Auburn Christian Fellowship is a Christian community in Auburn that hosts a variety of events, fundraisers and mission trips for students to become more involved through their church.
Auburn Christian Fellowship, or ACF, is a non-denominational ministry on campus. Students can see ACF tabling outside on the Haley concourse and inside of the Melton Student Center occasionally.
The ACF holds free dinner on Tuesdays, with worship and bible study on Thursdays during the fall and spring semesters.
Savannah Bethune, a staff member of ACF, and Sammy Riley, senior in mechanical engineering and member, talked about their experiences within their Christian community.
“I heard about ACF as a student when I was walking the Haley concourse one day. They were outside tabling and I signed up to see what they were about. I began working at ACF after I graduated college in 2020,” Bethune said.
Unlike Bethune, Riley is not a staff member but a student at Auburn University.
“I heard about ACF through a high school friend whose older brother was interning at ACF, so I went with her one time and kept going without her my freshman year," Riley said. "It wasn’t until after my freshman year that I really got plugged in, though COVID ended my first year short."
Bethune is a community pod leader, worship band leader and overseer of female students who join and visit the community. She also leads accountability meetings with student leaders in the community.
“My favorite thing about being a staff member is getting to give back to a community that gave so much to me as a student. I love helping students overcome struggles in their lives whether it be with school, friends, family, and more," Bethune said. "Also, I love having fun with everyone in the community and meeting new students."
Riley said being involved in ACF as a member means showing up and providing helping hands whenever possible. This includes helping clean after free dinners, giving people rides to and from campus or just playing games with people to relieve stress.
Riley emphasized how being involved at ACF is just “showing up” even if it’s just to take a nap on one of the couches.
“ACF is a community of college-aged Christians. It’s most definitely not your traditional idea of a church, but it is a church nonetheless," Riley said. "It’s a place where anyone can call it home, no matter who they are, all they have to do is show up.”
Riley explained how ACF is a loving community with great free food, comfy couches and people that will build one another up while having a great time.
“ACF is a place where people are free to be themselves," Bethune said. "Regardless of your religious beliefs, your sex, race, age, the job you are studying or what job you have, any disabilities you may have, ACF is a community for everyone and is a community that gives love and grace to anyone who needs it.”
Auburn Christian Fellowship is a place for students to make friends, join a community and grow their faith in God.
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