By: Mason Halfin

As a new semester rolls around, a fast-growing organization, Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), is starting its weekly meetings back up.

FCA is a campus organization that gives athletes opportunities to become closer with God. Its goal is to unite two passions, faith and sport. FCA is a common program on many college campuses. According to its website, it is the largest Christian campus ministry in the world. Locally here at Wesleyan, it’s continuing to grow each week.

I had the opportunity to sit down with the president of WVWC’s FCA, Emily Denison, who shared the vision they have for the organization this year. “We want to help grow relationships with Christ to all students on campus, not just athletes. FCA is sharing the gospel to all who are willing to join,” She said. Just as she explained, everyone is welcome to meetings, not only athletes.

I also spoke with another leader of Wesleyan’s FCA, Xander Castillo, who described what a typical meeting looks like. “A typical meeting generally features two student-led messages centered around faith and athletics… after that we break off into groups with various student backgrounds as an opportunity to connect.” The opportunity to connect is a crucial part of FCA’s mission, because not everyone has the same story. “Our goal is to be able to bring students into a space where they can be vulnerable and relate to messages within athletics or just student or college life,” Castillo continued. 

When I asked Denison what she would say to anyone interested in joining, her response was clear: “Take the leap of faith! FCA is a place to start or grow your faith, connect with others, and learn the gospel.” She added, “You don’t have to have it all figured out to attend!”

FCA leaders hope the group becomes a lasting source of encouragement on campus. They vision the organization as a place where students can feel comfortable coming after a stressful day. Castillo even said, “We want to grow students’ relationship with God and give them encouragement through hard times possibly during academics, athletics, or daily struggles.”

Both Denison and Castillo also shared some upcoming meetings for those interested. Weekly meetings are currently held on the football field on Mondays at 9 p.m. 

FCA was also invited to attend Fairmont State University’s “Worship Night” on September 29 @7PM. 

Additional information on FCA can be found on Instagram @wvwcfca or by reaching out to administrators Jonathan Accord (Chaplain), Rebecca Swisher, or any student leaders.

Picture via Instagram @wvwcfca