Spiritual Life Credit

Purpose  |  What's required  |  How to get credit  |  Absences and Exemptions  |  Credit Deficiency

Purpose

The purpose of our Spiritual Life program is to help you in your journey toward spiritual maturity and prepare you to step out into a bigger world. George Fox offers a Spiritual Life Program with an emphasis in three areas: events on the Spiritual Life calendar (like chapel service), small-group studies, and ministry and service opportunities.

One of our priorities is for each student to come into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and grow in that relationship toward a mature faith. While we believe strongly in the value of our Spiritual Life Program, we want you to know that it does not replace the life and ministry of the local church and should not be considered a substitute for church attendance or involvement. Instead, the Spiritual Life Program is an integral part of the total faith-learning experience you receive at George Fox University.

What’s Required

All students carrying a full class load (12 hours or more) are required to fulfill 21 Spiritual Life credits each semester.

Any attempt to defraud the Spiritual Life attendance requirements or any aspect of the crediting system – chapel attendance, small-group Bible study, or serve trips – may subject you to disciplinary consequences.

How to get credit

Spiritual Life credits can be earned in four ways:

  1. Chapel Attendance (See Spiritual Life Calendar)

    Chapel is a time of learning, praise and worship. Chapel services are held Monday and Wednesday mornings from 10:40 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Bauman Auditorium the first 14 weeks of the 15-week semester. To be given credit for attending a chapel service, students must scan their student ID cards into a computerized scanner upon entering the auditorium. Students who are found leaving chapel before the conclusion of the service or students who scan in for someone other than themselves will be held accountable for an attempt to defraud chapel attendance requirements. For other Spiritual Life options held in smaller venues, a sign-in list will be used.

  2. Spiritual Formatoin Group Participation

    Students involved in a spiritual formation group, whether leading or attending will obtain 1/2 a credit for each group attended. Leaders also can get 1/2 credit for each training session attended (8 week training series for Fall and Spring Semester- Fridays at 10:30am). Spiritual formation groups are held many various times and places throughout the week (depending on your living area, athletic involvement and interest/ministry groups).  At the end of each semester, small group leaders turn in rosters of group members attendance. Questions may be directed to Rusty St. Cyr at rstcyr@georgefox.edu.

  3. Serve Trips

    Serve trips take place during the third week of Christmas break and the entire week of spring break, reaching communities in West Coast areas and beyond.

    Students attending Winter Serve or Spring Serve earn 4 Spiritual Life credits for the semester. Students choosing this option must sign up before the deadlines for each of these trips. At the end of each serve trip, leaders turn in the names of those who attended and participated fully in the ministry and the work of the trip. For the academic 2009-2010 year please e-mail Alexis Powell for more information at apowell06@georgefox.edu

  4. Special Events
    Throughout the year there are different special events that are available for Spiritual Life Credit. Watch the university’s e-nnouncements to read about upcoming opportunities and look over the Spiritual Life Calendar to see planned special events. Weekly special events are:
    1. Shalom (Thursday Evening Chapel) will be led by the Chaplain’s Committee and will feature teaching from Andrew Watson and Rusty St. Cyr. Spiritual Life credit is available for this worship opportunity. See Spiritual Life Calendar for time and location.
    2. Morning Prayer is held Monday through Friday in the Prayer Chapel at 8 a.m. lead worship and meditation with the Book of Common Prayer. A half credit is available for each service. Contact Katie Bjokman for more info at kbjorkman05@georgefox.edu.

Absences and Exemptions

Absences

Absences due to activities such as field trips, athletics team participation, band and choir tours, etc., are not considered excused. Students who participate in these activities are responsible to earn 21 Spiritual Life credits like all other students.

Prolonged and confining illnesses are evaluated on an individual basis at the end of the semester. Prolonged and confining illness excuses are issued only by the school nurse for illnesses of three or more consecutive days.

Exemptions

A student may receive a full or partial exemption for the chapel attendance requirement for one semester at a time due to one of the following reasons:

  1. Adult-learner status (22 and older on or before Sept. 1, 2008, the first day of classes of the 2008-09 academic year): You will be automatically exempt and do not need to fill out the exemption form.
  2. Senior status (93 credit or more): You do not need to apply for Spiritual Life exemption if you fall under this category.
  3. Student teaching
  4. Significant off-campus work schedule (must attach signed work schedule with exemption form)
  5. An off-campus field placement

Full Exemption (rarely given)

If a student receives a full exemption, he or she is not required to attend any chapel programs for the period of one semester. Students must re-apply each semester.

Partial Exemption

Because of student teaching, off-campus work, etc., students can apply for a partial exemption in which they are allowed to meet requirements by earning 11 rather than 21 Spiritual Life credits. If a student receives a partial exemption, he or she must attend 11 chapels throughout the semester. You must re-apply each semester this exemption is needed. You may receive an exemption for the attendance requirement for one semester due to student teaching or an off-campus field placement.

All exemptions must be cleared through the dean of community life by the second Friday of each semester. However, if employment dictates that an exemption be granted after this date, students should submit the exemption form along with the required documents as soon as possible.

Exemption forms may be found on the Web or at the Office of Spiritual Life, located in the Sheridan Street House.

Credit Deficiency

All students who have not fulfilled the chapel requirement by the last day of classes must fulfill the 21-credit requirement by 4:30 p.m. on Friday of finals week or a hold will be placed on their registration for the following semester. From the end of finals week, the student will have one calendar week to fulfill his or her chapel requirement and have the hold removed. If a student has not resolved his or her hold and confirmed by the end of the third day of classes in the following semester, their class schedule will be dropped and they will be withdrawn from the institution.

What to do?

The hold may be removed when the student fulfills the following: Listen to or watch online the number of chapels they have not attended from that semester and fill out the Spiritual Life Credit form for each chapel viewed. The Office of Spiritual Life must receive the completed form(s) before the hold will be removed.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us. Our desire is that this is not a frustrating process but rather an opportunity for you to be encouraged and develop further.

Watch the chapel podcasts online at iTunesU.

Any student who has not fulfilled the requirement by one week after finals week may not be allowed through the confirmation process at the beginning of the next semester because of the hold on their account. Academic advisors and any other advisors, coaches, etc. of co-curricular activities may be informed when a student is not meeting the requirement at mid-semester or failed to meet the Spiritual Life requirement by the end of the semester.

Students who are continuing to have difficulty meeting the chapel requirement or attempt to defraud the Spiritual Life attendance process in any manner may be required to meet with the dean of students and may be subject to further disciplinary action, which may include a semester suspension from the university.