October 2017

Dear Friends and Partners of Christian Union at Penn,

It has been a great start to the school year at Penn. Thank you for your continued prayers for this ministry as we continue to proclaim the Gospel and develop our students to transform the culture of Penn for the glory of Jesus Christ.

Today, the first prayer request that comes to mind is for a pro-life ministry that 3 of our students lead called Quakers for Life. In collaboration with Created Equal, they are doing a flier handout and encouraging students to consider what happens in the termination of a pregnancy. In Proverbs 31 we read this: “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Pray that Quakers for Life would grow in influence, that women and men at Penn would have ears to hear, and that lives may be saved. In a similar focus, our most recent Leadership Lecture Series (LLS) included a presentation by AlphaCare associate director Brooke McDowell. AlphaCare provides crisis pregnancy care in West Philadelphia (and throughout the region with the aid of a care/sonogram van).

Our freshman campaign finished strong after an inauspicious start. Would you continue to pray for our freshmen, that they would remain faithful in their Bible Courses, and become gatherers for other freshmen on campus? They are being plugged into leadership teams even now, and we are excited to see both the freshmen and sophomore classes continue to provide a spark to the ministry.

Thank you for your prayers for a Ministry Fellow to come on board alongside Kelly Schaaf (female Ministry Fellow) and I. We praise God that Fuji Kim will be starting his role as Ministry Fellow for the men of Penn on October 30th. Fuji has a doctorate from Westminster Seminary and has years of church-planting experience. Please pray for Fuji and his wife Lisa as they make the adjustment of vocation. Pray for their 2 young children as Fuji spends the next month or so onboarding. Please also pray that Fuji connects with students quickly and deeply.

One of the biggest needs of our students is to fight against busy-ness and apathy: Please pray that Jesus would be their focus, that the eyes of their hearts would be fixed on him, and that their lives would be marked by Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.” At the half-way point of the semester, we are praying that their affection for Jesus would increase even as their academic labors increase. To that end, we are having a Worship Night for all of Penn’s Christian ministries on Thursday, November 16. Please pray that there would be encouragement and unity in this event.

Finally, please pray for our Friday evangelism efforts. For the remainder of the semester, we are having a table on Locust Walk where we will offer prayer and Good News. Pray that our students would own this effort, that their hearts would break for the lost, and that God’s Spirit would convict sinners and edify saints through this ministry.

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.

Tucker Else
Ministry Director
Christian Union at Penn