Summary: As a finalist for the position of undergraduate campus pastor, James Ellis III has shaped a chapel service with a message entitled, “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” taken from Genesis 27:12-13 ——- James Ellis, III is an ordained Baptist minister who describes himself as “Christian by conviction, Baptist by tradition, and ecumenical in spirit.” James has served as a youth pastor and an assistant pastor in two United Methodist churches, and recently served a one-year, Lilly-funded campus pastorate at Morehouse College in Atlanta. He is currently a Lewis Fellow at Wesley Theological Seminary’s Lewis Center for Church Leadership, an ecumenical leadership development program for outstanding young clergy. Prior to ministry, James was a multimedia producer and competitive “spoken word” poet. He and his wife Renata have a passion for doing service work in multi-racial settings such as New Orleans (LA). At the close of chapel, there is a time of sending and blessing for students and faculty going on summer cross-cultural seminars to these locations: Bolivia & The Galápagos Islands – Doug & Cristina Graber Neufeld Honduras – Jason Good & Eric Trinka South Korea – Gloria Rhodes Quebec – Nancy Heisey & Jen Ulrich Local Context cross-cultural – Deanna Durham
