Each student is assigned an Area Church(AC) group. We attend that church every Sunday for the whole semester. Every Sunday, you drive to your area church with your group and stay the whole day. Most AC groups focus on working with the youth group at their church.
My area church is 21st Church of Christ in Clovis, NM. It's the farthest AC from Sunset. Assigned to Clovis with me are Jordan Terry, Angela Young, Jeff Smith, Robert Click, and Brent Franques. We also have three assistants that watch over us; Jenni Williams, and Carla and Robbie Stephens. Because there are nine of us, we take two vehicles and switch off driving duties. We leave Lubbock at 8am Lubbock time and drive for two hours so we can arrive at 9am Clovis time. Yes, we go through a time warp every Sunday. During the drive there we either talk, study or sleep; sleep being the most common event and studying the wisest...
Upon arriving at the church, we visit with the congregation for a few minutes before heading off to class. Generally we attend the teen class but sometimes they need us to help in the children's classes. Soon, the AIM boys will begin taking turns leading class. After class is worship. At Clovis, we like to spread out and sit with random members of the church. Before the preacher begins the lesson, the 2-7 year olds are excused to children's service and each of us AIMers take turns helping out with that.
After service, we clean the building and change out of our dress clothes. For Lunch, the members of Clovis take turns sponsoring us in their homes so we get about an hour and a half relaxing. Then we whisk ourselves away to work.
Work each Sunday is different. One Sunday, we spent the first half of the after noon working at the Matthew 25 center (which is the churches Benevolence program) and then the rest of the after noon singing at a retirement center. Last Sunday we spent all five hours washing cars with the Youth Group. Sometimes, we have Devos with the Youth group and sometimes we just help members with any manual labour they need done. The church get's pretty creative thinking of things for us to do(like that time they found a black widow nest at a preschool...)
After all the work is done and we're about ready to collapse, we have supper with another sponsor. We love this time! Food and a place to sit!
Evening Services begin at 7pm. First, the congregation sings together and then they split for classes. We have to option of also attending the Spanish service that takes place at the same time as the regular evening service. After service, we stick around for a little while to make sure there's nothing to clean up and then we drive home. The drive home is really only two hours, but seems to take us three, especially since we cross timezones again(leave at 8 arrive at 11). On the drive home, we study, talk or sleep as before.
Fun fact: On the road to Clovis, we pass a far that has Zebras and Camels. We get excited everytime we see them!
