First Baptist Church
Deciding what church to go to while in college can be a challenge. Grove City College does not offer Sunday morning church services in Harbison Chapel. The reason is to have students get involved in the local community and to interact with those from their particular denomination. According to Admissions, “Grove City College is not affiliated with any denomination. Because students and faculty come from a wide variety of backgrounds, the College is best described as a broadly evangelical Christian institution.” Sunday mornings give students the opportunity to join a local congregation outside of Grove City College. Grove City College does offer Sunday evening services in Harbison Chapel at 6:30 p.m called Vespers. Dr. Keehlwetter, dean of the Chapel, is preaching a sermon series this semester during Vespers based on the life of Elijah, the prophet.
As a senior, I have done my share of church hopping through the years. I enjoy attending various churches and experiencing what each one has to offer. I will share a handful of the churches that I have visited, as well as some of the programs that each one has to offer.
East Main Presbyterian
The denomination of East Main is ECO (Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians). I have visited this church often. It is a 10-minute walk from campus which is convenient since freshmen are not allowed to have cars on campus. There is a traditional service at 9 a.m. which includes various choirs, traditional hymns, and organ playing. The 11 a.m. service involves more contemporary music and a band. The sermon, however, is the same regardless of what service time you attend. There is also a College Sunday School meeting at 10:05. I like this church because the attendance is quite large (many college students attend), there is a wide variety of ages in the congregation, and there is a Sunday School class just for college students. To find out more information visit: eastmainpc.org
First Baptist Church
I have also enjoyed attending First Baptist Church in Grove City. It is about a 10-minute drive from Grove City College. A van comes to campus to pick up students for both Sunday School and church if students do not have a car. There is Sunday School at 9:45, followed by a traditional church service at 11 a.m. There is also Sunday night worship at 6 p.m. and during the week there is a Bible study for college students. This church also has a healthy attendance. I appreciated the welcoming atmosphere and strong sermons taught here. When I visited here for the first time, I was greeted by more people than I had been greeted before in any other church I have visited. To find out more information visit: fbcgrovecity.org
Covenant Orthodox Presbyterian Church
This church is a member of the OPC (Orthodox Presbytery Church). It is located directly behind East Main Presbyterian, about a 10-minute walk from campus. I visited this church with some friends last semester. There is a large Sunday School service at 10am and then morning worship at 10:55 a.m. An evening service is also held at 6 p.m. There is no college Sunday School, but one adult class which is for high school students to adults. The church service is traditional, and many college students attend since it is within walking distance. My favorite thing about attending this church was the high-level of college students in attendance and the solid sermon. To find out more information visit: covenantopcgc.org/
Many other churches that are not within walking distance offer vans to take students to church. A complete list of local churches in the area can be found at:
http://www.gcc.edu/Home/Faith-Purpose/Campus-Ministries/Local-Churches
