Eastern Nazarene College’s (ENC) Spiritual Development Office has been taking offerings during the Friday chapel service to go towards The Anchor.

The Anchor is a ministry at the North Street Community Church in Hingham. Their website describes The Anchor as, “our church’s ministry to Hull, focusing on addiction prevention/recovery and the arts.”

According to Emily Ludwig, assistant chaplain for spiritual formation at ENC, the goal is “… to support individuals who are experiencing the effects of substance use as well as their families.”

Ludwig is ENC’s program director for the Anchor. Ludwig describes ENC’s relationship with the anchor as “two-fold.”

“The Spiritual Development Office wants students to get in the habit of regularly giving,” says Ludwig. “It’s a spiritual practice to be generous with resources.”

So far the giving by the students has exceeded $400 since offerings began last semester.

The ministry itself came from people within the congregation who had felt burdened by the issues surrounding substance use disorder. What was born from that, Ludwig reveals, was a “more holistic view that, for us, is discipleship so that the church can feel like they have a place for this. We aren’t forcing our beliefs on them, but it is a great option for the community.”

Ludwig emphasized that they “are not a counseling center or a rehab; we are just trying to provide community and stabilization after people have gone through things related to substance use disorder.”

Furthermore, The Anchor offers a community center and recovery coaches. The community center is a space that they are renting, and Ludwig says, “it is a great, safe and sober place to hang out.”

They offer activities like yoga, meditation, open mic nights, spaces for games, and they hope it will be a great outreach to the high school students in Hull.

Recovery coaches are trained individuals focusing on peer-to-peer communication. They will help those in recovery to set goals, hold them accountable to those goals, and send them in the right directions if they need more specific counseling and resources.

There are three other staff members beyond Ludwig; Kurt Gerold is the executive director, Dennis Scott is the development director, and Jeremy Scott is the pastor of the North Street Church. All four on staff are ENC alumni.

Ludwig stresses that there is a need for volunteers, as their community center has many building projects they need help with. Students can also become recovery coaches if they feel inclined to do so.