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A diverse group of students, some seated, some standing, smile and pose together in a warmly lit room near a brick wall.

Seeley G. Mudd Chapel

  1. Whitworth University
  2. Administration
  3. Chapel
  4. Shalom Ministries

Shalom Ministries

Campus ministry provides a variety of opportunities for all Whitworth students to take steps closer to Jesus, including opportunities for our Black, Indigenous, Students of Color and international student populations to build relational bridges and grow with God through Whitworth's Shalom Ministries. In the Bible, the Hebrew word shalom means peace, but the word communicates much more than simply a lack of war. Instead, shalom is the flourishing of all God's good creation as God, humans and the rest of the created order live in harmony, wholeness, rightness, unity and delight. At Whitworth, Shalom Ministries exist to help make sure every student has opportunities to grow with Jesus and find meaningful connection in Christian community, especially our BIPOC and international students.

Meet the Staff

Headshot of Lesly AcevedoLesly Acevedo, Assistant Chaplain for Shalom Ministries

Lesly Acevedo is passionate about the gospel of Christ and is dedicated to training new generations to foster a closer relationship with their Creator. Recently, she joined the campus ministry staff at Whitworth University where she leads a life group that has been a great blessing. With a bachelor's degree in theology from Latin America Theological Seminary, she is an ordained minister of the Church of God of Prophecy in Washington state. She spent many years serving at Canoga Park Presbyterian Church in California, where she met her husband, Pastor Álvaro Gómez. Together, they founded the Christian Church of Fillmore and later established Comunidad Cristiana de Spokane, a Hispanic ministry. Lesly enjoys spending her free time with her family, going on walks and caring for her plants. Her favorite scripture is Matthew 28:19-20, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Amen."

 

Biblical Justice Coordinator

We believe that God was the first one to care about things being right in the world ("justice") and that followers of Jesus are naturally invited to care about the things that God cares about as we follow him. The Biblical justice coordinator works to help our campus ministry community do just that; put our faith in Jesus into action, doing things that God cares about.

Community Fellowship Coordinators

Inspired by the picture in Revelation 7:9-10 of the people of God from every tongue and tribe and language and people gathered in worship around the throne of God and the Lamb, the community fellowship coordinators seek to build community across racial-ethnic difference and specifically promote opportunities for our students of color and international students to grow with Jesus and in Christian community here at Whitworth.

Pictured left to right: Hala Najjar, biblical justice coordinator; Charis Tiamson and Rosalie Boole, community fellowship coordinators