on, that trend is only increasing.

Yuriy Derkach, the chaplain at Algonquin College, adds that students are carrying a heavier burden than usual. “In addition to the usual stresses of academic life, they’re having to cope with online learning, and spending many hours a day in a Zoom environment. The number of students allowed on campus is limited to those who have lab work (like firefighters or carpenters) so the campus is relatively quiet. The ministry now involves a hybrid of on-campus and online support to students and staff.”

Looking for connection

All campus ministries are leaning heavily on technology: Zoom, YouTube, social media, and collaborative software. It gives a new flavour to weekly Bible studies, outreach, and prayer meetings. Students generally connect easily with social media, making a smooth transition for ministry.

Cristy Dagenais, an Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship staff member at Carleton University, is working with a wide range of denominations to support students and continue offering programs through this challenging time. One example is a partnership with the Salvation Army to offer a digital Alpha experience for students at Algonquin.

“Non-Christian students are looking for meaningful conversations with people, as it’s hard to make friends without in-person classes and campus life,” says Dagenais.

Still, some students are experiencing technology overload. Dagenais thinks the winter months might prove really difficult for many—too much isolation and not enough direct contact. Seeking to balance students’ mental, physical, and spiritual health, she says, “We’re thinking about running a mental health series online, as well as weekly visits to campus students over the winter.”

Ypma has encouraged student leaders to create “care lists” of students they are reaching out to, to be an encouragement to them so no-one is forgotten.

What about international students?

Friends for Dinner is a ministry that links local churches and Christian student organizations to reach international students. The goal: show them hospitality through a traditional Canadian holiday meal and build friendships. However, the recent COVID infection spike in Ontario necessitated major changes.

“Our team decided to pivot to online dinner gatherings, using Zoom, to link host families with students,” says Gabe McReynolds, a driving force in this ministry. “It’s a new method for this type of socializing.” He admits that some people may feel uncomfortable or ill-equipped to try it, but student safety is paramount. And the Friends for Dinner team is trying to make it as easy a possible. “We’ve put together guidelines that describe how to host a creative and fun Zoom dinner,” McReynolds adds.

The long-term impact

Most campus ministries agree it is too early to predict the long-term impact COVID will have on campus discipleship programs, but they are hopeful.

“In some ways, being in the ‘wilderness’ has been good for our community,” Dagenais says. “It causes us to let go of our own ministry agenda. We’re more flexible.”

Fear has always been a problem throughout history, says Derkach, and it’s no different with COVID. “But the opposite of fear is love—God’s love. True ministry is driven by the Holy Spirit.” And He will continue to do it now.