Collegio Online

Issue date: 1/31/08 Section: Campus Life

Media Credit: Brett Armbruster/Collegio Singing their praise, Suzanne Sperry, left and Jayne Sperry are a mother and daughter who attend Covenant Harvest Church. They attend Revolution Church, a new offshoot of Covenant Harvest that aims for a full church experience, at 7 p.m. every Wednesday in Yates Hall 102. Jonathan Sperry, another member of the family, plays guitar during the Revolution Church music service.

Jonathan Sperry says his Christian group has a lofty ambition - to be a full-fledged church on campus.
"We just want to provide... something on campus that expresses the same heart that we have as a church, but to actually be on campus," Sperry said.
From the looks of the 20-some worshippers gathered in Yates Hall, Revolution Church is off to a good start. With arms raised high, the group, comprised mostly of students, sang hymns.
"My mother attends Revolution Church as well as a few other older people - instead of just college students, we've really got the whole family dynamic that church is supposed to be," Sperry said.
Revolution Church holds services at 7 p.m. every Wednesday in Yates Hall 102.
But Sperry, a junior in nursing, says that the weekly worship service only represents a part of what Revolution Church has to offer.
"The Wednesday meeting is simply a hub to bring everybody together," Sperry said. "We really feel like the core values of the church are really expressed throughout the week in the coffee we drink, the meals we share."
In addition to the Wednesday meeting, Sperry says, the church offers counseling services and even surrogate families for homesick students.
Scott Squires, the pastor, says he wants people to know that anyone is welcome to attend the services, which began last semester.
"One thing I have noticed is that when students arrive on campus their walk with God falls," Squires said. "They are like freshmen in their faith. The things that used to be real to them aren't so real anymore."
Andrea Nwagwu, PSU alumna in attendance, agreed and had something to add.
"I think there's hope for the future," said Nwagwu. "Everywhere we look, there's crime and violence coming at us and the world is a dark and scary place, but there's a lot of hope for the future; God has given us hope and that's exciting."

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