| 'Mosaic Project' offers Christian
groups opportunity to commune |
by Elizabeth
Ashford
Staff Writer |
Local churches and Appalachian
State University student organizations come together
Nov. 9-11 to celebrate “The Mosaic Project.”
Chris Gambill, Baptist Campus Minister, along with
others from Grace Lutheran Church, Alliance, New
Life, and Campus Christian Fellowship, will collaborate
for the weekend event.
“This will be a good chance for Christians
on campus who are in different groups to commune
with each other,” Mandy R. Lynn, a sophomore
member of CCF, said.
Justin Wallace is CCF’s new campus minister
and is one of the leaders for the celebration.
“We will try to keep it simple, so that non-Christians
can come and hear our message … in an inviting
atmosphere,” Wallace said. “It will
be non-judgmental. The speaker will have a simple
invitation to Christ … hopefully people will
learn what Christianity is all about.”
The speaker will be Tom Foust, a former Missionary
from England. Foust will speak on the many different
aspects of “Giving of Yourself.”
“Nothing like this week has happened before
and will help open doors for other opportunities
… for groups who are of one denomination or
ethnic group to come together,” CCF member
Ben D. Shamberger said.
“Different is beautiful … we haven’t
done a very good job [with diversity] in the past,
but we are working on it,” Wallace said.
Wallace said that the celebration would help diversify
all campus groups.
Christianity has evolved over the years, leading
to a lot of fragmentation because of different worship
styles, church policies, language and cultural differences,
Gambill said. “This weekend will help us focus
on what we have in common and will give us an opportunity
to learn about how others worship and live …
just a chance to get to know each other,”
Gambill said. “Although we may not agree on
all that is said, you should use it as a learning
and growing experience, and an opportunity to be
challenged, to learn something new.”
“There is the possibility to bring unity,
or fail and create strife, it’s all in how
it’s handled,” David N. Brookshire,
senior Accounting major at Appalachian, said. Brookshire
said that there has been some competition between
different groups on campus and that hopefully this
weekend will bring more awareness of other groups.
The Mosaic Project will be held at Grace Lutheran,
Nov. 9-12 and will start at 7 p.m. A band will play
each night followed by a message from Tom Foust.
“Working alongside Jesus to help other people,”
is CCF’s motto, Wallace said.
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