‘The Calling’ to screen at Ohio Northern University

Ohio Northern University and the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church will present a screening and panel discussion of “The Calling” in the Forum of Dicke Hall on Monday, March 28, at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

“The Calling” features young adults at the crossroads of their lives, coping with daily issues of dating, finances, friendships, family dramas and key career decisions. They struggle to balance religious convictions, professional responsibilities, rigorous academics, interactions with congregants, dedications to lifelong service, and occasional spells of doubt and uncertainty.

Their collective experiences shed light on the nature of leadership as well as current issues facing America’s religious communities. Embarking on life paths that demand tremendous personal sacrifices and commitment, these seminarians must uphold timeless truths in an era that values quick fixes and hot trends, and face a public that challenges the relevance of their mission.

The 78-minute version to be shown at Ohio Northern features four subjects: a student at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School, a student in Hartford Seminary’s Muslim Chaplaincy program, a student who entered the Catholic seminary hoping to become a “servant priest,” and a student studying at the Haggard School of Theology at Azusa Pacific University.

A question-and-answer session will follow the movie, in which a panel consisting of ONU students, faculty and alumni will discuss their personal stories of call and discerning their life’s purpose (both faith-based and secular).

The West Ohio Conference is the ministry office for the United Methodist Church in 58 counties of Ohio, supporting approximately 1,200 local United Methodist congregations, community centers, camps and retreat centers, as well as nearly 200,000 members.

Published: Wed, 03/23/2011 - 11:34am