Young Life Continues to Build a Community

Ralston+Hartness%2C+a+senior+at+W%26L%2C+leads+a+bible+study+at+a+Campaigners+meeting.

Colby Ervin

Ralston Hartness, a senior at W&L, leads a bible study at a Campaigners meeting.

Colby Ervin, Reporter

Young Life, a group known for creating relationships in the high school, delving into higher morals and ideas, as well as just having fun, continues to draw in many members.  Young Life allows opportunities for weekly meetings along with larger annual activities, such as the paint war and Fall Weekend. Through these gatherings, students play games,  make friends, and look more closely at bettering themselves through the lessons of Jesus Christ.

Each Monday, students can attend either a 7 a.m. Campaigners meeting, or the regular 7:59 p.m. Club meetings.  Young Life leader Quinton Knott described the purpose behind Club meetings.

“At Club, we get together to have fun and also look at the person of Jesus and consider who he was and what that could mean for us,” said Knott.

Cole Cathcart, a sophomore who regularly attends Campaigners was helpful in explaining the difference from Club.

“Campaigners, held on most Monday mornings, is an opportunity to dig a little deeper into that story,” said Cathcart.

Typically the Campaigners meeting has around 30 attendees, while the club meetings range anywhere from 50 to 90 attendees.

Aside from regular meetings, this year Young Life held its annual paint war in Sept.

“Paint war is just a fun event and anyone can come,” said sophomore Margaret Branner. “We all meet at a field near school and we all wear white shirts then we just throw paint at each other.”

Late in Oct, Young Life attended Fall Weekend at the Rockbridge Alum Springs Young Life Camp, with over 100 students in attendance.

“Fall weekend is an awesome experience,” said Cathcart. “It is held at the Young Life camp here in Rockbridge. It is like one big club for two days with crazy camp-wide activities, as well as a fair amount of free time to enjoy the facilities at camp.”

Taking an approach centered around creating a stronger feeling of  community among students, has boosted Young Life to become the influence it has.

“In Young Life, we’re all about relationships,” said Knott. “For example, you won’t see a poster telling you about our events because we want every person who can come to have been personally invited by a trusted friend.”

“Club is a great opportunity to let loose and live it up,” said Cathcart, summing the feeling of Young Life.