On Oct. 10, the Jones Cru Christian Club took an adventure into the woods of Wisconsin to relax and reconnect with their spiritual side. During the weekend retreat, they participated in group service and activities with other college students.
“It was all colleges…but they didn’t treat us differently,” said club leader Elijah Milsap ‘28. For many, this is their first time going to the retreat and experiencing a spiritual community like this at this scale.
“Spiritually wise, I’d say community is one of the biggest and most important things in your faith journey because having people around you that want to grow spiritually does a lot,” said Milsap.
With this being many people’s first time going to a retreat, they were able to really take in everything and make new memories. Some of the leaders’ favorite parts of the retreat were the activities, sports, and the group service that they did with the other people at the retreat. “We had a lot of free time, so that was pretty cool…you can really just talk and have a deep conversation with them,” Tobi Adegunsoye ‘28.
This year in the Cru Christian Club, there are three new sophomore leaders. For two of them, they were influenced by former senior leadership to take a leadership role themselves within the club.
To be honest, I was unsure. I think one of the big motivational factors for me, applying to be a leader, was graduate Stone Cull,” said Milsap. “I was hesitant, but then I realized it’s only going to strengthen my faith, and I’m only going to learn more along the way.”
For Elijah, leading the club and attending the retreat are seen as stepping stones in the right direction on his faith journey.
“I’m not the furthest along in my spiritual journey, but I’m definitely coming along,” said Milsap.
Leading this club for the first time has provided numerous learning opportunities, from the retreat to understanding what it means to be a leader.
“One thing I’ve learned from running the club is that leading isn’t always about leading and commanding other people. Sometimes, leading is taking a back seat, letting other people figure stuff out, while also helping them grow ”said Adegunsoye.
For both leaders, the retreat was a significant learning experience, as they developed their leadership skills and grew spiritually.
“I think being able to be with others and not being alone as a Christian helped me grow. I’m able to really be more confident in my faith and not,” said Adegunsoye.
This retreat was a massive learning experience for the group and the leaders of the club. The retreat had a big effect spiritually on the leaders and helped them learn how to effectively lead. The club, in general, has been able to allow them to spiritually grow and learn from their peers, and be able to have conversations about faith with their peers. The memories and learning experiences made from this retreat will stick with the club for the rest of their high school lives.
“We’re able to make more jokes, you know, be more comfortable with each other, and be more comfortable with the group members that did choose to come to the retreat,” said Adengunsoye.
