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Serving at GVSU

Posted on by Michigan
Will Miller, intern at Grand Valley State University's Wesley Fellowship, works on the farm during Make a Difference Day on October 19. The event was reported as the nation's largest Day of Service. ~photo courtesy Greg Lawton

PAUL REISSMANN
Michigan Area Communications

Community spirit is stirring at Grand Valley State University’s Wesley Fellowship.

Greg Lawton, Director of the Wesley Fellowship at GVSU, has said that part of this sense of community originates from an internship devoted to interfaith service on GVSU’s campus.

Will Miller is someone who has a genuine desire to help people, said Lawton. Miller is a junior at GVSU who is working towards a degree in Veterinary Medicine.

Miller was first introduced to the GVSU Wesley Fellowship when his friend, the worship leader for GVSU Wesley, invited him to come to a service in January 2014.

Will Miller proves his ability to make friends during his encounter with an emu during a GVSU Wesley spring trip to Atlanta, GA. ~photo courtesy Greg Lawton
Will Miller proves his ability to make friends during an encounter with an emu while on the GVSU Wesley spring trip to Atlanta, GA. ~photo courtesy Greg Lawton

Lawton said that Miller first found his passion for Christian service on a Spring Break trip to Atlanta, GA where he encountered people and situations of living that he had not encountered before.

During his time in Atlanta, Will worked with people in poverty and experienced the amount of work it takes in order to serve with those who have need.

Miller’s enthusiasm and deep interest in service are also seen in his Eagle Scout status and his participation in a service fraternity on campus.

It is because of Miller’s deep interest in service that Lawton considered him for the interfaith service internship offered through the GVSU Wesley Fellowship.

The interfaith service internship is a position of good will towards the campus and greater community, as well as a way to interact with students on campus who may not know about Wesley, Lawton said.

Miller’s internship seeks to provide two service opportunities per month to GVSU students. In addition, each month Miller provides a new focus to service projects; in September the focus was on food and in October there was outdoor service work. This month, Miller will focus on a service projects that will allow medical equipment to be sent to Africa.

Intern Will Miller interacts with students. ~photo courtesy Greg Lawton
Intern Will Miller coordinates volunteers preparing to take part in Make a Difference Day last month. ~photo courtesy Greg Lawton

Service is a point of interest for the Wesley students at GVSU, but Miller is also seeking to provide opportunities to bring students into interactions with different faiths.

The interfaith focus of the internship comes from a larger initiative in Grand Rapids, MI to create a broader conversation about faith via the Kaufman Interfaith Institute. The institute has previously held over 300 events in the city of Grand Rapids in 2012 for greater interfaith understanding. This year the institute is focusing on a year of interfaith service, providing grants for any projects focusing on developing interfaith service. This grant allowed for Wesley to provide an internship for interfaith service on GVSU’s campus and has allowed for Wesley to participate in an important conversation about different perspectives on faith.

Lawton said that Miller’s internship has given him permission and empowerment to participate and create service opportunities as a professional, providing in turn a deep drive and satisfaction in his position. Miller’s work with different faiths has opened his eyes to the experiences of others as he hears faith stories from different parts of the world. As a result, his love for humanity has grown.
~This is the 2nd in a series. Wesley: Making Disciples on Campus

Last Updated on January 30, 2024

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The Michigan Conference