It is with great joy and gratitude that I write to you with this report on the past month of ministry here on the campus of Princeton University. By God’s grace, we have seen our healthiest and most vibrant month so far this year; I’ll share some highlights in the space below.
Ski Safari
From January 29 through February 3, a group of around 130 undergraduate students joined us at Camp of the Woods in the Adirondack Mountains of New York for our annual ski retreat. Students heard from two excellent speakers – Jackie Hill-Perry and Seth DeValve (a graduate of our ministry and current NFL player with the Cleveland Browns) – as well as from our wonderful Princeton ministry fellows. The time of biblical teaching, prayer, worship, and fellowship was especially powerful this year. We are thrilled to report that at least five students made new commitments to Jesus Christ, and many more made significant re-commitments of their lives to him. We are very excited to return to campus with good momentum from the retreat, as well as several new students enrolled in our weekly Bible courses and plugged into our leadership development ministry here.
Bible Courses
Our weekly Bible courses are off to a great start, as enrollment remains strong at the beginning of the spring semester. Freshmen courses will dive into CU’s approach to a “Seeking God” lifestyle, as well as a study in “Sex and Spirituality.” Sophomore and Junior courses will be studying the book of Acts. Senior courses will again receive training and teaching through our “Vocational Preparation” Bible course manual – a fantastic resource to equip them to begin thinking about how their faith in Jesus Christ will impact their approach to work, career, and finances. We welcome your prayers as we return to this weekly, regular work of teaching and training the students at Princeton through these small group courses.
Leadership Transition
Just a few days ago, we completed our annual “leadership transition,” with new student exec selections, as well as new team leader placements for the eight leadership teams that manage all aspects of the student ministry on the campus of Princeton. We will go from strength to strength; the new execs and team leaders are high-functioning, godly, humble, and passionate students who want to grow personally in God and see the campus reached with his gospel. As leadership development is a hallmark of our ministry here, we rejoice that so many students are willing to commit significant time to serving and leading in these ways, often in the midst of very busy academic, athletic, and extracurricular involvement.
Prayers
Thank you so much for your prayers, partnership, and ongoing support for our ministry here. We covet your prayers, and love hearing from you as well. Many blessings as you serve the Lord in your spheres of influence around the country, and around the world!
Jon Nielson
Christian Union Ministry Director
Princeton University
Please note: if you would like to receive regular updates on how to pray for Christian Union's work at Princeton, please email prayer@christianunion.org.
