Kairos News College students retreat to Rogersville to worship, study, and SERVE
January 5th, 2012
From December 16-18, Kairos On Campus (OC) left for a weekend winter retreat in Rogersville, Tennessee. But it wasn't your typical getaway.
Usually, church or ministry retreats veer toward being a weekend for people to spiritually recharge, relax, and reconnect. But this year, OC readjusted the philosophy, adding service into the mix of discipleship and worship.
On Saturday, 28 students served alongside Of One Accord Ministry in the Appalachia area, filling 400 food boxes, including slicing and dicing up 5,000 pounds of fudge, then sorting it into 6,700 containers to be shared with the community.
Later that evening, they hosted two Christmas parties for more than 150 underprivileged families—providing and serving dinner, playing with kids, talking to parents, performing a nativity skit, and presenting the gospel. After it was all said and done, three little children became children of God, making the decision to follow Him with their lives.
On Sunday morning, three students were invited to share their stories on WRGS 94.5 FM, a local radio station. Cathy said, "Sheldon Livesay, the director of Of One Accord, invited them. They've never had a group to come up and just participate. People usually do the Christmas parties and then leave. He was so impressed these college kids gave up their time to be with people they didn't know."
At the end of the retreat, Of One Accord sent back 10 boxes of Hallmark stuffed animals with OC to be given to Set Free Nashville, a ministry partner back home in Nashville.
"They wanted to be a part of the work Kairos is doing in our own city," Cathy said. "We blessed them so much by going that they wanted to bless us in return. We're going to let Project 615 give them out this year."
Sarah Moffett, who was on the trip, said, "I left my heart there when we drove away." According to Cathy, that's what Christmas is about and that's why the format this year was unique. Service opportunities are one of the major components OC is using to lay a foundation in college students for the future.
Cathy said, "This isn't about us. God didn't put us here to hole away and not give of ourselves. As college students, its all about them right now. During the Christmas season, I wanted to show them that part of our worship is to do for others. God sent Jesus for us, so, in turn, we are sent because of Him."