Student organization of the week: Methodist Student Network

With a focus on serving the community and helping international students find their place in the U.S., the Methodist Student Network takes a global approach to campus ministry.

“We have a different service activity every day of the week,” said MSN Co-president Rachel Wright, a fourth-year English student.

The group works with underprivileged children at St. Lawrence Place twice a week, with the English as a Second Language program at Brookland-Cayce Grammar School twice a week and at the Washington Street Soup Cellar Monday through Friday.

As if members weren’t busy enough, they also work with Home Works — an organization similar to Habitat for Humanity — and go on an international mission trip each spring break.

“We believe the church isn’t a place you go,” Wright said. “It’s a global community.”
She said that MSN seeks to model Jesus’s teachings and to show sympathy and caring through these acts of service.

With people from Africa, South America, Russia and China serving with the group and attending services on Sunday, there is definitely a multicultural flair to the group.
Sunday Service has songs and scripture readings in several different languages to accommodate all of the different nationalities that attend.

Michelle Whittington, a first-year political science student, was drawn to MSN because of the diversity.

“They bring students together like a family to worship God,” Whittington said. “It’s not like the ordinary church.”

While the group reaches out to international students on campus and often serves abroad, they also try to help third-world nations from here in Columbia.

“We want to support developing countries as much as possible,” Wright said. 

This year they have done just that,partnering with Ten Thousand Villages, a nonprofit organization that helps artisans from around the world sell their goods at fair wages in the United States.  

MSN hosted a table in Russell House to help sell the merchandise.

Wright said it was “an act of solidarity” with the people in the developing world. She encourages everyone to visit www.tenthousandvillages.org to support the organization if they were unable to come to the event at Russell House.

According to Wright, all students are welcome to attend services or seek out service opportunities with MSN.

“Even if you’re not a Christian, we offer an environment that is accepting to all religions,” Wright said. “We are open to discussion and hearing others’ views.”

Methodist Student Network has a weekly Sunday service at 6 p.m. in the Campus Ministries Center on Pickens Street. There is a meal served after the service.