Christian preachers return to Utah State University campus for spring

Brad Scheelke mans his christian free-book stand outside the TSC Patio at Utah State University in Logan, Utah. 

Spring is back – and so are the preachers from Community Christian Ministries, who returned to Utah State University Tuesday to spread their message of grace.

When they consider the weather to be tolerable, Eli Brayley and Brad Scheelke preach every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday outside of the Taggard Student Center Patio.

Questions and messages are written on whiteboards they set up each day they’re on campus. Scheelke usually stands behind a table covered with free books.

The organization they represent, Community Christian Ministries, is headquartered in Moscow, Idaho. It was incorporated in 1969 and has bookstores and coffee shops on or near the campuses of Western State College in Colorado, the University of Idaho and Utah State University.

The pair of evangelists said they don’t mind that roughly 79 percent of Cache County’s population is a part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to the Glenmary Research Center.

“Here it’s nice because as opposed to debating whether God exists, almost everyone here already agrees that he does,” Brayley said. “That lets us focus on discussing deeper issues.”

Six years ago, Brayley was on a preaching tour of campuses throughout the United States when he visited Utah State and met Scheelke. After a few days, he decided to stay and continue preaching there long-term.

Scheelke said one of the main issues he and Brayley discuss on campus is grace through God, regardless of works. Their goal is to bring people to accept God's grace, or at least gain what they believe is a better understanding of it, he said.

Mormons often cite James 2:26, which says “faith without works is dead.”

But Community Christian Ministries, part of the born-again movement, emphasizes the following passage from Romans: “But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.”

“God is a generous person just urging people to take a free gift,” Scheelke said. “But if they offer payment he can’t let them have it because that would violate his goodness.”

Brayley and his wife had similar sentiments.

“Eli loves engaging with LDS people because in all of his conversations it’s all about the heart of the gospel,” said Bethanie Brayley, Eli Brayley’s wife of nine months. “Like ‘Do you have to work for God or is God generous and kind and has he done it for you?’”

Scheelke said they usually are on campus from 10 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m., depending on the weather and how long students want to talk.

The reaction of students to the preachers’ presence has been mixed.

“I think they have a perfectly valid reason for being on campus,” said Dusty Henson, a freshman at Utah State. “I think they can express their opinions as long as they don’t get too heated or cause a scene.”

Ashley Howell is a Mormon attending Utah State who doesn't see merit in the ministers' work.

“I feel like the only reason they’re on campus is to get in fights with people,” Howell said. “That’s what everyone does, they see them out and just go fight with them. It’s kind of pointless.”

“I just kind of ignore them,” Henson said. “Maybe I should stop and listen to them but most of the time I’m just so busy going in between classes I don’t have time.”

Some were even more negative in their opinions.

“I feel that they have very few productive things that they do with their time,” said returned LDS missionary Richard Orcutt. “What they’re doing is a waste of human time. That’s how incredibly unproductive they are as humans.”

From a different perspective, Mathieu Volk was raised in the Mormon Church but left the church after his mission. He said the decision was due to theological reasons and his homosexuality.

"I think some people, especially Mormons, get intimidated by Eli and Brad because they're afraid they might actually change their mind about things," Volk said. "If they would just give them a chance and put down their barriers they'd see they're nice guys that legitimately care about people."

The preachers said that while it’s more common to get positive responses from non-Mormons, there are exceptions.

“I talk to Brad and Eli pretty often,” said Matthew Anderson, an active Mormon. “I don’t agree with everything they believe, but they’re great guys.”

When Scheelke and Brayley aren't spreading their message of grace on campus, they can often be found at their non-profit bookstore and coffeehouse, Oasis Books on West Center Street in Logan.

In addition to being a bookstore, it is also a meeting place for All Saints Church. Services are held inside Oasis Books every Sunday, for which the two preachers are co-pastors. They also hold group meetings and bible studies weekly.

“If someone takes the time to get to know us, they will typically realize that we’re not crazy and we’re just regular people,” Brayley said. “They see that we might disagree but we care about them.”

Scheelke agreed that once actually people take the time to listen to them, they let down their guard and become more receptive.

“The people that stay and listen and let themselves be heard out end up forming these really cool relationships with them,” Bethanie Brayley said.

“It seems like the people who stick around are most often post-mo, atheist, Christian or something else,” Volk said. “Some Mormons actually stay and listen though. Brad and Eli are great guys to talk to about anything.”

Some students raised questions regarding the preachers’ motives, but Eli Brayley said their only income comes from donations to Community Christian Ministries. The Brayleys said they received a total of $80 last month from CCM.

“We never really know what we’re going to get,” Bethanie Brayley said. “Some months we’ll get $500 but others we might get a thousand or almost nothing.”

