Spring break doesn’t stop Carson-Newman students from serving

Carson-Newman’s Seed Co. worship band performs during the University’s SPOTS commissioning service. The event serves as a send-off for students spending their spring breaks involved in ministry and outreach projects.

Over 100 Carson-Newman University students have chosen to give up their spring break to serve others.

Every year C-N’s Campus Ministries and Baptist Collegiate Ministries sponsor multiple SPOTS trips. The acronym stands for Special Projects Other Than Summer, but it more accurately describes the mission trips C-N students go on each fall and spring break. This year’s outreach event will take place the week of March 17.

“SPOTS is a great way for students to put their faith in action and serve those in need,” said Chad Morris, associate director of Campus Ministries.

This spring, 131 participants on 10 teams will serve in Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Iowa, Georgia. A group will also travel to Guatemala.

Carson-Newman senior Brent Metcalf is leading this year’s trip to Guatemala.

“I am excited that I get to minister to the children in Guatemala and love on them,” the religion and human services double major said. “I’ve been called to ministry and I’ve never been on a SPOTS trip before so I wanted to go on one before I graduated.”

“For me the purpose of the trip is to show the love of Jesus hopefully in a way they have never seen before,” said Metcalf.

Although that is Metcalf’s goal for the international trip, Morris said it is the goal of each SPOTS trip.

Students will serve in multiple ways. Ministries include children and youth ministries, a backpacking outreach, inner-city missions, resort missions, music ministry and international ministry.