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mic (Bamccock Church from page 1 * : “I was like, ‘sure, whatever,’ with no real in tention to come,” Melissa said When Melissa left the GMP, however, one of the members was still there. This time, Melissa decided to attend the meeting. ' “At the time, I just figured, you know, ‘luck of t I in Hro\i/ r'ir/'iimctonr'O Kut T mirrKt ec rrn to oe going 10 cnurcn. i nau never seen anyining like that before.” At that first meeting, another church • member approached Melissa and asked whether she was interested in doing a Bible study. This was how the Columbia Church of Christ arid Melissa found each other. Melissa met for two weeks with members of the church, who began to describe the traits of an ideal Christian. “They are drilled in taking portions of the Bible and then painting the picture of what a fully *■ mature Christian is supposed to look like,” u Melissa said. She said that prepares the potential it convert for the question that follows: Do you tliink you ’re a Christian? “And of course, [with] them showing you this picture of a mature Christian, of course you’re d ' going to say, ‘No, I’m not a Christian,”’ Melissa • said. According to Melissa, the church teaches that A . unless you’re on the path to becoming a Christian through the Columbia Church of Christ, you’re always in spiritual danger. Melissa said church members advise the potential member to be careful when walking down the street or when driving a car, because, “if you were to die at that point, you would go to hell.” Melissa was baptized into the Columbia Church of Christ on Oct. 1. Before her baptism, she said she was “interrogated” by a woman in the church to see if she was ready for baptism. At that meeting, she was told what would hap ■r i i r. ,i i .1 pen n sue evei ten uic uiuiui ua ing a wall parable as ail example. “If you start to build this wall, i.e., you become a Christian, and then somewhere in the back of your mind you weren’t sure, and you stopped building this wall, i.e., you didn’t want to be a Chris tian anymore, then you would be considered a fool. And you’d be considered worse than somebody who had never heard the message of Jesus before.” Melissa’s mother attended the service, but on ly reluctantly. Melissa was insistent that her moth er come, partly because the church teaclies its mem bers are the only true Christians, Melissa said. “Naturally, the first people you turn to are your family,” Melissa said. Melissa was baptized, despite her mother’s doubts about the church. “She came, she didn’t like it, but she kept her mouth shut,” Melissa said. “Figuring... I’m 18 now, I can make my own decisions if I’m seeking my faith and I’m making it stronger, then so be it.” But Melissa’s experience with the church had only begun. She was about to find out how her life would change once the church was involved. The university desk can be reached at gamecockudesk@hotmaiLcom Melissa said. What Melissa saw appeared =. to fill the void she felt in her earlier youth group. “I walked in, and there was this crowd of young people,” she said. “You know, they’re _ really enthusiastic, really excited — 0 - 7 On Wednesday: Inside the Columbia Church of Christ I Study might allow airport growth by Brooke Bryenton The Gamecock The Federal Aviation Administration awarded $71,413 to the Richland/Lexington Airport Commission on Jan. 5. The grant will make possible a study of the Columbia Metropolitan Airport terminal as a preliminary step toward expansion. According to the airport’s public relations manager Laura McMickens, the grant will go toward a study of the gate areas and ticket counters by the LPA Group Inc. and P. J. Noble & Associates to determine the extent of expan sion needed for future growth. Representatives from both firms were unavailable for comment on exact details of the study. “Since 1998, the airport has added 30 new nonstop flights and tliree new airlines — Atlantic Southeast, AC Jet and United Express,” McMickens said. “More flights were added in [the past] two years than in any other time in the airport’s history.” • 1997 marked the completion of a $50 million renovation project for the airport, according to its Wfeb site. “Airline service has grown tremendously at Columbia Metropolitan Airport in the past three years, necessitating the need for this terminal expansion,” Executive Director Mike Flack said. The airport’s Web site showed that more than 1.1 million passengers pass through the 2,600-acre airport each year. Also, UPS lias operated its South eastern Regional Hub from the airport since 1996. A 108-acre foreign-trade zone