By Larry Bloomquist, with Justin Lenamon and Jackson Wiese
One of Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church’s longstanding local mission partners is the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) here in Austin.
Through FCA, Westlake High School (WHS) hosts several bible study gatherings called "huddles." Two student-led huddles meet every week, on campus, during the student’s two lunch hours, 4th and 5th period. Coach Jeff Montgomery and Mrs. Clements help host and facilitate these huddles, which attract between 10 to 40 students at each lunch hour. That means that each week, as many as 80 students gather together to enjoy fellowship in a safe place, to pray, to hear the Word of God, and to listen to a testimony from a fellow student or invited guest speaker.
During the football season, the WHS football team also has its own “Team Huddle” that meets weekly, on Thursday mornings at 7:30 am. This huddle is led by FCA Character Coach and former Chap quarterback, Tanner Price. Parents help get the morning started off right by providing the boys Chick-Fil-A chicken minis and chocolate milk. As many as 40 players attend these weekly meetings, where Tanner challenges them with sports-related questions and boldly shares the Word of God with them. Coach Brandon Murdock facilitates this huddle and makes sure it has access to gathering space each week.
Jackson Wiese, a WHPC member and son of Bill and Channing Wiese, is one of the student leaders at Westlake High School and recently said, “Going to a public school, it is difficult to find a safe Christian community where you can share your thoughts and beliefs about God and His kingdom. FCA is my safe community. I’ve met many fellow Christians that I wouldn’t have normally met. Also, I’ve learned a lot about other denominations and how they view God. FCA is great for high school students looking to live out their faith at school, and I recommend that all Christians attended FCA whether they play a sport or not.”
Unfortunately, with the coronavirus outbreak and the related constraints on social gatherings, getting together for huddle is more challenging right now. The Austin FCA staff and board members are investigating the best ways to hold virtual huddle meetings with coaches and students, and to use online platforms and tools to stay connected.
No matter what, FCA’s mission is to lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church.
WHPC member and FCA student leader Jackson Wiese leads fellow students in prayer during a Westlake High School “huddle.”
If you are interested in learning how FCA can support you and/or your student and help us grow our influence the Westlake area, please contact Larry Bloomquist at larryb@mechreps.com or 512-658-3470. A Westlake Area FCA vision casting gathering is in the planning stages.
Learn more at www.fcaaustin.org.
