Coming to college is full of excitement and a long list of to-do’s: buy books, learn how to get around campus, get along with your roommate, and so much more… Finding a church community to get involved with might be the last thing on your mind when you’re just thinking about making it through the first week at Tech, but we want to share some of the reasons why we think it can be one of the best investments you make!
Here are some perspectives from some current students and recent graduates…
Ian Wilson, Class of 2022, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Coming into college I wanted to grow in my faith and be connected to a campus ministry. At the same time I carried a fear of feeling like I wouldn’t fit in at an existing group. The community at NLCF, however, completely blew away my expectations on what it meant to be welcoming and accepting. Almost immediately I felt like a part of the community as a whole as well as my engage group. Since joining NLCF as a freshman I have been blessed to form deep, life-long friendships that have helped me grow in my faith. I have seen God work countless times in myself as well as others as we walk together in faith and I know He will continue to work throughout my time at NLCF.
Elizabeth Alabaster, Class of 2020, Human Development
Growing up, I was blessed to be surrounded by a family that attended church regularly, even my grandfather was the pastor of our church. At that time in my life, my faith in Christ was more family based and not personal. After graduating high school, I decided that I wanted to own my faith and form a more personal relationship with Christ. Through my engage group, I have met godly women who challenge and encourage me to strengthen my walk with Christ. These women have shared about themselves and their own faith journeys which has made it easier to share about my own. They provide a community of trust, love, and acceptance. It has been a process but today I can say that I own my faith and feel a greater desire to learn more about His word.
Kurtis Meyer, Class of 2020, Building Construction
NLCF has been a huge blessing to me. When I first joined, everyone was super welcoming and it felt I could talk to anyone like I already knew them. It’s not only given me a family in Christ that I am able to live life with but a place to dive deeper in the word and learn more about Jesus. It’s impacted my college experience more than I think I realize. Having this community has given me happiness and helped me push through any tough times of the semester when school gets rough. I’m super thankful for NLCF and so glad that I’ve been a part of it.
Selassie Tamakloe, Class of 2021, Business Information Technology
When I first came to NLCF my sophomore year, I didn’t plan on getting involved. I just planned on attending Sunday services. However, God had other plans in store for me. I ended up joining Kids At Heart, becoming a part of Hokie Fam and attended NLCF events. I realized that God put me in NLCF and in Kids at Heart for a reason. Since being here, I have had the opportunity to grow closer to God and meet other people who love to learn about the Lord while having fun. I also got baptised this summer. I’m truly grateful to be a part of this NLCF family, and thankful to God for placing me here.
Brian Goodwin, Class of 2019, Human Nutrition, Food and Exercise
NLCF, to me, is a family of people who walk with you and push you in your walk with God. It brought me my closest friends and allowed experiences I would have never imagined possible. Coming into college I didn’t think I’d spend my time having a relationship with God but NLCF and the people in it showed me what it truly means to be a follower of Christ and how to live a life honoring to Him. They reignited a passion to truly seek God and know Him better, while getting to walk beside both old and new friends. NLCF fostered a community that spread beyond weekly meetings and became family, whether I saw someone once a week or everyday. I think that speaks to the ways in which God has been working not only at Virginia Tech, but within the people of NLCF.
Emma Davis, Class of 2019, Residential Environments and Design
Stepping into college, I knew I was going to be a part of some type of ministry. The question was, which one? My older sister was already attending NLCF, so I figured it’d be the easiest place to start out “church hunting”… I never ended up going anywhere else. Within weeks, friends turned into family, and I cannot imagine what my college experience would have been like without NLCF. Living life with a group of people who loved, supported, and challenged me throughout many different seasons, bolstered my faith and transformed it in a way I didn’t even know was possible. I learned to recognize my faith as my own and grew in disciplines I never thought I needed. My time at Tech was immensely blessed by NLCF, and I’ll be forever grateful for the memories and experiences shared with this community of faith.