FCA needs our help

Ole Miss FCA Director/Chaplain Jonathan Rainey is striving to have the best Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter in the country, but he needs our help to do it. Read about it inside.

For years, Wes Yeary worked tirelessly to build the Ole Miss Chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes into one of the strongest FCA organizations in the country.

When he left Ole Miss to take a national FCA position at Auburn, the reins were handed over to Jonathan Rainey.

Rainey, 26, who was partially mentored by Yeary, has the same visions for the UM FCA chapter Wes did.

"Our athletic teams strive to be the best and that's what we want of the Ole Miss FCA chapter," Rainey noted.

Jonathan came to Ole Miss after a three-year stint in the Georgia Tech FCA chapter, but he's a Mississippi native eager to minister in his home state.

Rainey prepped at Tupelo HS and was a two-time all-conference safety for then Tupelo Coach Johnny Hill, now the head coach at Oxford HS. His defensive coordinator at THS was none other than former Rebel FS Jeff Carter.

"I learned a lot about life and football under those two fine men," Rainey said fondly.

Jonathan went to Morehouse College in Atlanta and was All-Conference and an All-American candidate in the secondary.

While at Morehouse, he met his FCA mentor, Derrick Moore, who also happened to be the Morehouse running backs coach.

"When Coach Moore went to Georgia Tech as the FCA Chaplain and I graduated from Morehouse in 2003, he called me and asked me if I wanted to minister with him there," said Rainey. "I spent three wonderful years there and that's where I met Wes, who helped train me at Ole Miss when I came here last fall."

Rainey's goals for the Ole Miss FCA chapter are simple.

"My mission is to give athletes a positive spiritual influence. I want to be someone who serves them and loves them," he explained. "I want to see them be and become well-rounded students, athletes and people with a love and respect for God."

Jonathan, who has training in Biblical and practical counseling, understands the wide scope of the interaction with Rebel student-athletes.

"I'm here for them in whatever capacity they need me for," he said. "For instance, I am doing relationship counseling with Todd Abernethy and Micah Pioret right now - I will preside over their marriage this summer.

"We are a non-denominational ministry. Whatever our young people need spiritually, I am there to help them and guide them."

The FCA at Ole Miss is self-supporting. In layman's terms, their budget is derived solely from donations from Ole Miss supporters.

To grow his ministry, Rainey needs our support.

The biggest fund-raiser for the FCA is the annual golf tournament, but it doesn't provide nearly enough resources to fund a thorough FCA chapter.

"We need every Rebel who is concerned with the spirituality of our athletes to help and we appreciate every penny. No donation is too small and all gifts are appreciated," Rainey closed.

Will you help keep the Ole Miss FCA chapter financially sound?

Your tax deductible donations can be sent to:

FCA

P.O. Box 788

University, MS 38677