On Tuesday, Sept. 2, churches and ministries from throughout the Grand Rapids area gathered in the Hoogenboom gym for Calvin’s annual Church and Ministry Fair. Hundreds of students gathered in the gym to browse the tables covered in pamphlets and snacks as well as to explore the different resources available at Calvin and in the greater Grand Rapids area. 

University Pastor Mary Hulst said that Calvin began doing the Church and Ministry Fair as more churches appeared in the area. “When Calvin first started, the campus was built far away from any churches, and so way back when I was a student, we had a morning worship service at 11 [a.m.] and an evening worship service at 6 [p.m.],” Pastor Mary said. “Gradually, as this area built up and there were more churches here, we realized we did not have to provide that service, and we really wanted students to get involved in local churches.”

Churches from all different denominations attended the fair, including Christian Reformed, Presbyterian, Catholic, Baptist and many more. Chimes had the opportunity to talk with some of the attending churches and ask them about the importance of joining a local church.

Eliza Henry, from Encounter Church, noted that with Calvin’s large population of international students — and other students who come from far away — joining a local church is “really great for them to continue to stay connected, especially when you don’t go home for holidays… [or] for the summer.”

But even for students who live closer to Calvin, Henry said joining a local church is also just a great way “to get connected outside of Calvin, because it’s really easy to stay in a bubble here, but there’s so much to experience outside of what Calvin has to offer.”

Adeline Borti with City of Refuge Church also stressed the importance of helping connect international students. “Because students come from diverse places, diverse backgrounds… some of them need to connect to churches that they think their background really resonates with. … h…. We have students coming from India, Sri Lanka, Colombia, all over, 11 countries,” She said that it’s important to connect students with people from the same countries or cultural backgrounds, as “that makes them feel at home.”

Matt Stone, from Faith Baptist Church, said, “God calls us not to just live as individuals in Christ, but he actually calls us to be a part of his body… The pastors are there to equip the church for the work of ministry, not to do all the work of ministry… if you’re kind of stuck on campus… you’re missing a blessing that I think God has built for his people to engage in. And not just are you missing something for you to be blessed by, but you have gifts as an individual to serve the body of Christ too. There’s people that need you.”

When asked why it’s important for students to connect to an off-campus church, instead of only on-campus ministries, Hulst responded that off-campus churches help give students a broader perspective on what Christian community is. “One of the joys of going to an off-campus church on Sunday is that you’re reminded that the body of Christ is larger than 18 to 22-year-olds,” she said.

Hulst also stressed the importance of students treating their time in college as a time of church exploration. “So the four years that you have here at Calvin are great preparation to figure out, ‘what do I appreciate about a church?’” she said. “‘How do I want to serve in a church? What matters to me most when I’m looking for a church? Do I want big or small or certain styles of worship? Is it important to me if women are involved?’ And you get to explore all those things while you’re in your college years.”

Hulst advises students searching for a church that “You will never find the perfect church, but you can find many that will be perfectly fine for right now. So don’t get discouraged, keep trying. It’s a lot easier if you do it with friends.”