By Anna Hsu, Staff Editor
When one pictures a campus with a thriving spiritual life, Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges are rarely the first to come to mind. For many students, the appeal of pursuing a new faith in college is almost nonexistent, especially with the constant strain of academic pressure, sports, and extracurricular activities. But dig a little deeper, and one comes across veritable treasure troves of faith and family that nourish the spirit.
The Grace Covenant Church (GCC) is one such trove, accessible to all college campuses on the Philadelphia Main Line. On a chilly Friday night in February, students from Bryn Mawr, Haverford, Villanova, Drexel, UPenn, and Temple congregated in a small cafe on Haverford’s campus. Distinguished from other office rooms in Stokes Hall only by a small chalkboard sign, the Center for Peace and Global Citizenship (CPGC) Cafe welcomed one and all to Cafe Night: “Join us for a casual night of performances and testimonies!” the sign read. “Come see your friends sing, dance, recite poetry, and learn about how God has been working in their lives this year.”
“It’s an annual event for us,” explains Bryn Mawr junior Kai McGinn. “Usually we have a college pastor who hosts it, but this year it was entirely student-run, with the exception of our GCC interns. We try our best every year to promote it so it’s accessible to everyone in the Bi-Co. It’s a great chance to meet people from other campuses.”
As more people trickled in from various Main Line colleges, the soft lights of the rosy cafe glowed ever brighter. Platters of fruit, cheese, and smoked meats were laid out on the counter, along with various drinks ranging from yogurt drinks to aloe juice.
Churchgoers and newcomers alike crowded together on squishy sofas and counter seats. After a quick prayer, the singing, music, and testimony began in earnest. Some speakers simply recounted their personal experiences with God, others sang solos, and instruments of every kind filled the room with the melodious tones of worship music.
“We know it can be intimidating for newcomers,” admits Cindy Chea, Bryn Mawr ’22. “We tried our best to make it as lowkey as possible. Even our pastor, Pastor Kirk, only made a little speech at the end, and he didn’t use any Christian buzzwords that would make nonbelievers uncomfortable.”
“I was actually told by an ex-professor not to come to Bryn Mawr if I was Christian,” confesses Chea. “I think a lot of people have misconceptions about Christianity in general, since only hateful Christians are shown on the news. But we’re not here to reject other students’ identity. I want people to come to Cafe Night so we can share our community with more people and make it a more accepting space on both ends.”
“There are a bunch of groups on campus, like InterVaristy. I’d say GCC is a very people-oriented faith community. It’s more like a family than just a group,” says McGinn. “We have weekly meetings in Old Library 223 on Wednesday nights from 7:30 to 9:00, and we just come together to have snacks and sing and learn more about God.”
In the isolated bubble of the Bi-Co, it’s hard to find a community that truly makes you feel at home. But in GCC—whether at Cafe Night, family group meetings, or Sunday Service—one is always greeted with the sights and sounds of a cozy sanctuary, filled with laughter, light, and love.
Image credit: Anna Hsu
