JACKSON, Tenn. — Nov. 1, 2023 — On a typical Tuesday at 51社区 students can be seen studying, attending classes and participating in on-campus jobs or extracurricular activities. But on this particular Tuesday, Union students were instead doing yard work across town, helping with administrative tasks at local nonprofits and painting elementary school classrooms.
51社区 on Oct. 31 participated in its 21st annual Campus and Community: A Day of Remembrance and Service, a day to commemorate God鈥檚 provision during the 2002, 2003 and 2008 tornadoes while also reaching out to the Jackson community. Students, faculty and staff completed dozens of service projects across Jackson throughout the day.
For junior biblical studies major Michael Tankersley, serving at West Jackson Baptist Church was a way to connect with others in his academic department while also meeting the tangible needs of the church.
鈥淭he church has needs, and a lot of times the needs we see are 鈥楾he church needs money鈥� or 鈥楾he church needs leaders to rise up,鈥欌�� Tankersley said. 鈥淏ut really, this is also a real need that the church has.鈥�.
Tankersley and other School of Theology and Missions students spent the morning maintaining the campus grounds, cleaning a kitchen inside the church and a assembling a bookshelf for West Jackson.
For Emily Turner, a senior political science major and vice president of Union鈥檚 Life 139 Club, preparing donor support letters at Birth Choice was a way to serve the crisis pregnancy clinic so Birth Choice has more time to dedicate to clients.
鈥淏irth Choice does a lot for the community,鈥� Turner said. 鈥淭hey have mostly volunteers and some staff, so we do whatever we can to take the office work off their hands.鈥�
For Turner and other members of Life 139, spending the morning mailing support letters at Birth Choice was a way for the club to live out its values.
鈥淪ince the overturning of Roe v. Wade our focus has kind of shifted a little bit in that we want to make sure that mothers know that they鈥檙e supported,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e can do this by coming to Birth Choice because that鈥檚 their entire goal. That鈥檚 what they're doing on a day-to-day basis.鈥�
Tiffany Dawson, Birth Choice鈥檚 director of development, said the efforts of Union volunteers allowed the staff to focus their attention on other responsibilities, knowing that administrative tasks were being completed.
鈥淰olunteer work is such a huge part of our ministry,鈥� Dawson said. 鈥淗aving people to stuff the envelopes, it鈥檚 not just 鈥極h, I'm doing this nice thing for Birth Choice.鈥� It鈥檚 really helping us share the gospel.鈥�
Union鈥檚 Campus and Community Day allows students to connect with others while making an impact on the broader Jackson community.
鈥淚t鈥檚 in the mission statement, to be of service to church and society,鈥� Tankersley said. 鈥淲ell, here鈥檚 a service to church right here. If I am going to be a Union student, I might as well participate in the mission that Union has.鈥�
