Empowered to Serve

Thank you to Angela Houk, Dean of Academics, for writing today's blog.


Appropriate Independence™ (Ai) is the guiding philosophy of Shepherds College that emphasizes the value of every individual and equips students to maximize their abilities and strengths.[1] Ai is defined as supported self-sufficiency that is aligned with the strengths of each individual and guided by Christian values. Dr. Russ Kinkade, the Executive Vice President of Shepherds Ministries, has authored Appropriate Independence: Potential Realized as a blueprint for Shepherds Ministries. The four principles of Appropriate Independence include:

     1. God has designed each person on purpose and for a purpose

     2. God has created people as individuals, for a community

     3. Our purpose is to train for life

     4. Our goal is to empower individuals to serve[2]

The principles of Ai have been woven into the every aspect of Shepherds College through the three-year housing design, residential programming, academic curriculum, and vocational training. Students learn how to live in community, manage personal hygiene, balance time restraints, complete class assignments, and make positive choices. Classes and programming at Shepherds College are designed to encourage students to live to their full potential. Serving is a great way to meet people, use one’s gifts and talents, and make a difference in the lives of others. Empowering to serve entails the process of “releasing others to pursue and achieve their ordained purpose.”[3]

Students from Shepherds College have taken the challenge to serve others by committing to volunteer monthly at Willow Creek Church. Alyson Piatt, advisor and instructor, oversees students serving at Willow Creek Church. Students assist in a Saturday evening respite program: playing games and leading songs with children with disabilities, while their parents attend a parent/caregiver support group.

On Saturday, April 25, 2015, students participated in packing seeds for the Celebration of Hope which is a yearly Compassion and Justice Campaign for Willow Creek Community Church. The goal of the campaign is to make a difference in fighting against global poverty. Students packed seeds that will be sent to families in Zambia, Malawi, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and El Salvador. Each seed pack can grow up to 1,000 pounds of vegetables, providing families with food and income.[4]

What an exciting opportunity for Shepherds College students to gain awareness about global poverty and make a difference through serving.

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[1]Kinkade, Dr. Russ.  Appropriate Independence:  Potential Realized.  (Union Grove, WI:  Shepherds Baptist Ministries, 2006), 2.

[2] Shepherds Ministries, “Appropriate Independence,” http://www.shepherdsministries.org/?page=AppropriateIndepend (accessed June 20, 2009).

[3] Kinkade, Dr. Russ.  Appropriate Independence:  Potential Realized.  (Union Grove, WI:  Shepherds Baptist Ministries, 2006), 41.

[4] Willow Creek Community Church, Celebration of Hope:  Seed Packing.  http://coh2015.willowcreek.org/pack-seeds (accessed April 26, 2015). 

 


Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.

Feeling Weird?

I’ve heard it said many times over the years, “There’s something different about Shepherds. You feel at peace as soon as you step onto campus.”  After making this statement, one person added, “It’s weird, but I love it!”

Weird? I had to smile.  Maybe when compared to a bustling organization whose main goal is to show a profit at the end of every fiscal year, but when an organization puts “Spiritual Growth” high on its list of desired outcomes, as Shepherds College does, that “peaceful” feeling is not weird at all!

It’s not that we don’t bustle – just watch the Res Life staff in the dorms after school. And it’s not that we don’t feel stress or concern (have you ever visited campus during finals week?). We have our share of problems. Copy machines break down. Students fight. Teachers get sick. Plans don’t work out.

So why do people often use the word “peaceful” when they visit Shepherds College?

The staff at Shepherds College recognizes that peaceful feeling as the presence of God.  He is invited here every day with our prayers. He is honored through our words and actions. And He is loved through our service to young adults with intellectual disabilities. 

The staff is regularly encouraged to stay close to Him, to strengthen their relationship with Him through practices which result in spiritual growth.

The results are amazing! 

You know that peaceful feeling you get when you arrive on campus? Well, it’s inside each one of us working here too. It comes from knowing who God is, walking in His ways, and realizing His purpose for our lives.  Our deepest desire as staff at Shepherds College is to have the students also know this peace, not just by strolling around the sidewalks admiring the flowers and breathing in the clean, country air, but by carrying it around inside of them each and every day. 

To this end, Shepherds College provides many opportunities for spiritual growth:

Bible Courses – Each semester, students take two Bible courses designed to increase their knowledge of God, His Word, and His plan for their lives. This semester our 1^st year students will take Personal Bible Study and Roots of Faith, the 2^nd year students will take Apologetics and Life of Christ, and the 3^rd year students will take New Testament Letters and Ready 4 Life.

Church Attendance – Once students get used to the routine of college, it is our expectation that they will attend weekly church services. We will provide transportation every Sunday morning to one of six different churches in the area.

Miranda presenting in Chapel

Chapel – On Monday mornings, a chapel service is offered in the Commons. This service focuses on worship, prayer, and Bible instruction for the students.

Spiritual Counseling – Our students are provided with numerous opportunities to receive counseling based on the truths from God’s Word. This counseling may come from the teacher in a classroom setting, or it may come to an individual from his Academic Advisor, Residential Life Staff or even from our campus psychologist, Dr. Russ Kinkade.

Scripture Memory – An important piece of spiritual growth is the memorization of Scripture. Students are encouraged to commit God’s Word to memory on a regular basis through Bible classes.

Service Opportunities – We recognize the value of service to others and are committed to providing our students with plenty of opportunities to serve. Staff will look at the individual strengths and gifts of the students before attempting to place them in service opportunities.

So, is feeling peaceful on a busy campus filled with yelling, laughing, running students weird? Yeah, maybe for the rest of the world. But it’s the norm at Shepherds College.

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.

Orientation Day

The countdown is over! All our students are back on campus.

Orientation Day was on Saturday, August 4th. We want you to see what this special day was all about.

The day started at 9am with a campus tour for the students and parents. It wasn’t raining yet so the walk around campus and through the classrooms was enjoyable for everyone.

The Shepherds Campus - artwork by Rolf Goetzinger

All the parents and students went to the gym for a meeting to talk about the details in the Student Handbooks. Topics like campus housing rules, appropriate dress, discipline and the travel policy were discussed.

After lunch, the parents and students split up to attend different meetings. The students attended a Residential Life meeting in the Commons, and the parents attended a session by Dr. Russ Kinkade called “Letting Go.” 

The students and parents all met together in the gym again for a series of meetings on Health, Horticulture and Culinary Arts, and then a Q & A time.

Sherrie & Melba leading the Medical/Health session

Chef McCarthy talking about Culinary Arts

After all this serious stuff, it was time to relax! Parents and students separated again. The parents had an opportunity to socialize and get to know one another over desserts, while the students participated in a team building activity.

To end this full day, Dr. Bill Amstutz, the President of Shepherds Ministries, led a prayer of dedication asking God to help the parents adjust to leaving their child behind at school, to bless the students as they learn new skills, and to honor the hard work of the teachers as they lead each young person on their journey toward Appropriate Independence.

The students hugged their parents one last time. It was time to say good-bye.

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.