Associate Protestant Chaplain William Mathis majored in accounting and political science at Morehouse College and studied law at Boston College. This semester, he's filling a vacancy left by Reverend Allen Callahan - but he says he hasn't lost his lawyerly bent.
"I love preaching. It's the lawyer in me. I was standing before juries and now I'm standing in front of congregations," Mathis said. "I'm just advocating for a different person now."
As chaplain, Mathis is responsible for overseeing the Protestant communities on campus. His job includes leading the Imani Jubilee worship service every Sunday evening and providing spiritual guidance to faculty, students and their families. He also serves as pastor at Springs of Life-Giving Water, an American Baptist church in New Haven, Conn.
Mathis worked at Brown during the 2007-08 academic year as interim leader of Imani Jubilee. He was made a full-time chaplain due to his "first-rate leadership" during his time here last year, Chaplain of the University Rev. Janet Cooper Nelson wrote in an e-mail to The Herald.
Mathis is "a very constructive colleague in the Office of the Chaplains who consistently demonstrates deep concern for the Brown family and provides helpful guidance," Cooper Nelson wrote. "While his work has only been underway for (a) few months, Bill's positive impact is already quite evident."
Of working at Brown, Mathis said, "I cannot tell you how much I enjoy it. I think that there is a wonderful collection of diverse individuals who are more than students, but appear to be seekers. ... I consider myself to be a seeker, always looking for the greater, the potential and the possibility in all things."
He also said that, while Brown itself seems to be "very isolated" physically because of its location, the students he works with "are eager to be exposed and be a part of that which is without."
In the spirit of seeking to be a part of the greater world, Mathis said he wants to dedicate his time here to developing "collaborative efforts among faith communities, organizations and Brown itself."
He emphasized the importance of "being visible and participating with efforts outside of our comfort zone." To this end, Mathis said he is planning a combination mission and spring break trip to Bahia, Brazil in the spring.
"Seekers would have an opportunity to be exposed to communities that have very little resources and assistance for help," he said. He shares his concern for the worship communities of Bahia with Callahan, Brown's former Protestant associate chaplain. Callahan left Brown for an appointment at a Protestant seminary in Bahia, according to Cooper Nelson.
Mathis said he believes the trip to Brazil will also be beneficial to participating Brown students. "I'm hoping that it will develop an interest in assisting and participating in community initiatives not only locally, but also globally," he said. "I want to develop a vibrant, confident and loving faith community."
