Members of the Cru always manage to find a place to share their faith, despite a constantly shifting Wednesday night meeting location that once led them to meet on the floor of a crowded hallway in the Student Union Memorial Center.
Affiliated with the organization Campus Crusade for Christ International, U.S. chapters like the Cru at the UA are changing the name to make it more inviting to students.
“We were avoiding a word which suggests a holy war,” said DJ Jenkins, the club’s campus director.
So it became known simply as the Cru, opening its doors to both followers and skeptics.
“We really believe in what we’re doing,” Jenkins said. Jenkins first came to the UA five years ago with the ambition to follow Jesus, love people and seek the positive aspects of the university.
The club has also partnered with Residence Life to create smaller sections of their congregation that are open to students across campus. These smaller sections of the Cru offer a variety of programs that focus on areas such as community building, teaching self-defense, fighting loneliness, and exploring tough questions about the Bible.
“We hope to inspire more questions, and hopefully get some answers,” said Sherilyn Mumme, a junior studying mathematics and biochemistry. Mumme is responsible for organizing discussions, meeting with freshmen and leading prayer meetings for the club. Mumme, who has been involved with other Christian organizations on campus before, said she appreciates that the Cru enforces accountability among its followers.
“We encourage people to make smarter choices,” said Tim Salefsky, a physiology junior.
Salefsky said he agrees with Mumme’s assertion that the Cru inspires its members to take part in spiritual discussions, but with the added responsibility of carrying their peaceful message from inside the prayer circle out to campus.
Jenkins said he would like to extend an invitation to all students who are lost, confused, or just a little curious about what the Cru is as all about.
“Here we are,” he said. “We’d love to talk to you.”
The Cru will host an academic and spiritual-based forum next month for students of all beliefs to attend.
