Tyson's Blog

Andy Nelson is currently the Morningside University Campus Chaplin and Director of ministry and community service.

He has held this position since 2017 and his role is to tend to spiritual life of Morningside community. Nelson helps and supports the community in their faith regardless of what that faith is or what it means to each person.

Pastor Nelson ensures students and staff have the ability to express and practice their faith as well as provides resources through his connections to bring likeminded people together.

His office on campus follows an open door policy. It is a safe place to talk about whatever a student or staff member might be going through. A confidentiality agreement ensures safety of the conversation. Pastor Nelson stated “Anything that is said in my office between the two of us will not be shared unless I have permission first”.

The decision to become a pastor and campus Chaplin started at a young age. His family was heavily involved in the church growing up and this lead him to study religion and political science at Lutheran college in Iowa. He then went on to attend seminary school in St. Paul, Minnesota.

After Seminary Nelson got his “first call” to serve in Rochester, Minnesota.

Later he became the campus Chaplin at the University of South Dakota and worked there until his wife took a position at Morningside university leading him to later apply to be the campus Chaplin here.

A few things Nelson shared about his Job as the Campus Chapin are ” There are days you have to trust you’ve planted a seed or kept someone going for the day” meaning in his line of work results aren’t always immediate or clear but some days are great. He said “There are also days when I have a successful event or have a great conversation”.

Some things Nelson would like to bring to Morningside University is more opportunities for the community to come together in their faith. He hosts Midweek Mindfulness with other professors at the university where they hold events on Wednesdays at noon just to get together and discuss faith. Also he organizes student faith stories where students share what god is doing in their life right now and gives the opportunity for other students to listen and learn from their experiences.

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