Abi’s Story

I began attending church on my own at the Blankenbaker Campus in 2019 after visiting with a friend. In 2023, I met my husband, who at the time was attending a different church. We went back and forth for a while, but we consistently found ourselves drawn to Southeast because we loved its mission.

A couple of years later, we began attending the Indiana Campus with close friends who were just beginning their relationship with God. By that time, I had been attending Southeast for six years without intentionally building connections beyond the friends I already knew. When our friends wanted to serve at High School Camp, they insisted we join them. They passed our information along to Brennan, the Student Ministry Pastor, who began reaching out to us.

To be honest, I resisted at first. Each time Brennan tried to contact us, I ignored him, hesitant to get involved because of past experiences at other churches. But he continued to follow up, and eventually I decided to at least hear him out. Not long after that conversation, my husband and I agreed to volunteer at High School Camp—and it turned out to be one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.

…our church, our home, our people—something I never thought we’d find.

We went from walking into church knowing no one to not being able to walk in without seeing people we know and love. The other High School Ministry leaders welcomed us with open arms from the very beginning and treated us like family. From that moment on, we knew we wanted to be part of that mission.

My husband and I built meaningful relationships with both students and leaders at High School Camp and afterward agreed that this was where we were meant to be—our church, our home, our people—something I never thought we’d find.

We knew we wanted to serve in HSM and continually pour into these students. That experience encouraged us to finally plant our roots and become official members.

My husband and I are so grateful to call this church our home and for the incredible family we’ve found here. We feel truly blessed to serve in HSM and to walk alongside these students in their lives and in their journey with God.

Abi attends the Indiana Campus.