College Faith : Sioux Falls

I was able to attend three church services at the Athens First United Methodist Church and gain insight on what it was like to be a weekly congregation member. While focusing on the members of the congregation and their mannerisms, the pastor and the way that the congregation was being addressed, and the overall routine of the service I was able to write-up the way that I felt and the things that I noticed while being present. I feel as if the Catholic and Methodist church are different and attending the mass was not something that I was used too. I was experiencing a different religion and church service. I felt like there was a sense of community at each service and I really liked the way that I personally felt welcome each time I went. I am not saying that the catholic church does not have a sense of community, maybe it is because Athens is a small town and members get to know each other very well or what but I felt a strong community vibe. I was able to focus in on the members specifically and the way that they interacted with one another and the pastor. Friendly, is the word that I would use to describe the members. Each person had a smile on their faces on entering and exiting the church. Reverend Robert McDowell did a wonderful job interacting and engaging with the congregation throughout the service. He wanted his people to listen and reflect on the words he was saying not just blankly listen to. Going to the Methodist church was an eye opening experience to me, realizing that going to church and being in college is not a bad thing. It takes up one hour of my time one day a week. This project made me realize the difference between religions and unfamiliar places and how it can be educational and exciting to

When I think of Messiah College, I think of resilient faith, knowledgeable professors, supportive colleagues, and a place to call home. During my undergraduate studies, my professors inspired me to be the best version of myself and to follow the path that God intended for me. After graduating from Messiah in 2016, I never stopped continuing my education and preparing for my future.

When I was a sophomore I was selected for the Missouri Scholars Academy. This single event changed my life forever. Missouri Scholars Academy is an intense three week program in which 330 of Missouri’s brightest individuals are gathered at the University of Missouri’s campus during the summer and attend classes, lectures, and activities. Before this adventure, I was always really shy. I was absolutely terrified to talk to “popular” kids and never uttered a word during class. But that was about to change.

The event or experience in my life that will influence my academic work and goals here at Colorado Christian University (CCU) is much more than a single event. I believe that everything in my life that has brought me to CCU to further my education and pursue God’s calling: helping people.

After arriving in Tennessee, my parents were very adamant about getting plugged into a church. I was raised in church but up until then, I went because I was told to. Usually I had to count ceiling lights or people in pews to keep from falling asleep during sermons. We attended countless services, but it wasn’t until one special Sunday that we found Sand Ridge Baptist Church. Unbeknownst to me, it would change my life.

After meeting Pastor Bobby Guerra I found to be very comfortable with the people and atmosphere. I kept going to service on a consistent base along with working and trying to get my life back on track that was one of the biggest struggles I’ve experienced only because I should have gotten it a long time ago and now trying to get it all back. I had got so comfortable with the church when they had invited me to their park outreaches for the community I was hesitant to go because I didn’t know if I was done with the past and the wreckage had haunted me.

Growing up in a Catholic household, I have always been an active member in the church as an alter server, interpreter, and assisting with

When I was around five or six years old, my family was stationed in El Paso, Texas after my dad came back from overseas. The church that my family attended every Sunday was the Church of God and Christ. The Church of God and Christ is where southerners say all of the “holy-rollers” attended or the overzealous Christians attended. My parents were not really holy-rollers themselves, but we attended this church because my dad wanted my family to attend to gain a sense of God and know about Christianity because he always attended church as a child while he was growing up in Mississippi and that helped him as he developed. He wanted my mother, sister, and I to be exposed to Christianity as well, especially my mom since she did not really attend church during her childhood.

Grand Canyon University is a Christian college that has been operating for over 65 years. Since their founding in 1949, they have maintained their biblical mission to promote Baptist values. Today, they are an interdenominational university that welcomes all students. Although they identity as a Christian university and maintain their foundational convictions, they focus on establishing an accepting missional community. That is, they cultivate people who are united in carrying out strategic missions and projects for the good of the community. Christine doctrines are essential, so they are committed to the foundational Baptist beliefs that distinguish it from other worldviews.

