The Joys and Challenges of Leadership

Meet Reghan!

Reghan Sikorski is a senior at East Ridge High School in Woodbury, MN. She has been leading FCA at her school since she was a sophomore. Born in Chicago, Reghan’s family moved around a lot growing up until they settled in Minnesota. She quickly plugged into church youth groups and summer camps where she was encouraged to view school as a mission field for telling others about Jesus. 

Entering high school, Reghan joined FCA and was pushed into leadership right away, but one of her biggest challenges has been finding peers that are willing to step up and lead alongside her. After COVID forced the huddle to meet via Zoom her entire sophomore year, they were able to meet in person again the following year. Returning to campus, however, Reghan found that all the other leaders from the previous year had graduated. Trying to manage the many different parts of FCA by herself, Reghan quickly burned out. Yet even through this difficult season, she was able to see God working as He answered her prayer to raise up more leaders, bringing her new students who were willing to serve in various capacities.

Despite this challenge, Reghan is confident that the rewards and joys of being an FCA student leader far outweigh the hard parts. “For me, leadership is rewarding because I have the opportunity to cultivate a space for Jesus and for people to be positively poured into. I recognize that not everyone has the same faith background and community that I do, and so creating this space to meet and talk about God is so important. And for me personally, being a leader holds me accountable in my own faith. I have to make sure I am spiritually ready because I can’t pour out of an empty cup.” Not only does leadership strengthen the faith of those being led, but also those doing the leading!

Thank you, Reghan, for leading FCA at East Ridge High School! We are grateful for your willingness to lead and serve!

Meet Lily!

Lily Peck is a junior at White Bear Lake High School in White Bear Lake, MN. She grew up in a Christian home with a family that is heavily involved in their local church. Seeing behind the scenes of the church and all the people that are helped through faith, Lily recognized not only the importance of faith but also the impact that it has in changing real lives. Wanting others to know this too, she has been leading her peers in Bible study since 6th grade! When a mentor encouraged her to seek out faith-based groups or clubs at school, she found FCA.

Lily now leads FCA at her high school, opening the Bible with her friends and peers every Friday morning before going to class. To her, “FCA is a place where we can come together to love and learn more about the Lord. There is something special about the group being just students and being able to share our hearts. Leaving the room after our huddle on Friday mornings I am filled with so much more joy, and I can see it in others too – it sets the tone for the rest of the day.”

Like everything, leadership comes with seasons, but Lily recognizes that God has been present and working not only in the times when FCA runs smoothly but also in the more difficult times. One challenge that many leaders, including Lily, often wrestle with is wanting to do things their own way and thinking that their way is best. Noticing this tendency in herself sometimes, Lily says, “I am learning that God works in so many more ways than just what I see and what I want. I want my leadership to be less of me and more of Him.” What an encouragement!

Through it all, Lily finds joy in leading, not only because of the impact that FCA has on others, but also because of the impact it has on her own faith. “Hearing students’ testimonies encourages me, and my faith grows when I see other people’s faith grow. Through serving I am able to be built up.”

Thank you, Lily, for leading FCA at White Bear Lake High School! We are grateful for your willingness to lead and serve!