On Thursday, October 23, Jolt hosted the gathering in the upper elementary gym. Jolt is a club that meets every Wednesday morning and gives students the opportunity to profess and share their faith with other Christians.  The goal of the Gathering, according to sponsor John Foster, was to give students the opportunity to put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

The Gathering consisted of a local worship band, a Fair Grove improv group, a few games, and a guest speaker by the name of Caleb Schaffitzel. Foster said, “(Caleb) is a local hero with genuine faith that connects to the students on their level.” When giving his testimony Caleb shared of the struggles and trials that come along with following Christ. He gave numerous examples of how God always gave him strength to prevail. Caleb’s testimony encouraged many students to pursue for a real relationship with Jesus Christ. Caleb shares, “It was really hard, it took me a long time to sit here and think about it even though it was my own story. I prayed about it a lot.”

Around 100 kids were in attendance on Thursday and several faculty members. One of these students, Taylor Bell explains, “It was a lot of fun and I’m really glad our school allows us to gather together as Christians like that.” Taylor along with many others enjoyed the games and comedy, and also was moved by Caleb’s testimony. She adds, “I really like all the games and comedy but my favorite part was hearing Caleb’s testimony. It made me really think about my relationship with Christ and what I can do to get closer to him.”

Many students experienced something special on Thursday night. The word of God was shared in a fun and safe environment and the kids were able to be open about their faith. Foster states, “Kids committed their lives to Jesus as their solution to their problems and our school’s ongoing struggle as well.”