Campus Christian Center

A Brief History of the CCC

(Click here to download a copy of Dr. Thomas's comprehensive 75-year history, in Adobe PDF format.)

The Campus Christian Center (CCC) houses the campus ministry of the Idaho Institute of Christian Education (IICE). Incorporated in 1930, by 1934 the original group of covenanting churches had hired a full-time director, initiated a teaching program and bought a building. The will to cooperate amongst the denominations in carrying out their ministry to higher education at the University of Idaho is a great strength. This cooperative commitment is the secret of its stability and success, resulting in 70 years of service - as we enter the new millennium.

Participating denominations signed a Covenant Renewal September 25, 1999, as part of a service of installation for Dr. Sharon Kehoe as director of the CCC.

The first 69 years

Introduction: The Idaho Institute of Christian Education (IICE) is the name of the cooperating agency through which eight churches (in the beginning and now ten) carry out a ministry to higher education at the University of Idaho. The Campus Christian Center (CCC) is the name of the building which houses its campus ministry; The Idaho School of Religion is the name by which the Institute helps the University meet its obligation to provide a Religious Studies curriculum for its students.

1930-39: A woman pastor by the name of Mabel Stevens Burton presided over the first meeting to discuss "the whole project of Religious Education and pupil welfare." Incorporated in 1930, by 1934 this group of pastors and laity of the cooperating churches had hired a full-time Director, initiated a teaching program which had already taught over 350 students, bought a house and founded a Christian fraternity by the name of Chi Alpha Pi. As the economic depression deepened, volunteer faculty and clergy had to keep the course work going. The house was sold in 1939.

1940-49: The Institute almost folded during World War II, but through the persistence of committed faculty, such as Dr. Wayne Smith and Dean J. Glover Eldridge, new plans were laid and two pastors, Dr. O. Leroy Walters (Presbyterian) and the Rev. Willard Stanton (Methodist), raised funds for the new Center and bought the property on the corner of University and Elm. By 1950, a new building had been constructed and a new Director hired, Dr. Oscar Adam.

1950-59: Dr. Oscar Adam (Methodist) served as Director from 1947-52. Dr. Lorell Weiss (Brethren) served from 1953-57 and Stan Thomas (Methodist) served from 1957-60, when he became Dr. Stan Thomas and refused to leave! This was a decade of rapid growth when Methodist, Presbyterian, and Lutheran churches brought full-time seminary graduates to the campus to serve their students. Denominational student fellowships flourished and the teaching program expanded.

1960-69: The Institute decided that it must do more to raise its own funds if it is to meet the growing needs of a growing student population. The attempt was cut short by the tragic death of its fund-raiser, the Rev. Floyd Chapman, in an auto accident. At this point, two of the eight cooperating denominations objected to the fund-raising activity of the Institute, saying that it was the duty of the sponsoring churches to provide the money needed without the Institute itself getting into fund raising. However, by the end of the decade, even the limited funds being received were cut drastically as the result of the reorganization of the two main contributing denominations: Methodist and Presbyterian. However, the most serious challenge was ideological, rather than financial, as society became polarized over the Vietnam War and a new kind of student demanded new types of programs. By the end of the decade, the three teaching Institutes had merged, at least on paper, at the urging of the Idaho Institute.

1970-79: Both Idaho and Washington sought to launch an ecumenical organization through which to jointly fund campus ministry throughout their respective areas. The Idaho attempt failed and Washington took the Institute under its wing. Under ecumenical sponsorship, funding languished. The Center lost most of its full-time staff except for the Director and the Administrative Secretary. Course enrollments in religious classes soured. One of the more popular classes, World Religions, reached an enrollment of 75 (3 sections of 25 each).

1980-89: The establishment of a modest endowment fund through an initial contribution from the Rev. Willard Stanton allowed the Institute to refurbish its building despite the low level of its operating budget. Renewed interest by each of the denominations to provide staff to work with students began to rebuild the staff of the Center. The Institute faces the Nineties with a new Director and a refurbished building and a growing staff.

Conclusion: The will to cooperate amongst 8 and now 10 denominations in carrying out their ministry to higher education at the University of Idaho, through the Institute, is a great strength. This cooperative commitment is the secret of its stability and success resulting in 60 years of service to the University of Idaho community. It is one of the real "Gems" of the State of Idaho. Much of the credit for this development must go to the cooperating churches of Moscow and the lay and clergy leadership which they have contributed over the years.

---Stanley W. Thomas (Director, 1956-92)

Today

Sunday, September 25, 1999: Dr. Sharon Kehoe was installed as director of the Campus Christian Center (CCC) in a formal ceremony at Moscow First Presbyterian Church. The special installation program also included a service of covenant renewal between the participating Protestant denominations in support of the Idaho Institute of Christian Education (IICE): The Episcopal Church, The Evangelical Lutheran Church, The United Methodist Church, The Presbyterian Church, and The United Church of Moscow (American Baptist/Disciples of Christ)

Sharon Kehoe, Ph.D., is director of the Campus Christian Center, a facility of the IICE. You may send her e-mail at either skehoe@uidaho.edu or kehoe@moscow.com.