The Office of Christian Ministry (OCM) has seen many changes this summer in personnel. Another change in the office was the name itself, as it was formerly known as the Office of Religious Life. The term “religious life” had become too broad for the range of services that the office provided. University Chaplin/Executive Director of Christian Ministry, Jason Barnhart, said “As the campus grows and becomes more pluralistic, the name change shows clearly what it is that we do.”

Barnhart has been in his position for just over a year now and has tried to be a constant in a sea of change. In his short tenure here at Ashland University, he has already worked with three presidents, and his department internally has seen quite a few shifts. This summer Nate Bebout stepped down as the lead pastor of the Well, an on campus group known largely for their contemporary service on Thursday nights. This role was then filled by Mallorie Miller, long time Short Term Missions coordinator for the office. Barnhart is really excited for Miller to step into this role saying, “She embodies everything Ashland is about.”

Miller is now the Assistant Director of the Office of Christian Ministry. This has largely to do with running the Well but also includes working with interns, spiritual direction and other larger OCM projects. Miller feels confident about stepping into the role especially with the Well saying, “The Well has a fantastic leadership team.” In her new position, Miller hopes to really focus on the Office of Christian Ministry being welcoming. She also hopes to help the Well become larger than just Thursday evening and can focus on serving the campus at large.

For Miller, the Well will continue to be “an authentic community that wants to have experiential worship.” That being said, she hopes push for more connections with off-campus local ministries such as Radial Church, Watershed Ministry, Park Street Church, and Five Stones to name a few.

When asked how the Well will looked different with her at the helm, Miller remains unsure. She did mention that she is excited for more time to spend with students and faculty as well as the chance to work with Well student leadership. Miller joked that there will certainly be less inappropriate jokes from the front of the Chapel on Thursday nights from now on. 

The position that Miller vacated was filled by a recent Ashland University graduate, Melany Bagnola. The search to fill the Study Abroad and Short term Missions Coordinator position was made a little more difficult in that the position is split between two departments, the Office of Christian Ministry and Global Education. “We wanted somebody who could be a gathering person, a recruiter,” said Barnhart. The position was highly sought after, receiving 

between 40 to 50 applications, yet in the end Bagnola was the correct fit. 

“You can’t be around Melany and not be excited,” Barnhart said.

“I used to do these things in my free time,” said Bagnola of her new job duties. 

Her absence from AU was a short one having graduated in May of 2014 with degrees in Hospitality Management and International Business. 

Bagnola feels very strongly about her working with OCM’s partners around the world. 

“I am hoping to bring more community and partnered feel to the mission trips,” said Bagnola.

Bagnola feels like AU is where she belongs and that this is where she was called to. 

“For the majority of us, our call is already where we are at,” said Bagnola.

The other position that saw a change was the Catholic Chaplin role. In a change of Nates, Nate Addington vacated the role to be replaced by Nate Ediger this summer. Barnhart is excited to welcome Ediger to the OCM team. Similarly as with the changes in the.

“There has been great communication between Nate and the student leadership,” said Barnhart.

Ediger, who is originally from Kansas, is also an AU graduate. He transferred to AU from Bluffton University as a junior and went on to major in Religion here. Interestingly enough, it was the religious life here that drew him in as an undergrad and now the religious life that drew him back as faculty.

Ediger always loved the vibrancy at Ashland and says that he is excited to be here. 

“I’m excited about the total shift here and focusing on Christian ministry,” said Ediger. 

He and his family are recent converts to the Catholic faith, but Ediger says that he absolutely belongs there. Ediger is not a stranger to the Ashland area having been a youth pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church. He is confident in the fact that Newman Catholic Ministry will remain much the same as it is “highly student driven.” Overall, Ediger has settled in well, even repainting his office in the Office of Christian Ministry. 

“This feels like home,” Ediger said.

Even with the tumultuous times that Ashland University is currently in, Barnhart remains confident about the Office of Christian Ministry. “Aside from the Rec, we have the largest student involvement in campus,” said Barnhart of his department.  

Somewhat surprisingly, Barnhart expects very little drop in student participation due to these changes.

“The great thing is that all of these changes happened over the summer, so the change has been seamless,” said Barnhart. 

He mentioned the need to take a team approach to the future not only within the department, but on campus as a whole. 

“The future for Ashland is bright, but there are challenging days ahead and it’s going to affect real people,” siad Barnhart. “We bless the past and pray for the future.” 

He is confident in his staff, both the new and the returning, and his assuredness is evident. Wherever the Office of Christian Ministry finds itself. 

Barnhart is excited to lead a team of committed, energetic and caring individuals.

 “I have the job of a lifetime,” said Barnhart.