Students Explore Intersection of Church & Community in Memphis
March 28, 2025
Students at the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel
In February, CBM's Community Leadership class visited the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis.
To prepare for the trip, the class watched several episodes of the Eyes on the Prize documentary, examined the role of the Church in the non-violent movement and discussed the impact of the lunch counter sit-ins and freedom rides.
Once in Memphis they took a guided tour of the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel. This museum offers an in-depth walkthrough of the history of the black experience in the United States from the transatlantic slave trade through the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4th 1968.
Following the tour, Sycamore View Church of Christ hosted the class for lunch. The church's ministers shared how their congregation engages with the community. Sycamore View Church serves as an incredible example of what it looks like to seek the peace and the prosperity of the city in which you live, especially in a city riddled with such a complex and tragic past.
When asked about his experience, Sophomore Pastoral Leadership major Isidoro Castillo noted the impact of these two locations: “The Memphis trip was great for many reasons. Two of which are the knowledge that the Civil Rights museum held and the wisdom Sycamore Church gave about how they supported their local community.”
Redi Bolek, a Sophomore Missions, Ministry, and Leadership major, recounted the impact of the trip: “The Memphis trip was an eye-opener for me, showing me how deeply rooted the church is in history.” Outside of the deeply formative learning experience, she expressed the joy of fellowship with her classmates, “I had a blast bonding with everyone over [the game] Just Dance and sharing meaningful conversations on the bus.”
We are delighted to see students already benefiting from the unique experiences offered by the newly added Community Leadership course!
