Reporter-News Archives

Friday, April 24, 1998

Students to join together for Intercollegiate Service Day

By LORETTA FULTON / Abilene Reporter-News

Students at Abilene's three church-affiliated universities will be true "Servants of Christ" Saturday when they join together for the first-ever Intercollegiate Service Day.

About 200 students from Abilene Christian, Hardin-Simmons and McMurry universities will spend most of Saturday living out their theme "Douloi Christo," which is the Greek phrase for Servants of Christ.

The students will be at about 25 sites sponsored by 17 local agencies doing volunteer work such as painting houses for the elderly in conjunction with the Carver Neighborhood Project, mowing lawns, assisting with the March of Dimes Walk America and hosting a party for residents of the Abilene State School.

"The students are really excited about it," said Nancy Coburn, director of the volunteer center at ACU.

The idea came about when seven students from the three universities got into a conversation during a Grace Ministries Bible study, a popular weekly gathering at University Baptist Church attended by students from all three universities.

"They were just talking among themselves about the importance of the Christian community doing things together," Coburn said. One of them said, "wouldn't it be neat if the three universities did something together" and the idea was born, she said.

Saturday's event will be similar in style to Make a Difference Day or the United Way's Day of Caring. The students will work from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and then will gather at Rose Park from 4:30-6 p.m. for a student-led time of praise and reflection on the day.

The community is invited to the service. The seven students responsible for making the event happen are ACU's Angela Hawk, Matt Wallace and Jason Graves; Julie Abrahams and Jennifer Wegehoft of HSU; and McMurry's Susan Bailey and Chuck Grear.