HVCC’s Student Christian Association Spreads Faith During Challenging Times
By Isabella Smarro, Web Editor
At a time of social unrest, national division, recession, and a worldwide shutdown, hope for many seems like a fantasy. For many people, and especially students, times couldn’t’ be tougher.
Hudson Valley Community College’s Christian Association intends to spread positivity to all, and has taken the lead to give hope with welcoming arms. The club meets every Monday from 2 pm to 3 pm through Zoom.
Logan Simms is the Club President of the organization. Simms starts each meeting with a prayer, followed by a song from member Zachary Ashdown. Ashdown sings some songs of worship to set the tone for the rest of the zoom meeting.
Simms says the goal of the Student Christian Assosiation is about applying God to the everyday lives of students. “Each semester has been different. As a club, we do what members want to do. We have our usual meetings in which we encourage one another while discussing scripture and its practical application in our daily life,” Simms said.
The Student Christian Assosiation is open to anyone who wants to learn more about scripture or God. However, open-mindedness towards the beliefs of others is a requirement for any student hoping to join. Simms says he strives to create an enviornment opened to all who seek to find God in their hearts, but isn’t out to turn the club into a battleground of religious debate.
“While we do talk about different teachings, the club is not the place to argue your point of view or put your fingerprints on the work God wants to do for someone else. We wish to create a sanctuary where people can come and learn and share Biblical truths, grow in God, and receive help and encouragement from people who care about us,” Simms said.
In the past, students in the club have donated to charities and food drives in the area. With the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, that goal has become a lot harder. Thanks to virtual services, those endevours have continued. Simms says the circustances created by the pandemic was a far stronger reason for the food drive.
“We as a group work together with the Albany Regional Food Bank. With the difficulties the current state of the world presents, their need has doubled while their help has halved. The club has been volunteering monthly, aiding in food and home goods storage, sorting, and, packaging,” Simms said. Simms spends his free time scheduling events like the food drive to fit everyone’s busy schedules.
The club doesn’t just support the community but also finds a way to allow the students involved to develop friendships with the other members. After every event, they find a local restaurant to eat at. Simms strongly feels that these moments are the most important.
“We recently started grabbing a bite to eat afterward, which has been great in building relationships (not to mention delicious),” Simms said.
While the Fall 2020 semester is ending on December 18th, the club will strive on.
They plan to meet during break to help out at the food bank, and are looking for new ideas for the Spring 2021 semester. “We will be here, and if you would like to join us, you can help decide what we do. We will almost certainly continue with our volunteer evenings, but doing more or something different is never off the table,” Simms said.