To our friends and partners in the Gospel,
This month here at Christian Union at Penn we have seen great growth and leadership amongst our students. It has been a sprint coming off Thanksgiving Break. These compact weeks have challenged students to find balance between finding excellence in their academics, while also working to keep a positive and effective testimony for Christ. They strive to see and live out God’s will while being saturated with worldly expectations. God has shown to be faithful through miraculous moments of encouragement and exhortation; we are very thankful!
In December, we finished studying the Book of Mark. Tucker, Justin and I saw many challenged with the truth of the gospel. All our students were drawn to reflect and remember all that Christ did on the cross and all that we gain from placing our faith in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Through this study we have watched as our students grow together as a community. It is amazing to observe as our freshman have begun to establish relationships that will help carry them through their coming years at Penn. We as a team prayed so diligently that God would bring students into the ministry here on campus and we have experienced his goodness and been humbled as we have watched him answer so faithfully. We are very hopeful as we enter the spring semester and are praying that the Lord continues to bring a great harvest our way. There are many more students here that need to hear and see the love of God and we hope to be overwhelmed with what God is planning to do here at Penn.
In these post-election days, our students and staff need continued prayers as we navigate the rather choppy waters of a divided nation and campus. Christ brings the Gospel of reconciliation. Wisdom and Biblical clarity are required as we minister to those who are hurting and fearful, and towards those who are thankful for the results of the presidential election. Pray that our conversations would be “always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that [we] may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4). Adding to the already tense mood, a GroupMe message was anonymously sent to African-American Penn freshmen this past week. Pray that those students would find advocacy and support from brothers and sisters in Christ. Pray for our PennFA students as they minister to those who have been affected. And praise God for the support and care we’ve seen from our PennFA student leadership as they point to the “refuge, a strong tower” (Psalm 61) - Christ Jesus.
For Tucker and me this semester has been full of challenges and blessings. This was our first semester with Christian Union at Penn and we both went through much transition in our new position as Ministry Fellows. After the summer conference, we hit the ground running with Pre-retreat and then Freshman Campaign. We were faced with the challenge to get to know our upperclassmen, while also reaching out to the Class of 2020. Our students have been very patient and loving towards us both as we have worked to establish ourselves at Penn. It has been a great gift getting to know each one of them and to teach them the truths of God’s Word. We have great expectations for the coming months, as we venture into a new book of the Bible and new challenges of the soul.
Please pray with us as our students enter winter break that they will remain faithful and strong as they spend time with friends and family over the holidays. Our prayers are that as they seek refreshment that they also grow in their desire for Christ. This spring we ask that you join us in praying for many to come to know the Lord and that we will be able to add more Bible courses, for the need is great. Pray that God’s Word goes out powerfully and that we see much fruit for the glory of God. Our desire is also to ask the Lord to strengthen the relationships we have already begun with students and develop more opportunities for discipleship.
In 1 John 3:1 it states, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” Our desire for our students is that in the coming months we, as a community, are set apart in such a way that others are drawn and compelled to seek after Christ. Pray that we grow in love and that this love reaches many.
Thank you for your prayers, for your partnership in this mission, and for your continued support of this ministry. By God’s grace, through the prayers of His people, Christian Union at Penn flourishes to the glory of Jesus Christ.
We thank God for your partnership in this work through your prayers. We look forward to seeing what God might accomplish through students who are wholly devoted to Him, both in their time at Penn and in their careers to come.
Kelly Schaaf
Christian Union Ministry Fellow
University of Pennsylvania
Please note: if you would like to receive regular updates on how to pray for Christian Union's work at University of Pennsylvania, please email prayer@christianunion.org.
