Month: December 2017

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A Crash Course in ICO Trips

ICO (Inner City Outreach) trips are a unique component of the campus ministry opportunities offered at Grove City College. These trips, often taking place during breaks within the school year, allow teams of students to travel and share God’s love in cities around the world. The teams often partner with a church or a local mission organization during their stay. Being a part of ICO trips myself, I have first-hand experience with how impactful these experiences can be. With so many options for interested students, it can be difficult to choose. In order to hopefully remedy this situation, below is a list of many trips offered at the College and a short summary that can provide insight to frequently asked questions.

ICO Arizona (Tucson, Arizona)

During Spring Break, the Arizona team stays at Life in Christ Community Church. The church is located right in the middle of a neighborhood located in the outskirts of Tucson. Throughout the week, the team spends time completing labor-intensive service projects at the church. The church building is quite old, and congregation members often do not have the time or finances available to keep up with projects throughout the year. The team also spends a lot of time engaging in outreach projects alongside Life in Christ Community Church. For example, spending time assisting a feeding ministry at the church and aiding local homeowners in the neighborhood with home projects. The team also enjoys hearing radical testimonies of many members of the congregation. The cost fluctuates with air fare, but is usually around $550.

“[A favorite memory from the trip] was walking up Mt. Tumamock the last night and seeing the beautiful view of Tucson. Here, the team shares stories of how they saw the Lord work each day.” – Sarah W.

ICO Arizona 2017

ICO Guatemala (San Andres, Sajcabaja)

The Guatemala team travels to Hogar de Vida Orphanage in San Andres, Sajcabaja over Spring Break. They spend time playing with the children and helping complete service projects at the orphanage. Typically, these projects include painting and laying concrete. Sometimes, the team makes a trip to a nearby aldea (village) to minister and serve the people that live there. The team strives to show the love of Christ to whomever they serve. The cost of the trip is between $1500- 1800, but due to fundraising usually a small fraction of this is out of pocket.

“My favorite memory was having a cookout and bonfire on our last night at the orphanage. The leaders in charge of the oprhanage, Sebastian and Oralia, shared their testimonies and spoke on how God had led them to Hogar de Vida. Everyone from the orphanage and on our team gathered together to fellowship and spend one last evening together. It was a great time to wrap up our trip and had another chance to spend a little more time with the people.” – Joel S.

ICO Guatemala 2017

ICO Chicago (Chicago, Illinois) 

During Spring Break, the Chicago team resides at Central Assembly of God, a church on the outside of Chicago. Generally, the team splits their time three ways during the day.  This year, they are going to spend their mornings partnering with Pacific Garden Missions, where they will help serve lunch and set up dorms for the homeless. In the afternoons, the team will spend their time working on a construction project at Living Hope Church. In the evenings, the team will return to Central Assembly of God to run a Vacation Bible School for the neighborhood kids. The cost for the trip is around $230.

“My favorite memory would be VBS at the end of week my second year. One of the kids asked for a Bible, but we couldn’t find any children’s Bibles available to hand out. One of our trip participants offered her own personal Bible to this kid, and watching this exchange happen was an incredibly experience I will never forget.” – Alex H.

ICO Chicago 2017

ICO Los Angeles (Los Angeles, California)

The Los Angeles team spends their time serving at the Dream Center – an outreach organization in Los Angeles for the duration of Spring Break. The team doesn’t know their specific schedule until they get there, but they generally do two outreaches every day. In the past, these experiences have included a Skid Row outreach, food truck outreach, “Kidzjam” which is like a VBS, cleaning churches, assisting the men and women in the discipleship program with their daily tasks and chores, after school tutoring. The team has an abundance of opportunities to do street evangelism during the week. Although this is daunting for some team members, they have seen God’s faithfulness through and through. The cost for this trip is dependent on air fare, but usually around $850.

“I’ve been on the trip two years in a row and the first year, I met a woman named Katie who was in the discipleship program. I remember her giving her testimony in church the first day we were there and then me and a few other girls on the trip got to hang out with her during the week while we helped her clean a classroom. She had grown up in an abusive home and got into some pretty rough stuff throughout high school, which eventually led to a meth addiction and various unhealthy relationships. She said she had come to the Dream Center as a last resort after recognizing the hopelessness she felt. The next year I went on ICO LA, we were on a food truck outreach and I saw Katie. She was no longer in the discipleship program – she had graduated from it, free of addiction and with a solidified identity in Christ. She is now serving full time through the Dream Center – leading the food truck outreach every day. I got to talk to her and was SO encouraged by how the LORD has transformed her life. How drastically her life had changed in just one year! God is SO GOOD!” -Rebekah R.

