SOMA, the Greek word for body, exemplifies the goal of the changes in Hillsdale’s InterVarsity ministry.
InterVarsity staff member Denny Brogan said the reason for the changes — which include consolidating the Well and Unite and adding an art ministry — is to bring the body of Christ together and to reach out to all of campus.
“SOMA is a ministry in which all the ministries come together,” Brogan said. “Last week it was led by the athletes and the Greeks, as an example of this.”
Before SOMA began, Unite served the purpose of uniting Christians on campus once a month, and provided an opportunity to bring in speakers, Brogan said. The Well was a shorter, weekly gathering to bring students together in worship.
Eventually, the two ministries became very similar, and achieved some of the same purposes. Although, historically, that wasn’t always the case.
“The major change would be the combining of the Well and Unite and making one single large group expression in SOMA,” Brogan said. “In terms of other changes, we’ve just been continually working towards a more united front, so that the various ministries on campus can work together toward reaching all of campus.”
These changes were decided upon by the core team, which consists of the vision team, seniors Hannah Weikart, Shelly Peters, and Tim Allen, InterVarsity staff, and leaders from each distinct ministry within InterVarsity.
Weikart said there are five distinct ministries in InterVarsity — Prayer, Greek InterVarsity, Athletes InterVarsity, Community Building, and SOMA.
Weikart said that because their goal is to reach all of campus, InterVarsity has started a new arts ministry, led by senior Hannah Ahern.
When approached by Hannah Akin `13 about beginning a ministry in the art department, Ahern was thrilled, at first.
“I thought, ‘maybe this is where God wants me,’” Ahern said. “Sophomore year, I hit a wall, and I just wasn’t convinced God was calling me to this. I told Denny that I didn’t think that that was where God wanted me, and Denny just said, ‘Hannah, I don’t agree with you.’ And I disagreed with Denny and just didn’t want to do it.”
Ahern said God used her mentor’s mural of Nehemiah’s wall to pull her out of her fear and to give her a clear sign that she was meant to do this.
“The mural had all of these tools laying on the ground, and there was this cornerstone,” Ahern said. “She reminded me that Christ is the cornerstone on which we build. And she said she just wanted all her students to be reminded that God has given each person unique talents and gifts and expects them to use them. God was just very clear about convicting me of my fears and using another person in the body, but also being so tender with me by providing a mural.”
Last semester, the art ministry had a Bible study, focusing on the parables because they’re very visual, Ahern said.
Ahern said the ministry will continue to have activities and events just to reach out to those who might not typically be interested in Christianity. The group will also have Groups Investigating God training, to teach active participants in the ministry how to create intentional conversation.
“There could be other groups that rise up that reach other groups on campus and minister to them,” Brogan said. “These changes are a reflection of our goal to have a ministry that reaches out to the whole campus.”
