Mandy Tarpening is the first chaplain in school history, on record, to baptize students on campus. Since Tarpening took over the chaplain position at C-SC, she has been very active with students and promotes spiritual life on campus. Recently, some of the students who work with her spoke with interest in being baptized. Some of them felt they were ready for that next step in their spiritual journey. Tarpening was honored to lead the first baptisms. To prepare, she prayed over the baptisms. “There were moments of second-guessing as I felt darkness trying to win. Letting our faith overcome that darkness was a beautiful sight!” said Tarpening. The baptism was held on Wednesday, Oct. 8. Five students were baptized. Families and friends gathered in support of the students. A few other students trickled in, curious about what was happening. According to Professor of History Scott Giltner, there is no recorded history of a baptism being held on campus. “I can’t seem to find any reference to any baptism ceremonies on campus. Doesn’t mean there were never any, but no evidence to suggest there were,” explained Giltner.
College is filled with times of growth. Tarpening shared, “My prayer is that this moment and memory will continue to remind them that they can find strength to move forward each day through their faith in Jesus Christ. That this time would overshadow any of the tough stuff that may have happened here and be a continuous reminder of how the light will overcome.” She is encouraging of students during their time in college. She wants to be able to support students during the challenging time of college. She reflects a lot on her time in college and uses that experience to help guide her students. “My prayer is that this moment and memory will continue to remind them that they can find strength to move forward each day through their faith in Jesus Christ. That this time would overshadow any of the tough stuff that may have happened here and be a continuous reminder of how the Light will overcome,” explained Tarpening.
She plans to lead another baptism during the spring semester’s three-week classes. Some students weren’t able to attend the first one, so now they have another opportunity to be baptized. More students have shared their faith publicly. Tarpening has been leading the way for spirituality on campus. She strives to cultivate a culture where students can explore and grow in their faith. She continues to lead “The Table” every Sunday at 5 pm, where students are welcomed to enjoy food and worship. The message she wants to share with the campus about the baptism is, “Simply put, water baptism is an outward testimony of the inward change in a believer’s life. We should always celebrate these moments.”
If you’re interested in learning more, feel free to contact Mandy Tarpening at atarpening@culver.edu.
