Baptist Collegiate Ministry students were treated to pancakes, a hug and an encouraging word Dec. 9 as they kicked off finals’ week at University of Central Arkansas in Conway.
The breakfast, which included pancakes, sausage and more, was provided and prepared by the Follower Sunday School Class from Balboa Baptist Church in Hot Springs Village.
The Sunday school class served breakfast from about 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. “Students stopped by either before or after their exams and we had the opportunity to serve them and build relationships with them,” said Mark Guinee, a member of the Sunday School class.
Members have volunteered over the years with Beach Reach, a partnership between college ministries all over the nation to serve other college students on spring break, Guinee said. In 2024, more than 150 Arkansas BCM students traveled to Florida for Beach Reach.
The Sunday School class over the years also showed support for the University of Arkansas BCM in Fayetteville, where Guinee’s son, Thomas Guinee, previously served with the BCM. Earlier this year, Guinee took on the campus minister role at Conway BCM.
Forming connections
Mark Guinee said the breakfast was a way to help build relationships with the students on campus and form connections with students they will see volunteering in the spring with Beach Reach.
“Students hear from me often that their local Arkansas Baptist Churches from across the state love them, support them and are in their corner as they take the gospel to their peers on campus,” Thomas Guinee said. “Few things communicate that better than a pancake, a hug and an encouraging word during finals week.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Mary Alford and originally published by Arkansas Baptist News.
