Society Spotlight: PENSA
By Ruby Thomas
PENSA is the University of Canberra’s (UC) group for Pentecostal students, their friends and the broader Christian community. PENSA Secretary, Divine, and President, Abi, recently provided some insight into the group’s activities across UC.
As an on-campus fellowship group, PENSA is fundamentally about bringing together like-minded people to embrace the Christian faith and its values. Divine emphasised that PENSA aims to spread love and kindness across campus, meaning all students are welcome to get involved.
“It’s not denominational, so everyone is welcome whether you are Catholic, Adventist - it’s for all Christians essentially,” Divine said.
While the group aims to be welcoming to all students, PENSA still has a specific focus on the Pentecostal denomination. Abi explained Pentecostals believe in receiving a baptism with the Holy Spirit.
“[Pentecostals] put a great emphasis on the power of the Holy Spirit, that by ourselves we are very limited, but the moment that we give our life to Christ, we receive that baptism of the Holy Spirit. [When] the Holy Spirit of God lives in us, the more that we pray, and as people lay hands on you, then that power can now be activated. And when the power of the Holy Spirit is activated, that’s when now people can speak in tongues. God can now work great miracles through you.”
To spread their values across campus, PENSA regularly organise a broad range of activities. Last Tuesday, PENSA held a gents vs. ladies debate night. The topic was “Is this a personal or a collective journey?” Although the gents won, Divine graciously expressed that the event is largely about skill development.
“It’s good for academic growth because we focus on your critical analysis, how you can build an argument, rather than [whether] you’re right or wrong.
“We sort of mix the two together – the biblical teachings and growing in the faith as well as practical life skills, that’s our big focus there.”
PENSA’s events are a combination of activities contained within the group as well as campus outreach.
“We first start by understanding those values and how we can apply them in our own personal lives so we do that through our worship nights, our bible study nights, and once we’ve equipped ourselves in understanding that, we sort of go out onto the campus,” Divine said.
Campus outreaches often take the form of hosting a BBQ and offering free food. Divine said this works as an avenue to check in with fellow students.
“Sometimes it's just a conversation someone needs to have with somebody – just an ear because university sometimes can be an isolating place, so just having that person who will listen to you when you need them to.”
PENSA meets up every Tuesday night from 7:30-9pm in the UCX student lounge. Next week, the group has planned a bible study, and the following week PENSA is hosting a talent night with a prize available for the best act. Towards the end of semester, students can also enjoy a games night.
Additionally, Divine mentioned PENSA’s annual Christmas party, which is planned for the first Tuesday of December.
“We get food from everyone, just talk at the end of the year, just hanging out, there’s music, there’s dancing, all sorts of things.”
It’s clear that PENSA is a group on campus achieving balance for its members between fun and enrichment.
Divine and Abi are passionate about spreading their treasured values to those in our community.
“In our classrooms, let’s have an impact in our friendship groups. Let’s focus on the Christian values and see how we can build up on them. What are the values that we would want instilled in our campus. What are the values we want to carry on [after uni],” Abi said.
To get involved, students are welcome to attend events casually, and regular members can sign up for a $10 annual membership on the UCX website.