Indiana—When dorm students arrived at Indiana Academy last Aug., they were greeted by church members waiting to help carry belongings to their dorm rooms. Entering their rooms, the students found other church members had already been there to deposit a friendly welcome greeting and a plate of cookies.

This was just the beginning of fun activities planned for the 2005-2006 school year to build community between Cicero Church members, academy students, and faculty. In Sept., a gym night was sponsored by the academy-church relations committee, and included basketball, volleyball, ping pong, foosball, table games, and refreshments.

Other activities planned include joint potlucks, miniature golfing, a progressive Sabbath dinner, dorm worships, Prayer Warrior program, Christmas caroling, breakfast in the dorms, etc. In addition, a monthly prayer focus in the church bulletin encourages members to remember the academy faculty on a rotating basis.

Some students are from communities near Cicero, but others are not. One student's parents are serving as missionaries in Sudan. The Cicero Church members want the students to feel the church is their home away from home, and hope they make an impact in the students' lives all year long.

Cicero Church academy-church relations committee