HUNTINGDON COLLEGE

News Release

October 30, 2023
For more information, contact:
Dr. Anthony Leigh, aleigh@hawks.huntingdon.edu

Q and A with Huntingdon Chaplain Rhett Butler

Montgomery, Ala. – Huntingdon Chaplain Rhett Butler ’13 takes a seat in the interview chair for a “Q and A” feature.

Q. How long have you been affiliated with Huntingdon College?

A. I graduated after 4 years at Huntingdon with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion. I came back after seminary, and this is my 7th year working at Huntingdon. That’s 11 years of fried chicken Thursdays.

Q. You send out a lot of emails about campus ministry opportunities. What does the weekly schedule of events look like?

A. Woo boy do we do a lot. Let’s go day by day: Monday nights we have Bible studies for freshmen men and women, led by upper class Campus Ministries leaders. On Tuesday, we have TNW (Tuesday Night Worship, I’m great at naming things), which is our high energy contemporary yet oddly liturgical worship service. Wednesdays we save for random video game tournaments, mission projects, napping, and studying. On Thursdays we gather for a short Chapel service during the lunch hour. We take Communion every week, sing a hymn, and hear a homily from one of our professors. Fridays…you never know what Friday has in store.

Q. What are some of the joys you have experienced this semester in Campus Ministries?

A. My deepest joy in campus ministries is worshipping every week with the incredible students we have at Huntingdon. Every week I hear their prayers, listen to their worship, and I’m convinced that God is doing something special with the students that come through our halls.

Q. Attendance at Tuesday Night Worship is significantly higher this semester. What’s the secret sauce?

A. I don’t think I’m supposed to call the Holy Spirit “secret sauce,” but that’s my answer. God is moving at Huntingdon, as God tends to do in a community of Christians that are worshipping and wanting to grow in holiness and love of God.

Q. You often talk about the diversity of students participating in campus ministries. Can you elaborate on that?

A. I like to describe the diversity of Campus Ministries as a bag of wet cats. It should be chaos and hissing and scratching…we have a huge spectrum of theological beliefs and denominations represented. According to my math, there is no way a Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Non-Denominational, and Lutheran student should be able to worship together in spirit and in truth. But…that’s exactly what happens at TNW. Our theological diversity is our strength; in a world that seems to be more and more divided each day, Huntingdon College Campus Ministries is a group of diverse Christians that show there is another way to live in this world.

Q. Outside of worship experiences and bible studies, how are you able to connect with Huntingdon students?

A. I wander around to as many sports practices and games as I can. I teach classes, I do devotions for various groups. I hang out in the dining hall, and my office is always open. Students live their lives at Huntingdon, it’s easy to show up and take part in what brings them joy.

Q. What does a random Wednesday afternoon look like in the Phyllis Gunter Snyder Center for Campus Ministries in the Jackson Home basement?

A. Ping-pong, video games, students diligently studying and definitely not napping, and Rhett getting ready for Old Testament Class at 3:00pm.

Q. Campus Ministries has formed some great partnerships with the broader Montgomery faith community. What do some of those partnerships look like?

A. We try and find a Sunday church home for every student. We have strong ties with First Baptist in Downtown Montgomery, and many of our students attend their Monday night worship services. We have interns and students worshipping at various Methodist Churches in the region, and the TNW band has lead worship for youth camps in two United Methodist Church conferences. Our Loyola Society regularly sponsors events for Catholic students, we even had nuns from the Sister Servants of the Eternal Word visit earlier in the semester.

Q. How much are you loving the new sound system and lights in Ligon Chapel?

A. I don’t want to say too much, I’ll start drooling. With the new upgrades to the sound system and lights, we’ve turned Ligon Chapel into a flexible space that maintains the grandeur of the Chapel while leaning into a contemporary worship experience. It’s beautiful that even in 2023 students are praising the Lord in the Chapel, which is in the heart and soul of Huntingdon College.

Q. Are sinners and saints still welcome at all campus ministry events?

A. All sinners and saints are welcome. God welcomes all to God’s Table. “Y’all come eat now” is something every Southerner has heard their Mamaw say. That warm and welcoming invitation is how we present God’s love to a campus full of sinners, saints, and everyone in-between.

Q. Open opportunity to hype your volunteers.

A. Campus Ministries simply wouldn’t happen without our student leaders. I’d like to give a big shout-out to Maggie Schaub and Anne Kathryn Hagood, our Kingswood Scholars. As part of their scholarship they assist with all things set-up, graphic design, and leading worship. If I wrote out all our leaders who helped make worship happen, I’d have a 50-name list, but for now a big shout-out to our senior leaders Conner Bradford, Terryn Abner, and Reese Owen. They’ve faithfully served for 4 years leading worship and preaching.

###

Huntingdon College, in accordance with Title IX and Section 106.8 of the 2020 Final Rule under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, other applicable federal and state law, and stated College policy, prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex.  Similarly, it prohibits discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, religion, age and/or national origin in its education program