For presidents and seniors Emerald Lam and Iris Dong, joining the Christian Club has allowed them to find a place at school to express their faith and mature both mentally and spiritually. Read the Q&A below to hear their thoughts on the club.
El Estoque: How did you first get involved in the club?
Senior Emerald Lam: I went to Christian Club when I was a freshman. My sisters are three years older than me — at the time they were still at MVHS and they introduced me to the club. One of my sisters was an officer at the time, and that’s why I went.
Senior Iris Dong: I’ve grown up in the church and my sister was actually a part of the club too, and she’s two years older, so I just decided to join. I was definitely never against showing my Christianity on campus and definitely wanted to find a group of campus friends that were Christian and have a day of the week to learn about my faith rather than just the weekends. Church is always on the weekends, so Christian Club was a perfect spot for that.
EE: Why did you decide to become an officer for the club?
EL: At first my sister was kind of like, “You should just do it for legacy purposes,” and I kind of liked the idea, and so I was an officer last year. But after fully understanding what it takes to be an officer, I really enjoyed that leadership role in the club.
ID: Within my church I already have leadership roles, and so I might as well segue into the campus. I really felt like I was willing and able, and not afraid to show people I’m Christian. So by being an officer I could hopefully lead by example and show other people that this is how Christians should really act on campus.
EE: What does the club provide for MVHS?
ID: First of all, we provide a community, so if you’re on campus and you’re maybe scared, or have questions, definitely come to Christian Club. Our officers and advisor are all Christian and we can definitely provide our perspective. It really provides a place to answer questions, like sometimes we have events that invite people who are non-religious or [believe in] different religions, and we can definitely answer questions or spark curiosity for those on campus.
EL: We try our best to create a super fun environment, Christians and non-Christians, and just feel safe. I know MVHS is a place where it’s very competitive and very hard to feel comfortable, but we are trying to create an environment where people can come and just have fun.
EE: What plans does the club have for this semester?
EL: Last year, we did a week-long sermon called “Why Jesus,” and this year we’re trying to do the same thing again. [It’s] not “Why Jesus,” but something very similar, and should be near the beginning of April.
ID: We’re definitely trying to do the same thing and try to get Pastor Brian Hwang [again]. Hopefully we can answer questions, make a statement that we are here on campus and that you can always find us if you need us.
EE: Are there any misconceptions about the club you have heard before?
EL: Everyone thinks we’re a gardening club because we have “Roots” in [our club name]. And with “Why Jesus”, a lot of people thought it was a joke but people still came, and that’s all we really ask for. We got like 300 kids last year, which was crazy.
ID: Sometimes I’ve heard that it’s weird that we’re [doing praise], but really, sometimes we do worship and that’s just praise, like choir but in a spiritual way. And you’ve heard that music represents things where words cannot; it’s an interesting way to use words. And it’s a non-academic club, so sometimes [people] are like, “Why would you waste your time there,” but I think it’s really nice because you also get to bond with people and relax.