Generosity of Board of Stewards felt throughout the community.

Supportive. Encouraging. Uplifting. Meaningful. Humbling. These are just some of the many words students use to describe their feelings about their involvement with the HPU Board of Stewards. Those involved in the group, after all, are busy throughout the entire academic year--serving a key role in making weekly chapel services a success. But you can often find the group lending a hand to members of the community through various service projects, buying gifts for needy children, providing meals to the hungry and much more.

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The Board of Stewards has experienced tremendous success over the years. The Stewards, who are responsible for the ecumenical worship services, help plan the services, including writing prayers, ushering, and collecting and distributing the offerings.

"The Board of Stewards now and always has been comprised of exemplary students, representing a variety of groups across campus," says Shannon LeFever, manager of Chapel Programs. "They come from differing backgrounds, hometowns, religious affiliations and academic majors. These students stand and work side by side for four years on the Stewards, and they become friends in the process. They are also leaders among their peers--student body presidents, officers and presidents of their fraternities and sororities, HPU Ambassadors, academic scholars and more."

The group has grown considerably over the years, notes Tyler Steelman, a two-year member of the Stewards. "With our numbers growing and the diversity of involvement being brought to the table, we have expanded our reach significantly," Steelman says.

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That expansion includes reaching out to more members of the university community. Chapel attendance has experienced notable growth, meaning the Stewards have been able to collect a significant amount of offerings during the fall and spring semesters--ultimately helping a variety of community members.

"During the fall 2012 semester, we raised $10,000 to purchase toys, clothing and other gifts for 150 needy children for the Salvation Army Angel Tree Program," says Virginia Ellis, a senior who joined the Stewards as a freshman. "We've donated 100 percent of our fall offering to this program since 2002."

Alyssa McFarland, a junior who also joined as a freshman, notes the shopping...