Image courtesy of Launnie Phillips
Word Up is focusing on its community and planning for the upcoming semester. In the online fall 2020 semester and onwards, the organization’s leaders are working to utilize faith, music and community to create a safe space for students.
Word Up is an on-campus ministry designed to help students become more involved in their faith while transitioning to life at Pepperdine. One of the organization’s goals is to provide an environment in which all students can feel comfortable.
“It’s important to be intentional with our time and our actions, especially because of the state that our nation is in right now — making sure that we provide a space and hold space for those people who are not doing well, who are being affected or for those who aren’t understanding or for those who want to see change,” said junior Launnie Phillips, president of Word Up and Psychology and Hispanic Studies double major.
The student-run student ministry, Phillips said, is led with the help of adviser and Theology Professor Rachel Collins.
“It’s a welcoming place for all students of all backgrounds,” Phillips said. “We primarily focus on gospel-style worship, but we have a fellowship and all kinds of things.”
Due to club activities being online, Word Up faced a decrease in engagement. Not being able to provide the same experience as on campus — where students would come together at the Sandbar, listen to music and form community — has lessened Word Up’s attendance, Phillips said.
“I definitely think people are experiencing Zoom fatigue and so they’re like, ‘That’s just one more thing to add to my list,’ and so I do think it makes it a little bit more difficult,” Phillips said.
As a result, the club made changes to its meeting times and activities. Before going online, Phillips said Word Up had weekly team meetings where members would discuss logistics and then engage in Bible Study.
“We really do want people to grow in their spirituality or explore their spirituality, even when joining our group and coming to our events, and so usually, we’d have those just for the team and then the once a month event would be a wrap up of what we have talked about,” Phillips said.
At these monthly meetings, there were usually games, music and a set theme. Phillips said while only team members could attend weekly Bible Studies meetings in previous semesters, it’s now open to everyone and occurs every Tuesday night at 8 p.m. PST. The Vice President of Pastoral Care, senior Physics major Josh Vasquez, holds Bible Study during the weekly meetings.
“Everybody plays a different role, and we all kind of work together to just provide a space for community,” Phillips said.
Phillips said along with the weekly meetings, Word Up takes part in The Gathering, where the four student ministries with musical worship teams collaborate every Thursday night at 8 p.m., PST. The other ministries who lead The Gathering are Koinonia Campus Mission, Celebration Chapel and The Well.
“It’s a really cool place to see other students lead worship and speak,” Phillips said. “It’s totally community-centered.”
Phillips said The Gathering usually starts with The Well’s worship director Taylor Begert leading the first songs. After the musical portion, a ministry member will begin worship. The speaker varies from week to week; one meeting featured President Jim Gash as a speaker. Phillips said she enjoys the community found in these meetings.
“At the beginning, everybody’s coming in, you see people chatting in the comments like, ‘Hey how are you doing?'” Phillips said. “People are welcoming you.”
Word Up, Phillips said, is also focused on solidifying its following within the University.
“Our foundation is cool and it moves a little sometimes, so just finding that sweet spot of, ‘This is how we have to do it, or this is how we want to do it, this is how we need to do it,’ and then grow from there,” Phillips said.
Phillips said a large goal of the program is to leave the Sandbar and to host meetings within the amphitheater upon the return to Pepperdine’s campus. Additionally, the members of Word Up hope to increase the frequency of its meetings.
“We want to be as much of a household name, kind of as The Well and Celebration chapel are — big love to those and the student ministries — and we want to be right alongside them,” Phillips said.
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Email Samantha Torre: sam.torre@pepperdine.edu
