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It’s a desire we all have, found deep within the human heart: to have a group of people who have your back, a circle of friends who can support, encourage, celebrate, and comfort you. Building community takes vulnerability and sacrifice. On the other side of intentional work, community provides accountability and close friendships

Professor Jay LeBlanc had already been a close family friend for years now. However, last chapel, I got curious about his involvement with Joyful Noise, Huntington University’s student worship band. So, this past week I asked Jay if I could informally interview him about his experience as head of Joyful Noise.

If you asked me four years ago if I thought going to a Christian university would push me to become stronger in my faith, I would have told you the choice was too safe. I had so many doubts, but this one was the loudest: If I was surrounded by like-minded people and consistent messages of faith, would I be prepared to live in the “real world” when I graduated?

Looking back at last year, one of my regrets is that I did not participate much in floor worship. Luckily, I am only a sophomore with plenty of time to make up for what I missed and encourage others to do the same.

With the busyness of classes, internships, practices, and social lives, the individual importance of each spiritual life experience is sometimes lost. We tend to turn these meaningful times of worship into a 45-minute period of waiting for a QR code. Drawing from my personal experience at a chapel service, I hope that you can see the invaluable impact that spiritual life events can have in your life if you are attentive and have an open heart.

My family knew little about the Church of the United Brethren in Christ when I visited Huntington University as a prospective student. Nevertheless, my Christian parents and I were confident that HU would support my spiritual growth. I know now that this had much to do with HU’s relationship with the UB denomination.

The right place for you will align with your core beliefs and provide an environment that will encourage you to grow in your faith. Both doctrine and a personal sense of connection are going to be important.

Before the school year began, I was racked with uncertainty about the workload and how well I could keep up. Additionally, I wondered how I would manage to balance my schoolwork, social life, mental health, etc. Nevertheless, my first semester went surprisingly smoothly.

Earning your ministry degree from a liberal arts college also allows you to try new things within your field of interest. One semester you might work with a local youth group and help an established youth pastor. The next summer you might participate in an internship that allows you to lead worship or be responsible for children’s ministry. And the next year you might be able to teach a Sunday school class. These types of experiences give you great ministry perspective and allow you to learn from established leaders. Again, all helping you to shape your worldview!

At a Christian nursing school like Huntington University, nursing students learn all the practical knowledge and skills to be successful nurses and develop their emotional health to provide care with a servant’s heart. In a field like maternal and child health, nurses have abundant opportunity to connect with those in need. They can share their faith or simply serve the Lord by loving and caring for their patients.