On Thursday, Oct. 15, at 8 p.m., approximately 60 women from across Union University’s campus met in Barefoots for the annual Stand Up for Your Sister event, hosted by Res Life.
This year’s theme was based on 2 Corinthians 3:17:”where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” The evening opened and concluded with worship led by resident advisers. A panel of three speakers shared personal testimonies of how they have experienced freedom in Christ.
Each woman in attendance participated by filling out an anonymous survey pertaining to the broken circumstances she has walked through and sins she has struggled with. She then received another woman’s survey and stood up for her as a visual representation of the truth that we are not alone in our struggles and are called to support each other in the midst of them.
The event was led by Jessica Searl, the assistant residence director for women’s quads. As a Union alumna, she got to experience this event as a student and as an RA as well.
She said that the event is special because there aren’t a lot of women’s events on campus outside of specific organizations where anyone can come and enjoy an evening of fellowship. She also recognized that the event can be difficult for some women if the discussion brings something up for them that they haven’t processed before. The hope is that they would not face that alone; but would talk to a friend, their RA, or an RD.
“It’s a really sweet moment where we can come together and share openly about our sin and our brokenness in a way that would be really hard to do on a secular campus,” Searl said.
“It’s a university-sponsored event where we get to share the gospel and worship together, and we also have the opportunity to hopefully love the unbelievers in the room, so that they can get a taste of what it means to have freedom in Christ.”
Taryn Lengacher, a junior nursing major, has attended this event every year she’s been at Union. She originally went as a freshman because she loves caring for other women and being vulnerable with one another.
“I think it’s valuable to be reminded that we’re not the only ones who struggle with sin,” Lengacher said. “It’s always good to shine the light on sin very seriously and to be reminded of the gospel in the midst of that, and it’s always good to do that as a community, not alone.”
Carmen Rubado, a junior political science major and RA, has a renewed perspective on how to build deeper relationships with her residents after participating in Stand Up for Your Sister.
“This event, Stand Up for Your Sister, is a reminder that vulnerability fosters vulnerability,” Rubado said. “This event is really special, but it only happens once a year; and this shouldn’t be a once-a-year thing, like these should be regular conversations that we have with women around us.”
Res Life hosts several events throughout year, such as the 1/2K, that promote campus community through activity and competition. They continue to host Stand Up for Your Sister, and the Roundtable event equivalent for men, in order to foster community in a unique way, through honest conversations that lead to deeper relationship-building.
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