Fellowship of Christian Optometrists

"Where there is no vision, the people perish."
Proverbs 29:18

Abbreviation: FCO

Fellowship of Christian Optometrists (FCO) is a campus-recognized student organization and a local chapter of Fellowship of Christian Optometrists International that provides Pre-Optometry and Optometry Students with a vehicle for spiritual growth and fellowship. FCO encourages opportunities for students to successfully combine their professional skills with mission work consistent with their Christian faith.

What is FCO?

FCO was created to help optometrists and ophthalmic personnel serve in the type of mission work that combines eye care and the sharing of the Gospel. In this respect, FCO defines "mission work" as "bearing witness to the Lord Jesus Christ in one’s usual place of business or practice and extending anywhere in the world as God leads."

What do we do?

The following are some of the activities planned for the FCO student chapter at Michigan College of Optometry (MCO) this year:

• Fellowship: First Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m.- Pennock Hall first floor.

• Men's Bible Study - Tuesday nights (see FCO officers for location details)

• Women's Bible study - Mondays at noon - Pennock Hall first floor
  

• "Social gatherings" for fun stuff away from the books.
  1. FCO game nights: Occassionally, we like to get together as a group and play board games like Taboo and Chatch Phrase while we munch on some snacks.
  2. White Elephant Christmas Party: At the end of our fall semester, we like to get together to have a fun Christmas party. We bring each other gifts (we really just want to get rid of a certain item) that makes everybody laugh. Again, we eat really yummy food!
  3. Other events that we might do include bowling or bon-fires. We also supply non-alcholoic beverages at all the Optometry social gatherings for people who do not wish to drink alcoholic beverages.
  
  
• Attend FCO International and student conferences when scheduled -- a great opportunity to meet other optometrists and students who share a passion for serving God’s people. http://www.fcoint.org
  
  
• Possible screenings and exams to meet needs in the surrounding local areas.
  
  
• International Eye Care mission trips are planned annually in coordination with area churches. Slide presentations of past trips can be viewed here.
  
  
• Community Service Projects - FCO collects items around christmas time and puts them in shoe boxes to send to third world countries. This process is called "Operation Christmas Child."

What else is there?

Another thing FCO has to offer students is Eyespots, a computerized informational data base that helps to match the needs of graduating students and practicing OD’s with employment opportunities in the Christian optometric community. Also, FCO OD’s are always ready and willing to answer any questions students may have.

If you’re intrigued and want more information, please join us at our weekly meetings or contact one of the FCO officers.

For more detailed information regarding our organization, please visit our international web site at: http://www.fcoint.org/index.html