ICO LA 2017

ICO Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA)

The Philadelphia team works alongside the Philadelphia Project. The team stays with the Philadelphia Project interns’ house during Spring Break. The team serves by completing construction projects, serving the homeless, and helping with the Philadelphia Project’s preschool and after school programs. The cost is around $330.

“My favorite memories include all the car ride jams, Chinese fire drills, and silly games we play with each other and the staff at the Philadelphia Project. On a more serious note, the time sharing testimonies was very influential and good for personal and team growth.” – Darla M.

ICO Philadelphia 2017

 

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Churches Around Grove City

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

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Freshmen Fitness Class: What is It?

The new Fitwell uniforms.

Entering my freshmen year at Grove City College, I knew that there was a required fitness course, but I had no idea what to expect. I figured it would be some sort of unorganized mess of putting students in a gym and having us play various sports for the required 50 minutes, twice a week. However, my expectations were wrong. The required fitness course is called “Fitwell” and is very organized.

According to the Department of Physical Education, “The required Fitness and Wellness courses for both men and women are designed to give each incoming student an awareness of personal fitness and wellness. The evaluation process for each student is comprised of written examinations, skill tests, special projects, swimming evaluations, and fitness appraisals. The ultimate goal is to provide an opportunity for each student to develop a personal responsibility for his/her own lifestyle.”

Fitwell is a one-credit course which freshmen will take both their fall and spring semester. The first section of the course covers about half of the fall semester. It is lecture based, and men and women are split up. In the lecture section, I learned about nutrition, injuries, living a healthy lifestyle, and health disorders. I also had to complete a weekly meal log and recorded all of my meals for a week. Then I looked at the nutrition breakdown charts and compared them to the suggested calories for my specific height, weight, and activity level. It made me more aware of what I was eating and how it is a choice of whether to eat healthy.

The second half of the first semester, and the rest of the spring semester is lab based. Students will pick their top lab choices and then will go to work-out during the allotted time for Fitwell. There are many choices which include: circuit training, swimming, aerobic conditioning, walk/jog/run, weightlifting, and more.

The first lab I chose was circuit training. This involved high-intensity workouts for about 60 second intervals. Some of the stations included: step ups, jump rope, and planks. Circuit training is used to increase endurance and stamina. For the end of the lab, we had to come up with our own circuit training program. We had to take pictures of the various exercises and decide how many reps to complete. I enjoyed this lab because it was a great workout and changing stations made the workouts interesting.

The second lab I did was called aerobic conditioning. It involved longer workout sessions. One of the workouts we did were kickboxing, we watched a video and followed along. At the end of every workout, we measured our heartrate to see if we were in the target range for our specific age group. I also enjoyed this lab because of the wide variety of workouts and the longer workout sessions.

The last lab I did was walk/jog/run. This was a more individualized course because we went at our own pace and counted how many laps we completed in a certain amount of time. We also ran the mile at the beginning of the course, and then tried to improve on that time by the end of the course. I enjoyed this lab because it was so individualized, and inside the gym there is a track which made it easy to know how far I had run.

Overall, Fitwell is a great way to meet new people in the freshman class and get a break from the lecture atmosphere!

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Big News: Free Laundry!

Free laundry! Yes, this year at Grove City College, the laundry is included in tuition. No longer will students need to add money to their ID card or search for quarters in their drawers. “It’s amazing! I don’t have to pay for laundry anymore!” says Abby Jopek, a sophomore.

Not only is there no charge for laundry, the laundry rooms have also been updated and new washers and dryers have been installed over the summer. According to Operations, “the washing machines and dryers in Hicks, Memorial, Lincoln, Hopeman, Ketler, Alumni, Harker, MAP North and MAP South have been replaced. These laundry rooms were also cleaned and painted. MEP and MAP West’s washers and dryers were previously replaced and painted approximately one year ago.”

