Rev. Nils Chittenden—who has served as Chaplain of the Duke Episcopal Center since 2010—will depart in January to assume a position as Rector of St Stephen's Episcopal Church in Armonk, N.Y.
Chittenden said he has enjoyed his time at Duke—citing the connections he has formed with students, his work on the Episcopal Center's renovation on Central Campus and his collaboration with other campus ministries as a few highlights of his time on campus. Although he will miss the "immensely dedicated and passionate" students and faculty with whom he developed friendships, he said taking this next opportunity felt right.
"I'm most excited about working to make the [Episcopal] Church something that is important in people's lives," Chittenden said. "It's a complex time in the history of the Church—society's attitude toward the Church is changing, which presents a challenge, but it's an exciting challenge."
Chittenden—who came to Duke following eight years of work at the University of Durham, England—said it took some time to understand the philosophy and functioning of an American university. However, he quickly grew to love his work and the people he met at Duke, forming strong relationships across the University.
Part of Chittenden's job involved providing spiritual counseling to anyone who sought it.
"My goal was not to be a chaplain only for Episcopalian students, but a chaplain who could provide an Episcopalian perspective for any students seeking that," Chittenden said.
He said he was particularly impressed by the religious community across different denominations at Duke–emphasizing the importance of collaboration across the more than 20 ministries—Christian and non-Christian—that the University supports.
"Talking to other campus ministers across the country, it's clear that what we have at Duke is unique," Chittenden said. "The collaboration and personal friendships across ministries is truly remarkable."
Chittenden also focused on the Episcopal Center's building on Central Campus, which he described as being "rather sorry for itself" when he arrived in 2010. In the last four years, he has helped renovate the building, making improvements that he said has made it a "great resource" for the community.
He said one other thing he will miss about Duke is the 50-bell carillon played at 5 p.m. every weekday, and emphasized that all students should take the opportunity to go to the Chapel. This Sunday at 7 p.m., students will have the opportunity to gather outside the chapel for the third-year of Advent Lessons and Carols—a candlelit service Chittenden helped start.
"I encourage all students to stop by," Chittenden said. "The candles, the darkness, it's a remarkable spiritual experience."
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.