In 2014 the population of Germantown was 39,267. This was an increase of 423 people in 2010. Since Germantown is a smaller and affluent city I expected the majority of the population to be in the category of 65 and older. But contrary to my original thoughts in 2010 which was the last census only 16.1 percent of the population fit into that category. The age group that has the highest percentage is the age group that is 18 years or younger. This age group takes up 24.1 percent. Since the percentage of people 18 years or younger is so high it would be important for churches in Germantown to have various types of youth ministry. Service projects and after school activities would be a great way to reach the large percentage of youth.

Ryan Moline and I sat down before the service and I got to ask him some questions about the youth group and himself. He graduated from Spring Arbor University and while going there he volunteered at Spring Arbor Free Methodist Church working with the youth group. He has now been a fulltime pastor of the young teens for 3 years making his total amount of time there 6 and a half years. Being the pastor of the young teens he mostly spends time preparing for the Sunday night youth group and the Wednesday night youth group: making up lessons, planning games, making sure he has all the leaders he needs, and setting up the outline for the night. He also plans the youth groups retreat or mission trip they are having that year. Finally, he also is looking ahead for the year, this means coming up with general ideas for the months, figuring out what they will talk about and when they will talk about it.

The First United Methodist Church of Lindale has become a second family that I spend time worshiping with. FUMC Lindale has been my only church, and I began learning about Christ before I can remember. For a while, I even went to school in my church! I participated in children's programs such as BIG, sunday school, and summer camp. Growing up in the traditional service, I became a regular Acolyte. This began as a terrifying experience, but grew into a wonderful appreciation of being part of the service. Each experience within this church is valuable to myself and many others I introduced to my church. Many of them followed until Conformation where we learned about the importance and structure of our church along with Biblical text . Following

Gary United Methodist Church is a small congregation of less than fifty members with an average worship attendance of ten or less. The congregational leaders, known as the administrative council, are looking for ways to increase attendance, which has been dwindling over the last few decades, and find new ways to engage in mission work in their small northern Minnesota community of less than 3,000. A decrease in employment opportunities over the last thirty years and the shutdown of two major employers in the town have led to the mass exiting of families with children. The town has several properties that are either condemned or dilapidated. Recently their schools combined with a neighboring town to offset the lack of enrollment and suspend the closing of both sets of schools.

Perhaps it was because I’m Catholic and not Pentecostal. Everyone in the sanctuary was moving around and socializing. Members of the church walked to the front of the altar and praised by the means of the Holy Spirit. It was a lot the different than my church but it was really a great experience. The members of the church raise their hands, kneel to god, and speak in tongues. Speaking in tongues simply means speaking to God in a way that they don’t understand themselves because the Holy Spirit fills their body. Another thing that was different about this church was the choir. Their choir was amazing and every selection they sung made me feel good inside. I got chills from some of the notes they hit. This church was very prompt and orderly. It started with a prayer from one of the Deacons of the church. The deacon openly asked the congregation for prayer requests and testimonies. One young lady gave a testimony about how she wanted to thank God for letting her see another day and healing her from cancer. It was also a special service honoring the Olive Branch Police Department. I’ve never seen anything like that during a church service, it was really amazing and touching. Another thing they did that was uncommon to me was an altar call. Towards the end of the service Elder Shannon called for an altar call. Altar call is when the members of the church go up to the altar for prayer.

We had just moved across town from League City, Texas to Cypress, Texas, and my husband Mark and just moved his business from Downtown, Texas to Cypress, Texas. And this is the part where God was working, as we were seeking the place where He wanted us to be. I had been talking with my sister, who was helping me settle into our new house, and telling her that we were interested in finding a non-denominational church, and wouldn’t it be wonderful if it could be close by. While my sister was reading the “subdivision newsletter”, and this was all taking place while we were talking about where to attend church, she jumped out of the chair she was sitting in, ran over to me and said, “Bunnie, here is the church you are looking for, it is right in the neighborhood”. Of course, I was so excited, and promptly told my husband we have to go and check this church out. So, that Sunday we went to what started out as Fairfield Christian Fellowship, and today is known as Fountain of Life Church of God, pastored by John and Kerry LaLonde. The church met at that time in the pastor’s home, so it was a smaller church body, with about 30 people in attendance that particular Sunday. Everyone was welcoming and friendly, the praise and worship was wonderful, the uncompromised word of God preached, that is when we knew this is where God wanted