Eli Brayley said he trusts in God that it will all work out. Though the donations he receives aren't consistent, his wife earns income by teaching violin lessons.

Friends of the pastors have helped them out in various ways. The Brayleys' car was given to them by a friend free of charge. Scheelke's house was mostly paid for by someone else.

"Frugality. That's how we survive," Eli Brayley said. "God has helped us out along the way as well."

"We've been truly blessed," Bethanie Brayley said.

Cache Valley Catholic Latinos excited about Argentinian Pope

LOGAN – As Catholics gathered for a Lent ‘fish fry’ at the Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Hyde Park on Friday, the news of Pope Francis’ election last week was fresh on their minds. The Latino pope’s ascension to the papal throne was of special significance to Catholics in Cache Valley.

The former archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis is the first pope to come from the Western Hemisphere.

“I think most people expected it would be someone from this hemisphere,” said Reverend Father Francisco Pires, the pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish. “But we were all surprised and happy at the same time to have a person that will better understand our culture and the needs of the Catholics on this side of the world.”

A large majority of Catholics in Cache Valley and the remainder of Utah are Latino.

“Within our parish we have about 700 Latino families,” said Jim Miller, a permanent deacon. “Within the state of Utah about 70 percent of the Catholics are Latino.

Matt Kershisnik of Logan said there is a larger population of Latino Catholics than Caucasian Catholics in the valley.

“We have an extremely diverse parish here,” Kershisnik said.

According to officials at the St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, about 65% of their members speak Spanish, while 35% speak English as a first language.

Pope Francis’ South American background is a plus for many of the Hispanic Catholics in the parish.

“You almost identify with him personally,” said Lerona Haro-Rodriguez. “I think it’s always really important for a role model to identify himself with a group and in our case it’s with Hispanics. I was really excited.”

Rev. Pires said his congregation was pleasantly surprised by the decision of the papal conclave.

“I can see here in the Spanish community that with a Pope that speaks our language they now have that main connection,” he said.

Mariana Lopez said she broke into tears when she heard the news.

“I was crying because for us it is very important,” Mariana Lopez said. “We believe the pope is the real presence of Christ. I’m very happy.”

Teenager Rubi Gonzalez said she was shocked to find out the pope was from South America.

“I was very happy to find out we got a Hispanic pope,” she said. “We’re so used to getting someone from Europe.”

Carlos Licon is a professor of landscape architecture at Utah State University and a Catholic of the St. Thomas Aquinas Parish.

“There is a pretty high level of excitement,” Licon said. “I’ve seen that here and heard it in conversations I’ve had with friends in Mexico so I think in general everybody’s very positive about it.”

Some think that the pope’s heritage will encourage the youth of the Latino community.

“Within the Latino community, we have a lot of young men and young women that are thinking of vocations,” Miller said. “When they can see a man like Pope Francis that has come from Argentina … that is now the pope … it’s got to make a lot of young people very excited and think, ‘Wow, that could be me some day.’”

Indeed, certain members of the younger generation of Latinos felt a connection to the pope.

“It’s really cool to have a Latino pope,” said Jorge Rodriguez, 14. “I think he will be a really good pope.”

Jorge’s little brother Esteban, 12, said he was very excited for the pope as well.

“My mom and my family were really excited when they saw Pope Francis coming out,” Haro-Rodriguez said. “It’s clear to see in his eyes and voice that he’s really nice and humble and he really cares for the poor.”

Richard Sherlock, a professor of philosophy at Utah State University, said Francis was a divine choice for the position.

"Any new Pope would be great because it’s the pick of God,” said Sherlock. “But it’s really nice that they chose someone from a major center of Catholicism – Latin America – whose parents were from Italy, so he knows the European scene pretty well too.”

Many Cache Valley Catholics also appreciated the new pope’s decision to be called Francis. In addition to being the first South American pope, he is the first pope to take that name, in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi.

“It’s fitting for the times that he took the name of St. Francis,” Sherlock said.

He said the Saint emphasized helping those in poverty, something Pope Francis has committed he will focus on as well.

“So many people are interested in getting ahead, which means more money or a fancier car. And yet there are a billion people in this world who can’t get clean water every day,” Sherlock said. “I think St. Francis is a model for today ... for what we need to do.”

Even amid the hype generated from Francis the former pope, Benedict XVI, has not been forgotten.

"My prayers are going to him that his health concerns will be eased," said Habum Song, a junior at Utah State. "I hope he'll be alright, he is a man of God too."

Other Catholics expressed nothing but good will toward the previous head of the church.

Looking forward, the general consensus among Cache Valley Catholics was optimism and excitement about the future.

Miller said that he thinks the new pope will rejuvenate the local parish and the worldwide church.

“The election of Pope Francis is a new spring,” he said. “It’s going to bring some definite energy to the church.”