As we stand at the close of 2020, we at CU Lux are continuing to reflect on how we’ve needed to cope, adapt, and endure as many familiar landmarks of doing ministry have been drastically shifted during this time. We’ve been learning to grow in our faith in the Lord, but are amazed to experience the goodness of the Lord as we’ve tried to lean on Him.
Retreats
In the midst of stringent social distancing, both the virtual men’s and women’s retreats were not only well attended, but also deeply restorative. While the women meditated and prayed through the themes of identity, purpose, and mission, the men challenged one another to grow in sacrificial love, holiness, and the knowledge of God.
Special CU Universities cross-campus outreach event
The CU Lux Outreach team did an exemplary job in helping lead a special CU Universities cross-campus outreach event on November 12, enlisting the help of CU leads from across all CU universities. More than 300 people, mostly students attended this impactful two-hour virtual event. Vince Vitale and Abdu Murray shared their personal skeptics’ journeys to Christ. “Convicting,” “Mind-blowing,” “Life-Changing,” “Intellectual and compassionate,” “Wavering in faith but now strengthened,” “Encouraged that so many people signed up,” and “Agnostic but am now going to read the Gospel of John” were some of the comments and responses in our feedback. The YouTube link and the follow-up resource prepared by our Outreach team was distributed to 500 plus people who registered interest. We praise God for the lives impacted by this event.
Gospel of Mark Bible course
In our Bible courses, students continued to apply lessons to their personal contexts and discussed the cost and courage needed to pursue the Lord. The final lesson and historical evidence of the resurrection not only equipped them with sound resources but encouraged them to live and share a message of eternal worth as Christian disciples.
Prayer times
Our regular “pop-in” noon prayers have been a wonderful invitation to deliberately stop and seek the Lord faithfully together. Fasting and praying for the outreach event was especially honored.
Student Leadership
Our Executive team and student leaders have continued to focus on offering excellent, godly leadership under the guidance of our ministry staff and we are deeply thankful for what God has accomplished through their steady faithfulness. The last meeting reviewed roles and past traditions while praying together for the way ahead.
Our most exciting news!!
CU Lux is thrilled to welcome Dr. Ben Pascut as its new Ministry Director! Ben is no stranger to CU or ministry. He comes to us from Brown University having served as a ministry fellow there over the last year and a half. He is a biblical scholar and has substantial ministry experience in different contexts having transited with his wife, Melina, and son, Mark, through Romania, England, and the U.S. In a virtual meeting over the weekend with the student leadership team, he shared his unique story and his calling to campus ministry. He graciously stressed that his approach in the first phase would be to ‘listen and learn’ and to build relationally. We are excited that Ben is being received warmly as he takes his position at the helm of CU Lux.
Please pray for:
- A smooth transition for Ben in assuming his role as ministry director and for his family as they move to New Haven.
- Resilience and godly wisdom as staff and students discern the direction of ministry during these testing times.
- Effective follow-up and continued impact of the outreach event.
- Students in various modes of transition to stay connected to the CU Lux community programs.
- Energy for our ministry faculty as students need continued one-on-one monitoring, pastoral care, and help in setting up support groups, as levels of anxiety and isolation tend to skyrocket when students are away from the rhythms of Christian community at Yale.
- Our finances, as we need more Cornerstone Partners to join us. Your love and investment in the vineyard of CU Lux are bearing good fruit here!
- We rejoice as our recent alumni Dan Tokarz and Vivian Armitage tied the knot recently in a beautiful church ceremony in Oklahoma. Both were active student leaders in our ministry. Our prayers and blessings are over them for a God-honoring marriage.
He is before all things and in Him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17
In this truth, we at CU Lux are spurred on to serve Him on our beloved campus of Yale.
Blessings,
The Faculty and Students of CU Lux
