Milligan’s campus ministry program, Vespers, will continue its commitment to faith integration by launching small groups across campus. The student-led groups began on September 18 and have been meeting once a week to discuss faith-related topics of their choosing.
Vespers is a weekly student-led worship service that takes place Sunday nights. Roughly 75 students gather in lower Seeger to begin the night with worship, followed by a sermon from a student or a faculty member. In coordination with Rich Aubrey, Milligan’s campus minister, the Vespers leadership team decided last spring to host small groups. In past years, Milligan occasionally hosted small groups led by faculty and staff. These sessions lasted roughly six weeks. According to Aubrey, students have recently expressed the desire to make the small group experience more of an ongoing habit.
The Vespers leadership team began meeting last spring preparing to launch small groups for the upcoming fall semester. They studied possible topics and themes for the groups, as well as explored how they would operate.
According to Junior Caden Heupel, the small groups’ director, there will be five groups with 10-12 students. Two groups will meet on Mondays, one at 10 a.m and another at 7 p.m. On Thursdays there will be one at 7:30 p.m. and the last group will be on Sundays at 2 p.m.
Students will be able to earn one SFP point for each of the first five sessions they attend. Students that are interested in joining a small group will fill out a google form by the Vespers team. Once Vespers receives the final number of students who are interested, they will divide them evenly among the groups.
Each group leader will be responsible for preparing the study and discussion for each session. After every meeting, the leader will submit a report to Aubrey that includes attendance and other details.
“This will help with any necessary improvement, and allow me to have regular contact with each leader,” Aubrey said.
The desire to make campus ministry more student-centered has also shaped Vesper’s current model. According to Aubrey, small groups will give students a chance to build genuine and trusting relationships, in hopes of cultivating a greater sense of community.
“We are hoping these groups create an opportunity for ongoing fellowship for students in a significantly more intimate setting than chapel or convocation,” he said. “It will be another opportunity for Milligan students to live and learn together.”
Senior Tiara Harvey, Milligan’s SGA president, also hopes that small groups will bring students together in a close-knit community.
“I think it’ll be especially good for those who have a hard time meeting new people,” she said. “There’s an opportunity for students to make friendships that could last a lifetime.”
Vespers is hoping to see a rise of student leadership across campus past their regular night Sunday service. Senior Lauren Petty noted that group leaders will have the chance to grow their leadership skills and deepen peer connections.
“We want to provide an authentic community for students around campus, at any possible time,” Petty said.
Sophomore Patricia Chellah is excited to see how small groups will impact students and campus ministry.
“I hope these sessions will facilitate good discussions and wisdom,” she said. “Students will be able to learn from each other as well as from the word of God.”
Headline photo by Chase McGlamery