The Ascension Chapel resounds with prayers on Wednesdays and Sundays when a shepherd leads his flock. This flock is not of sheep, but of people led by Pastor Richard Priggie.
Priggie has been a pastor at the Ascension Chapel for the past 16 years after serving at three Lutheran parishes before coming to Augustana College.
He leads most Wednesday and Sunday church services, although he switches with Pastor Kristen Glass Perez. He receives help from the students who are either religion majors or volunteers.
Augustana senior Grant Bell has been volunteering to help with church services since his freshman year.
“Pastor Priggie likes to be involved with the campus as well as getting the students involved with the church,” Bell said.
In addition to church services, Priggie goes to multitudes of events around campus. Whether it is a basketball game, a student led event such Rumi’s Wedding Night, or Symposium Day, Pastor Priggie will most likely be in attendance.
“I think that it is really important for me to go to concerts athletic events, plays, and things students are involved in,” Priggie said. “It’s a priority of mine to come to things that students, especially ones I know, are involved in.”
Priggie also leads a LSFY course in the spring called The Soul of Harry Potter. This class reads the Harry Potter series and goes on a trip to Oregon, Illinois during the third week of classes. Before the class starts, Priggie hosts meetings with student volunteers who want to help with the upcoming trip.
Sophomore Nora Bosslet, one of the student volunteers planning the trip, reflected on her partaking in the trip.
“It was a blast,” Bosslet said. “It was a great bonding experience for everyone and helped with the rest of the trimester.”
When Priggie isn’t at the church, in his office, or teaching Harry Potter class, Priggie can be found most afternoons down at the Carver Gymnasium playing badminton with students, friends, or other professors.
Priggie got started with badminton in college and has played ever since. “When I was a student here [Augustana] my roommate Melvin and I got involved with the badminton club on campus.”
Priggie went to Augustana College in 1970 and graduated in 1974. For him the soul of Augustana has remained the same. “I think the college has stayed the same because it still focuses on the individual,” Priggie said.
Priggie lives in Moline, Illinois with his wife Janice. Priggie has three children. Katherine, 28, Daniel, 22, and David, 20.