Member Chris Holder says the group has several different purposes, from support group to charity organization to political action group. He says he welcomes the opportunity to meet with other people who understand his religious beliefs and are open and tolerant toward differing opinions.
President Amy Hester explains that the SSA fills a need that hadn’t been met before in Montevallo, one that is both social and political.
As to why she started the group, Hester says, "There weren’t any peer resources for students who were secular, atheist or agnostic, or people who were questioning their religious beliefs, as many people do in college."
The group’s meetings focus heavily on discussion, but they’ve also focused on diversifying their calendar. They recently had a birthday party for Charles Darwin, and Hester says they’re working on developing their philanthropy through Montevallo’s Boys and Girls Club.
SSA members played "pin the feet on the fish" at a recent party.
Hester says she thinks it’s important for her organization to reach out to people of all religious backgrounds, and students have attended including Catholics, Jews, and members of other Christian denominations. She encourages anyone to attend who is interested in an open discussion of issues in the secular community.
The group has developed a regular membership that Hester says fluctuates between as few as three and as many as fifteen people at any meeting, a number she hopes to increase over time.
The SSA meets Wednesdays at 8 p.m. in the commuter lounge between Comer and Morgan halls. For more information join their group on Facebook.
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