On a typical Friday, most students are counting down the minutes until they can get their weekend started. Others, however, leave class and report to room 616. Every Friday, the Eagle Bible Study Club meets from 2:30 to 3:15. This club provides an opportunity with others through a common ground: religion.
Due to East Meck’s lack of other religious clubs, having a Bible study club has stretched farther than strengthening students’ connection with God. It’s been an opportunity for students to learn and create new fellowships. Whether expanding your previous knowledge or starting from square one, everyone is welcome.
President Kennedy Ferguson begins the club bus starting with a prayer and the occasional worship song. Each meeting, the club focuses on a specific topic such as Fruits of the Spirit. These are the positive character traits, such as love and joy, that are strengthened when an individual gets closer to God. After explaining the subject of the meeting, there’s a scripture reading and discussion that ties into the topic. each week Ferguson asks if there’s anything the members want to touch base on and uses that feedback as a talking point for the discussion.
Through discussions, there is a sense of unity brining all the members together. By offering a safe space, students have started bonding with each other and building a community for people to be vulnerable and learn. Everyone has a different interpretation of the scriptures they learn, which leads members to not only share, but gain new insight on what they read and learn through the club.
When Ferguson explains the scriptures, she does so in a way that makes them digestible to everyone. She simplifies the scripture by rephrasing complex sentences into simplified terms so everyone has the opportunity to take something away from it. Sophomore Ella Gallagher originally joined the club to support her friend in her new roes as president. After attending the meetings week after week, she’s continued to come back because of how inspiring the club has been.
“I wanted to be supportive at first, but then I started coming
[back] because I wanted to grow my faith,” Gallagher said.
Some members, like Gallagher, joined for one reason and stayed for another. Other members, such as freshman Marianna Reid, wanted the opportunity to strengthen their connection with God and internalize what they learned.
“I wanted to get closer to God, and I wanted to learn how to interpret the Bible and demonstrate it in day-to-day life,” Reid said.
Since joining the club, Reid has noticed a difference in her behavior and the decisions she makes. Members experiencing these positive feelings is one of the goals Ferguson wants to achieve through her club.
One of Ferguson’s favorite things about the club is being able to provide encouragement and community for students. She’s noticed the members growing more fond of her and becoming more comfortable with displaying their feelings. When members feel safe enough to talk to her, she’s grateful she can be a trustworthy person to talk to.
This school year is Ferguson’s first year as president of the club. With this new leadership position, she has many goals in mind. “I want students to leave knowing that they have someone there. I want them to know that they’re not alone and can have a relationship with someone who has unconditional love. I know that high school is hard, so I want them to know that they have God.”
