Ignite

There is a small room in La Croix Methodist church that plays host to many students throughout the week. Known as The Porch, its bright colors and quiet ambiance hosted the college students from the Ignite campus ministry on Friday, Oct. 7. They met to share in the large semester worship service, the Axis.

The Axis is an event that has been set aside one night, each semester, to give students a night to unplug from school reality and refocus. Ignite tries to give students freedom when it comes to the worship service. They open the room at 7:00 p.m., and they leave it open until everyone leaves.

Ignite campus pastor Brett Cheek said Ignite's main purpose is to create an environment where students can come and go and there is no agenda.

"I have no clue what's going on tonight," Cheek said. "The students put this semester's [service] together, and all I know is that the last three times we have gone from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m."

Throughout the night there were stations set up in the room that allowed students to express themselves. Cheek said that each of the stations were a place of guided prayer, which asked specific questions. Some of the stations had maps to pray for other countries, and other stations had paint for students to participate in worship through art.

According to Samohya Turner, Southeast senior and member of Ignite, Ignite tries to cater to the needs of other students, and they want to do that by showing people they're accepted for who they are.

"This is a chance for people to come and be free," Turner said. "We want people to come experience the Lord, and if they want to do cartwheels, flips or just stand they're free."

As each student walked into The Porch they participated in the event differently. Some students took off their shoes and sat cross-legged on the floor, while others moved to more open parts of the room and laid face-down on rugs. There were more students who stood and sang and another group that proceeded to paint and draw throughout the service. Each of the students occupied their own space in the room.

"This is a night that's important to me because it gives me a specific time to draw strength from God," Kylie Goodier, member of the Ignite worship team, said. Goodier believes that Axis' true purpose is to allow students to each have the opportunity to come and be who they are.

Students that are not part of the Ignite ministry are also welcome to attend the event. Some students may need a moment to take a break, so they are welcome to attend next semester's event to do just that.

"Come give it a try," Goodier said. "There's nothing you can lose, and don't be afraid of what God can do when you step out of your comfort zone."