With the help of Rock House Ministries, College Church will host their annual service event, Bisons for Christ.
“It is a day of service that we connect college students with volunteer opportunities in a way for them to get service hours,” senior Mallory Prior, Christians in Action intern for the Rock House, said. “It’s just a day that encourages students to get together and serve the community that we live in for nine months out of the year. Searcy does so much for us that we don’t even realize.”
This event — occurring March 30 —is for groups of friends, social clubs and organizations on campus or individuals who have a heart to serve their community.
“We take anybody and everybody,” Prior said. “We have bigger projects for groups and social clubs, but not just social clubs. We also have specific projects set aside for individuals who want to serve, but not necessarily know anybody. If they just want to help out, we can stick them just about anywhere.”
On the day of the event, volunteers will be assigned to a certain project in Searcy, and at the end of the day every volunteer will come back together for dinner.
“Oftentimes, students will sign up with a group of friends, and then they will be given a project to do on the afternoon of that Wednesday before coming together with all who served to enjoy a fellowship meal from the Rock House,” Rock House interim college minister Grant Fitzhugh said.
Participating in Bisons for Christ can impact the volunteers even more than those being served. It is a time for service, but also building stronger relationships within groups and organizations.
“I love to see other people in the community come together to serve and to see their passion for caring for others,” junior Carli Slayton, a Bisons for Christ participant, said. “I also love getting to serve alongside friends and people of the Harding community to grow our relationships with each other through a common goal.”
Every year, Bisons for Christ picks a theme and a passage to go along with the event. The theme this year is “Love Like This,” based on 1 John 3:16-18.
“The idea is that Jesus calls us to love like he does, in sacrifice and service, in deed and in truth,” Fitzhugh said. “Our leadership team at the Rock House chose this theme because we felt this passage embodies what Bisons for Christ is all about as we seek to show our love for our neighbors like Jesus did.”
Signups for group and individual volunteers are on Pipeline until the day before the event. A link for signing up can also be found on the Rock House Ministry Instagram page.
