Committed to Christlike Service: Community Involvement at Covenant

Students at Covenant often find a healthy balance between the tight-knit mountain community and intentional involvement beyond campus. Many choose to serve Chattanooga through churches, jobs, and local ministries, discovering meaningful ways to serve while building community off the mountain. 

From Worship to Relationship

Finding community in a local church can lead to further relationships across age-groups and life experiences. Senior Leila Mann plays violin on the worship team at her church, and has enjoyed getting to know people in the church on a personal level. “Through playing at church,” she says, “I’ve gotten to meet a lot of people, even kids that I teach music to now.”

For Leila, serving in the church opened the door to be present in the community around her, from teaching music to sharing dinner with families she might not have met otherwise. Alongside Covenant, the church has become a foundational aspect of her community. “Being involved here helps me be really present in Chattanooga in a way you can’t just be on campus. Being present at church in an intentional and embodied way is really powerful.”

Serving Through Soccer 

Other students find different ways to serve by using their talents in hands-on ways. Preston Wykoff ’26 and Cael Anderson ’28 became involved in Chattanooga Sports Ministry after a campus job fair, using their shared passion for soccer in a ministry setting. The Chattanooga Sports Ministry serves under-resourced neighborhoods by organizing soccer teams, practice, and games for several age groups. Though the commitment required a significant time investment, both students were struck by how energizing the experience became. After long days of classes, Preston found coaching his seven to eight-year-olds refreshing rather than draining. “It was awesome,” he says. “The kids were all super fun, happy to be there, and would come running whenever you’d show up.”

Serving also gave Preston a new sense of belonging beyond campus, “I have a really strong community with my hall,” he says, “but it’s fun to have something else you’re tied to and passionate about. I’m so grateful for it.” Cael shared a similar experience coaching, noting that it allowed him to reconnect with a sport he hasn’t played since high school. “It felt really impactful, and it was almost even more fun than playing, getting to interact with the kids and see them start to love the game.”

Connecting Beyond Campus 

So how can students get involved? The Covenant community not only encourages service, but also creates meaningful opportunities for students to serve the city together. Students can become involved in a church by serving in a variety of different roles. Taking initiative with other students by looking into organizations, such as the local food bank, is another practical step. However, there are also ways to be connected through the campus. Each year on MLK Day, classes are cancelled and the campus organizes service activities in the surrounding area, offering students a chance to volunteer together. Another opportunity often working with students is Project52, a team that responds to the poor, elderly, or disabled that needs help bringing property up to code in Chattanooga and Northeast Georgia.

Across service opportunities, Covenant students are learning that community extends well beyond campus, and by investing in these communities, they can build relationships and live out their faith in tangible ways.