Every day I’m chapil’n | Issue 2

Greg Hughson - University Chaplain

I enjoyed Orientation this year. It was great to meet so many students around campus, as well as in our Residential Colleges and around the Combined Christian Groups BBQ on the Museum Reserve late at night. What would you say you enjoyed most about Orientation? What did you enjoy least? I’d really like to know. If you have time, email me.

Life is all about creating memories, ideally good ones. We all have choices about how we are going to live our lives. We have the freedom each day and each night to create the memories we will live with for the rest of our lives. So look after yourself this year. Create good memories. Make the most of every opportunity to learn heaps, to make new friends, to enjoy life, to care for others and to grow spiritually. I fully support and endorse the advice given by our V.C. Harlene Hayne in her Critic column last week: “During the course of the year, find someone with religious views, or political views different from your own ... Have a cup of coffee with them and listen to their perspective on the world.”

My background is in Music, Biological Science and Practical Theology. I enjoy exploring issues that matter, such as the importance (or not) of faith, and how to build respectful relationships between people of different faiths (or no faith). I’ve been here in this role for 12 years now and I am a life member of OUSA. My colleagues and I are available to meet with individuals or groups to assist with settling in to University life. We are available to chat about anything that may be troubling you, or to explore existential or spiritual questions in a confidential and non-judgmental setting. Our Chaplaincy offices are at 229 Leith St this semester (next to Liquorland) whilst our new offices are being built in the Link.

Throughout Aotearoa-NZ there are Chaplains serving in our hospitals, our armed forces, our prisons, our schools and our Universities and Polytechnics. Our Chaplaincy team is here on campus to offer pastoral care and spiritual support, educational resourcing, information, interfaith facilitation, bereavement and grief support and to explore ethical and moral issues together. We are here to support all students and staff.

- Greg Hughson, University Chaplain
greg.hughson@otago.ac.nz
www.otago.ac.nz/chaplain
This article first appeared in Issue 2, 2012.
Posted 4:53pm Sunday 4th March 2012 by Greg Hughson.