Starting next week, Seventh-day Adventist students will be able to attend weekly meetings for Bible study and prayer.
Adventist Students for Christ is a new registered student organization that aims to build the Christian community on campus through Biblical study and by providing a network of support for its members.
The vision for the group started with former student Torib Uchel. When Uchel graduated and began medical school, occupational therapy junior Ethan Booms stepped up to the president position.
While the group became a registered student organization during last winter semester, finding a time to meet proved difficult. As a result, this semester will be the first for the group to have official meetings.
Meetings will be Tuesday nights beginning Oct. 2. The exact time and place are to be determined.
According to OrgSync, the goal of meetings is “studying the Bible and using it as the source of truth, as well as provide support and prayer for anybody who needs it.”
The Bible studies will feature open discussion about a pre-planned topic. Pastor Ben Garcia, a pastor at a local Saginaw Adventist church, will be a part of the studies and available to answer students’ questions. The meetings will also allow for members to build a network of support and pray for and with each other.
In addition to Bible studies, the group would like to host guest speakers and raise money for charity groups.
Adventist Students for Christ is based in the beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists, a denomination of Christianity that believes in the seventh-day Sabbath, which means their day of rest and worship is on Saturday instead of Sunday.
Despite the differences between Christian denominations, the goal of Adventist Students for Christ is not to divide Christians with slightly different beliefs. Booms stressed the similarities between Christians, realizing that differing groups are united in their goal of spreading the gospel message.
“The main thing … is the belief in Christ,” he said.
Just as Adventist Students for Christ is not opposed to Christians of other denominations, they are also not in opposition with any other Christian organization on campus.
“We’re not here to take away from other organizations,” he said.
While acknowledging the positive impact of other groups, Adventist Students for Christ’s leaders realized that there was no community on campus available specifically for Adventists.
“There are other people that need to be reached,” Booms said.
He compared this idea to the fact that one specific church or television program can’t and won’t reach everyone.
Currently, Adventist Students for Christ consists of about six people, including Booms, vice-president Kayla Messing and treasurer Katie Conlon. Once the official time and place have been decided for meetings, the group will begin publicity to begin attracting more involvement,
If you have any questions or would like more information, contact Ethan Booms at [email protected].
Faith Corner is dedicated to covering religious communities on- and off-campus. It is unbiased, informational and not confined to any denominations or religions. Contact Marlin Jenkins by email, .
