Design studies sophomore Noah Brown at First United Methodist Church in Tempe. Brown has been attending his youth group since he started school at ASU. (Photo by Dominic Valente) This is the first in a series of six articles profiling individual students and their religions to coincide with this week's centerpiece story.
Noah Brown can be found most Wednesday nights during the semester at the Tempe First United Methodist Church on University Drive and Forest Avenue.
This building on the fringes of campus has been a place for Brown, a design studies sophomore, to feel the peace that Methodism provides him.
"Even though all these bad things keep happening in the world, to me, it just feels like a bigger part of the picture," Brown said. "I just don't have any worries with it. I know that everything usually works out and everything comes out fine in the end."
Brown, who was raised Methodist, said there have been times in his life where peace of mind was hard to find, but by turning to his religion, he came to understand what was truly important by turning to his religion.
While in high school, Brown said he became concerned with the future of the world and signs of the end of the world.
"I just kept on looking for different signs of the end," he said. "Eventually, one night, I just sat down at my computer and started writing, and it just kind of came to me that it wasn't really important, and I just kind of forgot about it all."
Throughout his life, Brown said he has had times where he has felt a reassurance and peace that he attributes to God, which allow him to continue in his day-to-day life and understand his role in life.
“That was one of those times that I felt that God was working through me to tell me not to worry about it, and that it would all be OK," Brown said.
When Brown came to ASU from his home in Indiana, he became very involved with the ASU swim and dive team, did not have time to attend Methodist services.
He said he noticed the effects of not having an active relationship with God and had to realign his life with the things he knew were true.
"I kind of felt myself drifting away and kind of noticed different changes in my life, like bad things would happen and I would just be really mad all the time," he said. "I realized I needed to start going back."
Brown said while doubting in God is a common experience, he has come to understand that his strength comes from his religion and his relationship with God.
"There have been times when it has been a little shaky before, but now I am pretty solid,” Brown said. “I think it is almost human nature to have that doubt. The biggest part is coming back to it and realizing that you still have it, and that God is always there."
Reach the reporter at sgslade@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @shelbygslade
