When it comes to your faith, where do you fit in? As of 2022, 66% of American college students identify as Christian. Religion is a very personal thing, and finding the correct community to practice your beliefs with is a major stressor for those new to campus or to the faith itself. Here at Fairmont State University, we have a large variety of Christian religious organizations for students to choose from. When I first came to Fairmont State in the Fall of 2021, I was overwhelmed by my options. I had left the church I grew up in over three hours away, so I started looking for a religious community to worship with. It took me some time and I eventually found my place, but for many the choice is overwhelming and can be the factor stopping them from exploring the communities available on campus. To help shed light on the complexities of Fairmont State’s spiritual groups, four Christian organizations are featured here to help you decide which religious path you want to take during your time here at Fairmont State University.
Chi Alpha is one of the largest student organizations at Fairmont State University and the best known religious group to students and staff alike. Chi Alpha is a national non-denominational Christian organization that serves over 300 colleges across the country. The Fairmont chapter has been active for 25 years and maintains an extensive community that extends from new freshman to graduate students to even post-graduate students. As Erin Rice, a graduate of Fairmont State and staff member of Chi Alpha said “Over these years, students have become followers of Jesus, who make disciples that make disciples. Some of these students have become staff team members after graduation and some have even gone to other campuses to start Chi Alpha.”. Members of Chi Alpha look for those students who do not yet know Jesus or are searching for a new church upon their arrival to campus and invite them to learn and grow in the faith. The Fairmont State Chi Alpha’s main goal as a college religious organization is to reconcile students to Christ through supportive communities, prayer, worship, fellowship, discipleship, and mission work with the overall goal of transforming the university and the world for Christ. Students in this organization are granted many opportunities to explore and develop in their faith through their Life Groups, mission trips, and bible study. Chi Alpha meets as both full worship sessions and smaller bible study groups. If you value discipleship and devotion to Jesus and wish to foster a closer relationship with Christ through your relationships to the community, Chi Alpha is the religious organization for you! The main worship takes place weekly at 7:30pm on Monday nights at the Trinity Assembly of God church, and more personal small group interactions happen through Life Groups, which meet weekly based on the availability of each group’s members. Check out when the next Life Group meetings are on their Instagram @fairmont_chi_alpha or speak with a representative at one of their various tables around campus to learn more.
Delight Ministries is tightly knit book study group for college women. Delight Ministries currently serves over 200 colleges across the country, and despite having only started at Fairmont State University last fall, this medium sized group is ever expanding and happy to welcome any ladies regardless of denomination that wants to help create a Christ-centered community for girls that they feel safe and comfortable in. Meetings focus on a religious reading chosen by the Delight Headquarters, where every member gets the same reading to discuss over the course of a 10-weeks study. Delight promotes a safe and reflective community that allows Christian women to be vulnerable by being open and true to themselves and Christ by holding each other accountable for their faith. Megan Noss, the Delight Team Director says on the power vulnerability: “By being vulnerable, it helps us grow in our faith.”. If you are looking for a faith-driven community with other Christian women who will become your friends and family, Delight is the religious organization for you! Delight Ministries meets every Thursday at 7pm in Turley 106. Learn more by following them on Instagram @delight_fairmontstate or by joining them in decorating coffee mugs and enjoying a coffee bar at their upcoming “Pumpkin Spice and Everything Delight” event on September 23rd.
The Catholic Student Union is an up and coming religious organization with a wide variety of options for worship and service. This organization works closely with the Newman Center, the Roman Catholic chapel on campus which is located just across the street from Bryant Place. The Catholic Student Union offers a wide variety of ways to worship, so no matter how you like to practice the faith there is an option for you. Having tripled in size in the past three years, this Fairmont original group is Catholic-focused organization that is open to all who want to know Christ and grow within him, no matter your walk of life. “We are people that are here to help you with anything that we can, no matter who you are.” says Liz Waszkiewicz, President of the Catholic Student Union, “We want to see God grow on campus, not exclude anyone.”. They invite everyone to come to the church for a free meal, good conversation, and a friendly community. Members strive to be a helping hand to the community, connect with others, be a safe place for all, and a place for people to get to know God on a deeper level. The Catholic Student Union embraces the idea “We are all disciples, we are called to serve others.”, and calls members to share – share the good news of the gospel, share what interests you, share yourself with the community, and share with others what Jesus has shared with you. Weekly mass occurs every Sunday night at 5pm in the Newman Center. Falcons on Fire, a facilitated small group discussions on religious readings from the gospel-exploration book “The Word on Fire” take place every Monday night at 6pm. Dinner is offered after Sunday Mass, Falcons of Fire, and during Community Nights, and those who worship through acts of service are invited to share their recipes and cooking abilities with the community. The Catholic Student Union meets the first Tuesday of the month, where they are currently planning a pilgrimage to Rome over the summer. The Fall 2024 book club is currently in the process of being established, so stay tuned! If you are interested in joining a Ministry of Friendship that encourages you to live the faith as good examples of Christianity on campus in in the world while giving back to the community through service and good works, the Catholic Student Union is the religious organization for you! Come visit the Newman Center on October 9th to celebrate the Feast of John Henry Newman at Community Night. Dinner will be served at 6pm and at 7pm the craft of the night, print making, will begin. Follow their Instagram @catholicstudentunion.fsu and join the conversation on CALLED at https://invite.called.app/EccLFH.
Baptist Campus Ministries is a longstanding worship group that has had a presence on campus for over 30 years, with the Fairmont chapter starting officially 8 years ago. Funded by the West Virginia Baptist Convention, Fairmont is one of nine colleges across the state that hosts a chapter of this organization. This group focuses on Baptist beliefs but is open to everyone who love Jesus no matter the denomination. “We want everyone to know that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and that he made the ultimate sacrifice for us,” says Olivia Ramsey, President of the Baptist Campus Ministries, “Change is found through Jesus.”. Meetings are interactive and member-focused, consisting of dinner and bible study, along with the occasional guest speaker. This semester, they are starting small group bible sessions where members will be focusing on different biblical figures and their lives. If you are looking for a community that wants to form good relationships with everyone and feels like a second family, Baptist Campus Ministries is the religious organization right for you! Baptist Campus Ministries meets every Tuesday at 8:08pm at the Newman Center, located across the street from Bryant Place. Follow the Baptist Campus Ministries on Instagram @fairmontstatebcm or on Facebook @FairmontStateUniversityBCM to learn more and come visit the football field on September 19th for the Tailgate or the October 26th Fall Fest.
For those who are not Christian, while all the religious registered student organization at the moment are Christian, do not let that stop you from practicing your religion in a safe environment. All recognized religions have the right to practice, and if there is not a community already established for you, take those first steps and pave the way for those who come after. Start a religious club of your own on campus through Registered Student Organizations or look around the wider community of Fairmont, there is a community out there waiting for you. For those interested in joining multiple communities, there is no limit on how many organizations you can be apart of, and participating with multiple faith groups can help you expand your view of the bible, the faith, and what it means to be a Christian in the world. I hope this aids all those looking for their people in the faith, may you find lifelong friends and form a stronger connection than ever with the Lord.
