Article by Brittany Miller • Photograph by Matt Stevens
Mount Olive College has seen a tremendous increase in the amount of campus activities available for students. The Campus Activity Board (CAB) and Julie Beck have teamed up in order to insure that students have an opportunity to get out of their dorm rooms and interact with fellow students outside of the classroom.Not only is it important to begin taking steps to further increase student participation on campus, but also it is necessary to bridge the gap between the college and the surrounding community.
The First Baptist Church in Mount Olive is taking the initiative to get college students off campus and into a Christ-filled atmosphere.
Beginning this Sunday, February 7, the First Baptist Church is kicking off a brand new service entitled Fresh Start. This service will begin at 9 a.m. with coffee, juice, and other breakfast items being served each morning at 8:30 a.m.
Fresh Start is a part of a two-year plan created by the church called Vision 2012. This plan was put into effect in order for the church to become more intentional in their ministry.
Reverend Felicia Fox, Minister of Youth and Children at First Baptist Church, explained that the church felt God leading them to provide a place for the MOC community to connect with residents of Mount Olive. “Since many students are away from home we want to create a place for them to find support and a community.”
The service is geared to appeal to high school and college students. However, there will be a variety of people involved in the service.
The Fresh Start Band is made up of MOC students. George Mitchell is leading the band as the music intern and is using the musical talents of Brandi Whitley, Audrey Owens and Brian Parnell in delivering the music for each service.
Reverend Fox would like more college student involvement as the service continues. “As the service develops there will be more opportunities for other students to participate. We want this service to be a place where people can come and experience God in a new fresh way.”The service is going to contain a mixture of celebration, contemplation, proclamation, and participation. The idea for the new service is to mix ancient and contemporary worship styles together.
The First Baptist Church also plans on including a variety of other creative elements to be used during worship. They will rely on visual arts, PowerPoint, video clips, drama and dance.
“The service will be unpredictable and never follow the same pattern,” explained Rev. Fox. “This will be a service where people should come expecting the unexpected.”
Worshippers may be asked to participate in the service by interacting with or creating their own art. Communion will also be a part of the service on monthly bases.
The church bus is providing transportation for students. The bus will pick students up at 8:30 a.m. in the Kornegay Arena parking lot.
In addition to Fresh Start, the church is also hosting Oasis. Oasis will be a time for college students to hangout every Monday night from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The youth minister at Mount Olive Presbyterian Church, Chase Smith, came up with the idea for Oasis.
The Christian Life Center youth room at First Baptist Church will be used to host the college students. There will be two flat screen televisions, an Xbox, a pool table, and a ping-pong table for everyone to enjoy. There will not be any program, Bible Study or worship time. This will be simply just hang out time.
Different churches will provide the refreshments and hosts for each night. The purpose for Oasis is to provide a casual place for members from different churches to meet and form relationships with Mount Olive College students.
First Baptist Church will host the month of February and Mount Olive Presbyterian Church is hosting the month of March. Currently, Reverend Fox is in the process of finding other churches to host the other nights.
Oasis will take place every Monday night beginning in February and lasting until May.
Branch out this semester! Take part in the activities being planned both on and off campus. Contact First Baptist Church for further information.
First Baptist Church
300 N. Chestnut Street, Mount Olive, NC 28365
Phone 919.658.2062
Dr. Dennis Atwood, Pastor
Rev. Felicia Fox, Minster to Children and Youth