Laundry rooms are located in every dorm building, typically on every floor. The freshmen woman’s dorm hall, for example, has two washers and two dryers on every floor. The washers and dryers are very simple to use. According to the instructions posted on the wall, the washers are High-Efficiency, so it is suggested to use detergent that has a HE label. Simply put your clothes in the washer, add the detergent, select the cycle, and press go! No more inserting coins or running to the Student Union to add money to your ID card. I remember on many occasions last year, putting my laundry in the machines and not having enough money on my ID card to start the cycle. It was the middle of winter and snow covered the ground. I made the trek to the Student Union to add cash to my ID card, and then returned to start laundry. Thankfully, I do not even have to worry now about how much money is on my card!

The laundry facilities are also high tech. Many times in previous years, I found myself hauling my full laundry bag to the laundry room, only to find all the washers full. I would then proceed to go up the stairs to the next laundry room, only to be met with the same dilemma again! However, this is no longer a problem thanks to the “LaundryView Mobile” which allows students to see on their phone what washers and dryers are available in every building. The app says which washer or dryer is empty, and if it is running, it says how much time is remaining in the cycle. There are also text notifications, where students can be notified when their laundry is finished.

New folding tables and baskets are also available for use. The benefit of having a table to fold clothes on is that it is a great place to place unclaimed laundry. Sometimes students forget about their clothing in the washers or dryers, so putting their finished clothes on the table is an acceptable way to free up space so others can do their laundry. There is also a basket designated in some laundry rooms for missing socks and miscellaneous clothing items.

Now, when it is time to do laundry, I do not worry about having to stuff the machine as full as possible to save $1. The new technology, new machines, and no charge laundry has been a great addition to Grove City College.

 

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It Is Okay to Be Undeclared: Part 1

From the time kids are young, they are constantly bombarded with questions regarding a future career. “What do you want to be when you grow up?” This question often evokes responses such as ballerina, President, veterinarian, or basketball player. As kids mature, their responses change due to altering interests and realistic possibilities. Suddenly, it is senior year of high school. Students are urged to select a college and figure out what field of study to pursue. This is a daunting, nerve-wracking decision. High school students face additional pressures to perform academically, athletically, musically, and socially.

With large decisions looming overhead and daily pressures at school, it is common for high school students to feel overwhelmed, and why wouldn’t this be the case?

My senior year of high school, I had no idea what career would be best for me. I was involved in a variety of teams and organizations and I did not have a predisposition in any subject. I felt adrift. I felt as though not being able to define a specific career path interest made me a failure in some way. I wanted so badly to feel like I was able to successfully leverage my strengths and define a major. When I decided to attend Grove City College after I was accepted Early Decision, I was relieved to have ended the college search process. However, I latched onto a new cause of stress: declaring a major.

I did not end up declaring a major until spring finals week of freshman year. I survived a year of dodging extended family questions about future plans at holiday gatherings. I was able to withstand awkward introductions with peers who wish to remember you simply by your name and major. I took classes in a variety of disciplines. If I can do it, you can to. I want to encourage anyone who is facing a similar situation, because I have been there. And I am here to say that it is perfectly okay to be undeclared.

I know you have probably heard that before. At this point, you might even be more frustrated every time someone tries to comfort you with these words. But guess what? You do not have to know exactly what you want to do right away, even if your best friends do. Maybe you will even declare a major and it will change, and then change again. Be patient. Be kind to yourself. I wish I would have spent more time excitedly embracing courses and opportunities instead of being focused on frustrations when a discipline did not quite work for me. The best academic advice I can give is to be strategic in experimenting. Try to evaluate your strengths and define personal goals. Align your major with what you know to be true about yourself.

But this is not the advice I want to stress.

A beautiful component of big decisions like college majors is that God allows us to choose. He does not (in many cases) make a future career very clear. Rather, we should seek to find rest in Him. We should rejoice in his sovereignty and goodness, and trust in His plan. At the end of the day, it is important to remember that as Christians, our identity does not come from a college major; it comes from Christ. If your identity rests in Christ, you should be relieved. Your biggest, daunting decision has already been made. You have made the life- altering choice to become a Christian. The smaller pieces, like college majors, will fall into place. Seek the Lord, and wholeheartedly commit to trusting his plan.

Reflect on Jeremiah 29:11, a verse that has become very meaningful to me. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”