Haystacks
As humans, we long for a community—for a group of people who share similar morals and beliefs, as well as ideologies and ideals. I am a freshman at Southern Adventist University, and I found my community in the form of a “life group,” which is a student-led Bible study that meets weekly. My experience in my life group tells me that a community is more than just a collection of individuals; it fosters the development of my social, spiritual, and physical life.
The human desire to form a close group I mentioned earlier stems from a need to bond with others in a meaningful way, to be able to freely express ourselves in an open and friendly environment. The life group I joined last year, called “Haystacks,” allowed me to connect with fellow SAU students, and over the course of the year, I learned a lot about each of them. Although in the beginning stages of the group many of us were reserved, I was impressed at how quickly people in the group became vulnerable and were able to share their struggles and personal experiences openly.
Rather than just a social gathering, the group was also important in my spiritual life. Since I was born and raised Adventist, I am used to attending church every Saturday—but there is sometimes a level of disconnect and impersonality listening to a speaker. Many times it is difficult to relate to the pastor, who is in all likelihood much older and more spiritually driven than I am. This is why the life group I attended at SAU was refreshing, to be able to hear the perspectives of people similar in age and life experience to me and to speak my opinions on spiritual matters in a smaller group.
Considering the group’s demographic of college students, it is perhaps unsurprising to say that a major incentive of attending Haystacks was the weekly potluck. During each meeting, one of our life group leaders would cook a delicious (vegetarian) meal, and members of the group were encouraged to bring sides and snacks. This had the benefit of saving money, which the average college student is certainly in want of. And on more than one occasion, I was so sick of the cafeteria food at SAU that I would be counting down the days until my life group met!
Although the meals provided by the life group were greatly appreciated, they are not the only factors that made the group a meaningful experience to me in my first year at SAU. It is the combination of the close-knit community, spiritual environment, and excellent food that made my time at Haystacks memorable and impactfu
Matthew Chung will be a sophomore at Southern Adventist University, majoring in Computer Science. He was born in Connecticut and raised in upstate New York. He was born and raised SDA; currently attending Westchester Korean Seventh-Day Adventist Church. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, playing chess, and playing the piano.