The holiday season is rapidly approaching, and FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) is doing all they can to help people in need in the Gretna community. They volunteer with Heartland Hope, Sleep in Heavenly Peace and many others. Through volunteer events that occur throughout the season, FCA members help people all over Nebraska in different ways.
The club meets every Sunday night in the GHS library. The group strives to connect and create a solid Christian relationship with God, but also with sports. FCA is influential to not only the students in sports, but also the coaches in charge.
“FCA is a group of Christian athletes and coaches working to grow in Jesus Christ,” said Matt Rose, the club sponsor. “In sports, coaches have a huge influence on their students and what coaches tell kids to do really influences them. Teaching them in a way that brings glory and honor to God, and not just about wins and losses, is important.”
Students in all grade levels are taking steps to help and care for people in need. FCA is living up to the idea of Christmas, the coming of Jesus and him bringing hope, joy and peace into lives of people around the world. This month, FCA’s task at hand is Heartland Hope (also known as Food for the Heartland). The organization helps less fortunate families by providing essential needs in life. They supply food, clothing, hygiene items, jobs and much more.
“For the holidays we do Food for the Heartland,” senior Lexi Cerone said. “For this event, we go in for an hour or so and package up a bunch of little meals. At the event, there are multiple different stations that you can work at to help make the package. You either measure out the food, dump it in the bag or seal it up.”
This influential event shows students how they can help people in our community in simple ways that make all the difference. Packaging and preparing food for people helps those in need to have a better holiday.
“The best thing about being in FCA is getting to learn more about God with your teammates as well as having speakers come and talk to us about their struggles and how they grew in Christ while playing sports in high school and college,” Cerone said. “FCA benefits me because it allows me to grow in fellowship with my teammates/classmates and it teaches you how to play your sport to glorify God.”
While club sponsor Rose and other FCA leaders help students through their journey in Christ and sports, they also teach the coaches how to coach athletes in a godly way that is good for the students and still worships God.
“The best part of FCA is being around and growing with people with the same faith,” senior Landon Pokorski said. “My main reason for joining and how it benefits me is growing in my faith and using it in life and sports.”
Throughout the year, FCA continues to lead students through their journey with Christ along with their sports in college and the rest of their lives.
