Rylynn Brackett moved to Brunswick during the height of the Covid-pandemic from South Carolina. Her mom, Samantha, describes their family’s transition like this, “Moving to a new town can be a daunting experience for any family. It was tough when we moved to the area a couple of years ago. We were trying to navigate a new community, my husband started a new business venture, and we continued homeschooling. This transition brought its fair share of challenges, especially in the realm of making new friends.”

Samantha reached out to the GP, requesting that her older two kids be placed in 707 groups. There was a caveat, though – her daughter Rylynn was shy and wasn’t too excited about the idea.

However, Rylynn went to her first 707 the following Wednesday and cautiously sat at a long table in Gather Thrift and Café alongside other young ladies and her two leaders. After getting everyone breakfast and making short introductions, Ry’s leaders started an ice-breaker game. There were bright red cards with questions printed that the leaders used as icebreakers.

“Is your room messy or clean?” “Describe your perfect day.” and “Has a stranger ever changed your life?” were just a few of the questions. Soon, this group of young ladies began to share and grow together. The leaders watched as six strangers began to open up about their lives, their heart’s desires, and their walk with God. And Rylynn kept coming back to Gather Wednesday morning after Wednesday morning. She was breaking out of her shell of shyness, and everyone around her started watching her bloom.

Samantha adds, “Rylynn’s experience with 707 transformed into something she looked forward to every week. My teen discovered friends and leaders who genuinely care about her and her walk with God. Her 707 group became a place to express herself, connect, and grow closer to God. Her 707 leaders have made an enormous impact on our lives. Their intentional efforts and genuine care have made all the difference. They have mentored and encouraged Rylynn in incredible ways.”

Since she first came to Glynn County, Rylynn has become a different person. Her passion for Christ, publicly and on social media has shined brightly. Her 707 leaders were amazed, and her family was so excited. In a single school year, through The Gathering Place’s programs, Ry has grown closer to God and has made friends that encourage her in her walk with Christ.

Samantha concludes, “For our family, The Gathering Place has been a reminder that in the journey of life, even in the most challenging of circumstances, there are bright spots that illuminate the way forward. In our case, Rylynn’s 707 group provided the light, showing that with the right community and loving God, individuals and families can thrive, no matter where they find themselves.”

The Gathering Place has been the place that has taught me that I can have fun while learning about my Jesus. Through the GP staff and programs, I have been blessed with lifelong mentors, work skills for my future and tools to cultivate a deeper relationship with Christ.

This past summer, I participated in The GP Workforce Development Internship (Doulos Program) that gave me the soft and hard skills I needed to become successful in whatever future career I pursue. The Doulos Internship focused on teaching me how to become a leader that serves with no strings attached.

I was also blessed to be part of the annual college tour that The GP offers. The Gathering Place took the time to not only help me think about my future education, but to experience college campuses firsthand across the state of Georgia. Through the GP college tour, I also received help with applying to the colleges I was interested in attending. I am so thankful for everything the GP has done for me!

In 2022, coming to The College of Coastal Georgia all the way from Texas was definitely scary. I felt like I was having to start over. When I was accepted to CCGA, I knew I was going to go there. I didn’t really know why, but I did. I made a promise to myself that I was going to get plugged in that year, even if I had to go out of my comfort zone. I decided to go to “The Accepted Student’s Day” that the school held, and I’m so glad I did. That’s when I met Wayne, the GP Converge leader, and the Converge leadership team! When I heard that they were a college Christian ministry, I was immediately interested. I was longing for that type of community.

One day, I decided to go to Gather Thrift and Café to grab some coffee. As I walked in, there were two guys that instantly came up to me and started sharing with me about The Gathering Place college ministry. They made me feel so welcomed in a new community and introduced me to a ton of other college students.

That evening, I went to my first GP college night and have been going ever since! Today, I am a student leader on the Converge college leadership team and get to make other students feel welcomed into the ministry!

One of my favorite things about being on the leadership team is that I get to help lead worship. I enjoy seeing everyone come together and worship the Lord as a community. I am so thankful for Converge because it has strengthened my relationship with God, given me opportunities to make great friendships and given me the confidence to share the love of Jesus with others!

“Working for The Gathering Place was one of the greatest things God has allowed me to do.”

I felt like God was calling me to take a step of faith and join The Gathering Place as a summer college intern and I’m so glad I listened to Him. The GP isn’t just a normal organization, it’s a loving community that is built on Christ and every single member of The GP lives and breathes the gospel.

I can recount a time that a GP leader took all of the college interns to a CrossFit gym before our morning discipleship class. His goal was to make us work hard together and to build us up as a team. It was exhausting to say the least. The main takeaway from that experience wasn’t the almost impossible workout that he put us through. It was when he walked over to us all at the end and asked us to explain the Gospel – even as we were lying on the ground gasping for air! The GP instilled in all the college interns to always be ready to share the Gospel, even at the most inopportune times.

Now, I remind myself daily of the good news of Christ and look for ways to share it with others. Being a college intern for The GP has taught me so many things that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I grew in my faith as an intern and had the awesome opportunity to help younger people than me grow in theirs. I was part of a team that challenged one another to walk more closely with God and how to be the hands and feet of Jesus in ways I never imagined.