[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hen the Friday night lights go out, high school students from across Columbia attend many different events. Some go home, some go out and some go to 5th Quarter. Until just recently, 5th Quarter was open to anyone, but since it was advertised by Columbia KLIFE (1507 Mills Drive), a community-wide, interdenominational Christian ministry of discipleship and fellowship for youth and their families, there was an awkwardness for anyone from a different ministry to come.
The goal of 5th Quarter is to provide a way for students to get connected with a local ministry through Friday night activities after football games.
Many RBHS students have taken full advantage of this alternative Friday night activity, one of them being senior Lauren Hoffman. She believes the comfortable environment is what makes 5th Quarter so special.
“I went to three 5th Quarter events this year,” Hoffman said. “I think that 5th Quarter is a really awesome event. There are friends, food and fellowship, and that’s all I ever need for a good time. The environment is special because it is just some good, clean fun.”
Junior Travis Midgyett is another RBHS student that agrees with Hoffman. Midgyett loves the unity that this year’s 5th Quarter events bring between different schools and ministries.
[quote]“I like going to these events because they bring students from all schools in Columbia together and focus on what we have in common, not our differences,” Midgyett said. “I attended all of the 5th Quarter events this year and, as a Young Life kid, I really think it brings all of the Young Life branches from each school together, which is something that we don’t usually get the chance to do.”[/quote] According to www.younglife.org, Young Life (YL) Columbia is an organization with the goal of introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith. YL and The Crossing High School (3615 Southland Drive), a church ministry that believes it is their responsibility to build a redemptive Christian community, have joined Columbia KLIFE in its second year of post-rivalry game parties. Columbia KLIFE Women’s Director Audrey High said the results have been tremendous.
“The attendance this year was much larger than last year, from the Columbia KLIFE perspective,” High said. “We hosted a few of these last year at the Columbia KLIFE building, but we had the space at The Crossing and the opportunity to include all three high schools. We noticed a significantly larger turnout.”
To Justin Garrett, the director of Crossing High School ministries, seeing the greater attendance is not only encouraging for his ministry but for Columbia, as well.
“What’s good for Columbia is what’s good for The Crossing,” Garrett said. “As long as you’re finding a way to spend time with Jesus, it doesn’t matter if you’re doing it from 5th Quarter or your own home.”
Young Life director Luke Neal has also seen many benefits to the partnership with the other two ministries. Neal said seeing the work of God through 5th Quarter has been rewarding, to say the least.
“It [joining together] is a tangible way that we can demonstrate the unity that we have in mission and purpose,” Neal said. “It’s one thing to say that, but hosting events together shows that we are very serious about being one.”
Do you go to 5th quarter? Let us know in the comments below.