By Lori Bredemeyer, Copy Editor
The Chapel Office has started planning for the absence and distributing the responsibilities of Brad Carter, coordinator of Chapel, who has decided to resign and begin work at New Life Church of Christ, said Wayne Barnard, dean of Campus Life.
He said Carter will still work part time for the university, although the office has not decided which duties Carter will keep.
“I’m currently rewriting the job description to include so much of what Brad has helped to build this last year,” he said in an e-mail. “We’ve talked about his duties and I’ve been able to arrange for others in Campus Life to step in to help with many of the daily, behind-the-scene responsibilities.”
Carter said he is not certain when his last day will be but that he is working on letting go of his job on campus.
“I think it is doubtful that I’ll still be here full time by May,” he said. “I think my problem is I’m very passionate about very many things. … Sometimes you have to choose those things.”
Carter said one duty he will retain is the technological aspect that handles Chapel attendance and record-keeping.
Carter said his job at New Life will focus on ministry and administration.
He said he will relieve some of the load from the church’s minister, Damon Parker, the only staff member at New Life. He said he will be “helping to organize some of our ministries that are very volunteer-driven and volunteer-reliant.”
“I’ve decided to choose that my passion is going to be for the invisible people,” Carter said. “That is our value at New Life: helping to create a place where they feel welcome, where they feel loved, where they can have their needs met devotionally, spiritually and physically.”
Barnard said that by next fall a new coordinator will be hired.
“We’ll look forward to growing on the foundation Brad has laid these past two year,” Barnard said. “He has certainly raised the bar with respect to organization and working collaboratively with others across campus to help implement a meaningful Chapel program.”