located on the grounds allows foreign goods to enter the country duty- and quota-free for assembly, storage or display without having to pass through formal U.S. customs. The airport began in the early 1940s as Lexington County Airport, which was little more than a landing area for local planes. The.U-S. War Department took control of the airport in 1941 to use during Wirld Wir II, according to the airport’s Web site. In 1943, famed World W&r II bomber Jimmy Doolittle trained men at the expanded air base for his secret military mission to bomb Tokyo. The airport acquired its present name in 1962. In light of the expected renovations and expansions for both USC and the City, of Columbia, the commission’s terminal study is timely. U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings, a senior Democrat on the Senate Commerce, Science and. Transportation Committee which oversees the FAA, said, “Every improvement helps to bring more business to the airport, and more business means increased airport traffic and, ultimately, economic development. This is excellent news for Columbia and its surrounding areas.” Visit www.columbiTsouthcaroiina.ccntfeirpoithtml for more information about the airport The city desk can be reached at gamecockcitydesk@hotmafl.com Grant from page 1 Government project lias ever received,” Eaddy said. The Student Incubator Center, which will be housed at 1233 Washington St., home of the USC Columbia Technology Incubator, will eventually give 10 student businesses $1,000 in start-up money. The businesses will also have access to office space, computers, faculty members, research and other resources of the university. The center will be run as part of the USC ^Technology Incubator. By allowing students to run their own business, the project also gives students an opportunity they might not otherwise have, Eaddy said. “They don’t have the space at USC to do this,” she said. “This will give them the opportunity and space to give them a hands-on training within the business world.” There will a briefing session Jan. 29 and 31 for interested students. Those who want to apply for incubator funding must do so by Feb. 15, and on March 1 SG will announce 15 finalists. Those finalists will go through a month-lOng consultation process with USC faculty and the manager of the Columbia incubator. They will submit their business plan by March 31, and the six selections and two alternates, chosen by the SCRI Incubator Advisory Committee will be announced April 16. The companies must begin operating some time between May 1 and Aug. 31. On Sept. 1, the second phase of the project will begin. Four more businesses will be chosen in the second cycle. The businesses will have access to the univer sity’s resources for up to two years. The university desk can be reached at gamecockudesk@hotmaiLcom : s a week ]*■ 'dewpoints • I News orts jpotlight Iirectory Police Report www.dailygamecock.com KMftgiflHHflH r------1 You can have it all in the South Carolina Army National Guard • Signing bonuses up to $8,000 • Montgomery Gl Bill (up to $ 16,668) • State tuition assistance (up to $8,000) • Great programs for prior service members • Excellent pay and benefits • Job training in many fields • Part-time commitment • Much, much more Call today and become a New Millennium Patriot! ^ 1-800-GO-GUARD |§gg wWW.1-800-GO-GUARD.com jSSSSSi Just "Click It" H Do your part, be a part of Student Government If you are interested in running for Student Senate or an Executive Candidate Position, attend the pre-candidates meeting on Monday, January 22 and then file for candidacy in the Student Government Office January 29 until February 2. ■ Pre-Candidates Meeting January 22, 2001 4 pm Russell House Rm 203 Filing Jan. 29 until Feb. 2 9 am - 5 pm Student Government Office RHUU 110 Visit our Website at www.sg.sc.edu or call 777-2654 III I-__ _I ' > Has your partner's jealousy and possessiveness kept you from seeing your family and friends? < ; > Does your partner constantly put you down, humiliate you in || Jk public and make you feel inferior? f§| f§ > Does your partner’s temper or explosive anger frighten you? > Does your partner shove, hit, kick or throw objects at you? If you answered yes to any one of the above, then you may be in an abusive relationship. Relationship violence is a cycle of abuse and will not end unless something is done to interrupt the cycle. ag_ ^The Office for Sexual Health A Violence Prevention offers assistance with these issues. A confidential relationship violence support group is forming j now. For more information call Della at 777-5223 or Amy at 777-1835. ", to f'