This article was written by Lexi Pepper
Monday night snacks, music, and games are back. On the first day of every work week, Magnify Church fills up not with strangers, but Northview students and youth leaders. Music, laughter, and love fill the air creating Campus Life.
Campus Life is hosted just a couple blocks away from the high School at Magnify Church, 4162 Hunsberger Ave NE, every Monday from 6:30-8:30 pm. This group creates unforgettable friendships and bonds for both students and leaders. Campus Life hosts games, worship lessons, along with small group discussions helping students grow their faith in a comfortable environment. It is more than just a group of students. It is a community connecting students to lifelong mentors and brings the opportunity to find an extended family within your own school.
Campus Life leader Sami Ulstad genuinely cares for the students involved in their organization and feels the relationships built within the group are empowering.
“It’s just a bunch of people that care about students, and want to do life with students. So, I think it’s something that’s really helpful. I wish I would have had [a leader] that wasn’t family that showed they cared about me and that I could go to to ask questions, advice, and kind of do life with. So I think having someone a couple steps ahead of you guys in high school is really helpful just to learn and get experience and knowledge from,” Ulstad said.
Sophomore Hudson Lowe experienced the effect of a positive mentor in Campus life while seeking perspective about an injury.
“I tore my meniscus,” said Lowe. “I went up to her [ his campus life leader] because I know she’s had surgery on her knee before. So then I went up to her and asked what I should do to stay strong mentally. It helped me because it just brought a different point of view to what was going on.”
For Ulstad, creating connections is a key focus of her leadership in Campus Life.
“I believe that in order to build relationships with anyone, there has to be consistency and intentionality. The point of Campus Life is to meet students where they’re at, do life with them, and just show them how loved they are . . . meeting you guys where you are at is coming to your school lunches, hanging out, and doing things with you guys . . . So the more you guys see us, the more we interact, the easier it is to build relationships and connect,” Ulstad said.
Sophomore Braelynne Lovelace believes the leaders’ consistency and efforts to make Monday nights and all Campus Life events a warm and welcoming environment.
“Leaders are always there for you. Even if they don’t know you, they’ll come up to you and introduce you, and they’ll make you feel welcome. You never feel left out,” Lovelace said. “I would say even if you don’t believe in Jesus and go there, they still welcome you. You’re never an outsider, and they’ve always offered to hang out, even after school or after Campus Life or anything like that.”
Lovelace tried Campus life in middle school and now encourages others to give it a go.
“You should come for a day, see how you like it. There’s games, there’s snacks, and there’s small group,” Lovelace said. “The energy of the leaders, and the people is just so amazing, and they’re never down. Campus life always brings you up.”
Campus Life is much more than just a youth group. It includes building relationships with students you might’ve never talked to, finding a mentor and friend through a leader, fun youth group games and growing your spirituality. If you don’t believe it, see for yourself! The next Campus Life meeting is Monday at 6:30.