Last Saturday evening was the annual fundraising dinner for Soma (Christian Student Center) at Sycamore View. For those who might not know, Soma is a shared college ministry of the churches of Christ in the Memphis area. Located near the University of Memphis campus, this group exists to "seek the truth, spread the love and share the life" of Christ with other students. Soma also partners with other organizations both on and off campus to bless their surrounding community.

Dr. David Cox, member at White Station Church of Christ, was our speaker for the evening. Dr. Cox holds the rank of Professor in the Division of Public Administration and serves as Executive Assistant to the President at The University of Memphis. His research, outreach, and publications have centered on the effect of urban governance structures on the responsiveness, equity, and effectiveness of public policies and on strategies for inter-organizational collaboration. His work has been supported by over $7,000,000 in nationally competitive grants. Some of Dr. Cox's recent achievements include the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Award, the National Outstanding Community Commitment Award, and the Certificate for Superior Accomplishment from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Dr. Cox spoke of his love for the city of Memphis and his passion for seeing students reach their full potential at the University of Memphis. He also offered high-praise for organizations like Soma and the work they are doing to "seek, spread, and share" Christ on our campus. 

There were around 300 supporters in attendance and several thousand dollars were raised through the dinner to help further the work of Soma. This attendance was double that of previous dinners and is the largest to date. Jonathan Woodall, Director of Soma, spoke about the unique opportunity of Saturday's dinner to help a ministry that will "literally bless generations of churches and communities for years to come."

The fundraiser is a BIG opportunity for members of Sycamore View to live out their mission — helping SOMA see Jesus. Please help us continue to show God’s love and support to these students in the Memphis area.

—Justin Ardrey (Director of Communication)