Worship & Growth Opportunities
Local Churches
For a Directory of Area Churches, click here.
Koinonia
Koinonia is a student-led, informal praise gathering of college students who desire to encounter Jesus Christ through worship in song, scripture, prayer, and testimony. Guitars, keyboard, violin, bass, harmonica, and percussion for Scripture and spiritual songs and hymns are often used as aids to facilitate worship. Koinonia meets in the Wesley Chapel on Sunday evenings from approximately 7:00 to 8:00 pm. Students, faculty, staff, and community members make up the bulk of attendees, although the majority are students. For more information, call the church at (585) 567-2264.
Mercy Seat
Mercy Seat is a student-led prayer movement which meets Monday–Friday from 9–11pm in the basement of Wesley Chapel to intercede on behalf of the campus, the county, and the nations and to seek intimate encounter with the Lord. Meetings are led by a worship team, combining worship songs, intercessory prayers, meditation on scripture, and various forms of art. Each semester the ministry sponsors a 24-hour service of prayer. For more information come to any weeknight meeting.
Christian Life Emphasis Week (CLEW) & PRAXIS
Demonstrating Houghton College's commitment to the primacy of spiritual life, each semester opens with a weeklong emphasis on our Christian commitment. In the Fall, Christian Life Emphasis Week (CLEW), under the auspices of the Houghton Wesleyan Church, brings a special speaker to campus chapel and special evening services. In the Spring PRAXIS challenges the campus to examine specific ways of putting their faith into practice. Campus and guest speakers, seminars, panel discussions and other venues all focus on the theme for the year. CLEW and PRAXIS are intended to foster spiritual renewal within the student body, faculty, staff and administration and to draw all to Houghton College's purpose of education in the service the Kingdom of God.
CLEW 2011 speaker will be Dr. Joseph R. Dongell, Professor of Biblical Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary. As an ordained elder in the Wesleyan Church, Dr. Dongell has maintained an active ministry in that denomination as an associate pastor, a regular adult Sunday school teacher; a one-time director and frequent advisor of the Wesleyan Seminary Foundation on Asbury Seminary’s campus; an instructor in regional Wesleyan ministerial training; and a representative to the annual Graduate Student Theological Seminar.
The PRAXIS week theme for 2012 will be "Listening."
PRAXIS 2011 focused on "To Bind Up the Brokenhearted" based on Isaiah 61. Guest resources included The Rev. Craig and Maria Garriott, the Rev. Barbara Crafton and the Rev. Ron Minor and members of the Community of Jesus, Myron Glick, MD and others.
The Fall 2010 CLEW was Dr. Walter Kaiser, Jr., President Emeritus and Distinguished Professor of Old Testament and Ethics at Gordon-Conwell. His CLEW talks are posted on the chapel website.
Imitators of Christ
Imitators of Christ is a student-run organization seeking to offer students the opportunity to grow and learn from influential men and women of God. This mentoring ministry pairs Houghton Students with mature Christians from the campus and community. For more information, e-mail Susan.Peterson13@houghton.edu
Logos Bible Studies
Logos Bible Studies are student-led Bible studies that meet in community members' homes every other week and focus on applying Scriptures to daily life. Lifeline Bible Studies meet under the auspices of Houghton Wesleyan Church. For more information call (585) 567-2264.
Student-Led Groups
A wide array of student led Bible Study, Accountability and Covenant Discipleship groups meet in the residence halls and are coordinated by the Office of Residence Life and the Dean of the Chapel's Office. For a complete listing of small group opportunities, click here.
Global Christian Fellowship
Global Christian Fellowship seeks to challenge the community to involvement in God's work around the world by informing the community of God's work, and by encouraging and supporting involvement in short- and long-term missions. It meets weekly on Wednesday evenings.
Gospel Choir
"Voices of Soulful Praise" is a gospel choir committed to expressing its Christian heritage through fellowship and celebrating the richness of African-American culture through gospel music.
Houghton Wesleyan Church
The village church provides a vital link in the community of Houghton because of the mutual sharing, blessing and benefits among students, faculty, staff and neighbors of the college. The pastoral staff leads three Sunday worship services: contemporary services at 8:20 and 9:40 a.m., and a more traditional service at 11:00 a.m. Students are invited to participate in the mid-week and Sunday evening service as well as the many and varied opportunities for ministry and service.
