When Emily Sheehan ’10 first joined Wesleyan Christian Fellowship (WesCF) in her freshman year, she was uncomfortable revealing her Catholic denomination.

“Then, I didn’t know if they would see it well,” Sheehan said, explaining that WesCF is mostly Protestant.

Now, however, Sheehan is an active member in WesCF as well as the Catholic Student Organization (CSO).

“I feel like I can bring up anything [at WesCF] now,” she said.

While the Christian church may be divided into Catholicism and Protestantism, WesCF refuses to fall into this binary, as it serves students of both denominations.

“We’re trying to create an atmosphere where people can learn more about Jesus, which includes Protestants and Catholics,” said WesCF member Jordan Brown ’10.

Brown serves on the events team for WesCF, which meets every Wednesday night to organize the weekly Friday meeting for the entire fellowship—a two-hour, student-run event that usually consists of a combination of prayer and discussion, and often includes a guest speaker. Brown also attends Creative Spirit Bible Study for Artists, which is one of WesCF’s many Bible studies, others of which include: all-male, all-female, co-ed, freshmen and Exploring Christianity.

Wilson Sianipar ’10, also a member of the events team, emphasized WesCF’s commitment to unity.

“We focus on the unifying factors that make us Christian,” Sianipar said. “We don’t really focus on the differences.”

Despite this, Sianipar, who was raised Seventh Day Adventist, admits that there are differences between his church and WesCF’s modes of prayer. While WesCF’s worship style includes clapping, standing up and often singing contemporary songs, Sianipar’s church employed more traditional hymns.

“I do miss the way I worship in my church [at home],” he said. “I was born into that church. Those are the songs I grew up singing.”

Sheehan, who attends St. Francis Church in Middletown every Sunday, expressed similar sentiments.

“There’s a noticeable difference in the delivery and wording of prayer, not spiritual content,” she said.

Similarly, Menherit Goodwyn ’11 explained that her Episcopalian church holds more formulaic and hymn-based services. Goodwyn hopes that WesCF’s less traditional environment will push her towards worshipping more freely.

“I want to make my praise more dynamic,” she said. “I want to grow, and become less inhibited and more free in prayer and worship. At WesCF, you are encouraged to close your eyes, raise your hand in connection with the spirit.”

Unlike Goodwyn, Sianipar sometimes laments the lack of traditional hymns at WesCF’s large meetings, as well as the clear presence of denominational disparities.

“In an ideal world, where people interpret the Bible in one way, there would be one denomination,” Sianipar said.

Protestant Chaplain at the University Joan Burnett, who often collaborates with WesCF, agreed.

“Man’s traditions bring the divisions,” she said. “We, humankind, are the ones who make divides and conflict, when there really shouldn’t be. Denominations separate, they divide, because we focus on our differences.”

Jim Schroder, who works for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA—a nationwide evangelical organization that establishes Christian community groups on college campuses—helps WesCF to plan Christian events for the University community. Schroder explained that, despite certain fundamental differences between the two denominations, WesCF provides spiritual resources for students of both affiliations.

“Historically, Protestants have less of a sacramental feel and are less liturgical,” he said. “[WesCF] acts in a mostly Protestant way, but we connect with, welcome and get to know a bunch of Catholics.”

Schroder noted that active Catholics will often join CSO, as Sheehan has done, but also attend WesCF.

“A lot of Catholic students find WesCF to be a good bonus, as it brings something that they won’t find elsewhere,” he said. “There are places in the world where Catholics and Protestants don’t manage to get along. That’s not Wes.”

Burnett pointed to WesCF’s young membership as a factor in its uniting the two denominations.

“I don’t think young adults get as hung up on denominations as older people,” she said. “That’s what’s great about the young people in WesCF…they don’t care about that.”

Sianipar also noted that, where there are differences in ideology between the two denominations, they only encourage members to learn from each other.

“We talk about differences in views,” he said. “But it’s always heated, engaged, and never gets confrontational.”

Similarly, Sheehan often becomes aware of her Catholic views during WesCF discussions.

“Sometimes we’ll be talking about things, and I’ll realize that I’ve grown up with a different teaching,” she said. “But it’s never a problem. Sometimes it even spurs interesting conversation.”

In addition to allowing its members to learn about each other’s beliefs, Sheehan explained, WesCF also breaks down common misconceptions of what it means to be Catholic or Protestant.

“Dialogue between Christian groups is really important, because it breaks down a lot of stereotypes about whatever we believe or they believe,” she said. “Having that many more people be part of a community is really neat.”

Schroder agreed.

“[Having a community of Catholics and Protestants] grows your sense of what it means to be Christian,” he said.