Adopt-A-Student

Program

Vision

Transforming lives with Jesus as the central element through “Adopt-a-Student” intergenerational community groups

About

Adopt a Student is an intentional, intergenrational development program that relationally matches college students (Undergraduate and Graduate) with an EFam (Element Family) during their time here in college. We want every student to have a “home away from home” for support, care relationship and spiritual growth. We pray the student-family match will create lifelong relationships that span far past each students’ time here in the East Lansing area. For life-long life transformation with Jesus and life long relationships with their Element Family. Click below to see some answers to commonly asked questions. Contact Kinsley (kinsleym@theelement.church) if you should have any further questions or concerns.

Students

FAQ

Student Sign-Up

After you submit the Adopt-A-Student sign-up form, we start working on pairing you and up to four other students with families. We try to pair students and families together based on many different factors. We want your adopted family to be a vital part of your experience while you are here.

We will plan a kick-off dinner after pairing everyone together. More details will be released at a later date.

We are asking for you to make an intentional effort to be an active and dependable student while you are in this program. Please be kind and considerate to your Adopt-A-Student family by:

  • Communicating with your EFam within 48 hours of them reaching out to you
  • Respecting and honoring the families and their homes that you will be invited into
  • Attending biweekly discipleship sessions
  • Attending at least 1 EFam fellowship gathering per semester
  • Communicating with other students in your EFam group

It is our hope that when you participate in the Adopt-A-Student, you are committing yourself to your EFam for at least 1 academic year.

However, we understand that throughout college and life as a whole, commitments may change. If at any time you decide you no longer want to participate, it is your responsibility to communicate this to your adopted family and our college ministry team.

Families

FAQ

Families Application

Families interested in being an Adopt-A-Student family are asked to complete an application form. After review, we will select which families will be moving forward to go through our online training and background check. Upon completion of both the training and background check, we work to pair you with 2-5 Element students. We will do the best we can to pair families and students together based on preference or requests, but we may have to make some adjustments.

Our students sign-up at the end of the Spring semester and within the first few weeks of starting school in the Fall.

We plan to have a kick-off dinner after pairing everyone together. More details will be sent to families and students who sign up.

  • Commit to a full school year August – May 
  • Pray for your students by name
  • Communicate with your student(s) regularly (call, text, social media, email, etc.)
  • Invite your students to do something together 1x-2x a month
  • Hold discipleship sessions 1-2x per month
  • Prepare a care package for students at least once per semester 
  • Help student(s) take steps toward Element Church Involvement

Families can help students to get more involved at Element Church by encouraging them to participate in:

  • Next Steps | Step 1 & Step 2
  • SOAP
  • 21 Days of Prayer (Jan & Aug)
  • Serving on a Team
  • Giving
  • Attending Service & Offering Rides to Church
  • Element College Student Gatherings
  • Involvement in a Campus Ministry

We want you to make an effort to include your adopted student in activities other than just church services. Some activities may include (but are not limited to):

  • Family Dinners
  • Inviting them over for holidays
  • Washing Clothes
  • Grabbing Coffee
  • Meet up on campus
  • Movie Night or other social activities
  • Show them around the Greater Lansing area