Laboring hard at Yale has defined much of what has been happening since we last wrote to you.
We give thanks for our wonderful time at Pre-Retreat, which was held during the last weekend of August. From then on, our student leaders and freshmen gathering team have worked tirelessly to welcome the class of 2026!
The students started from a position of abiding together in prayer during the summer. This, combined with much active laboring, is yielding encouraging results. It is astonishing to think that in the space of just two and half weeks, we have not only planned but executed several events that have been designed specially to welcome the numerous first-year students who have arrived at Yale. The detailed logistics on how to meet these students and give them the opportunity to encounter the ministry that CU Lux offers have taken a united effort by the team.
A major event called the Dorm drop included dropping off 600 welcome goody bags to each of our freshmen suites. In every one of these bags was a special handwritten note and a card to invite the freshmen to our Chipotle block party and other planned events. This took an immense amount of coordination and effort!
The next day we served about 100 Chipotle meals at our ministry student space called The Mouse. The freshmen who came had the opportunity to meet our team in our space. They engaged in conversation and played games and many signed up to know more about our Bible courses and the ministry of CU Lux.
The Extracurricular Bazaar that Yale hosts every year offers multifarious openings for students to participate in clubs and groups. Despite the “competition,” our tiny table at the very back of a large noisy hall managed to secure student sign-ups. This was followed by an informal meet-up at a popular ice cream shop, a Labor day cookout on the old campus, and many one-on-one follow-up meetings with freshmen. Precious encounters have resulted!
The larger culmination of these events was at the Bible Course Kick-Off event for freshmen. Over a home-cooked dinner at The Mouse, the ministry faculty and our assistant Bible course leaders explained the vision and mission of Christian Union—investing in and strengthening our Christian leaders to have a godly kingdom impact as disciples of Christ at Yale and beyond.
The two newly formed Bible courses for men and women will begin the exciting study of the book of Hebrews even as you receive this email. We give thanks for these young men and women who have committed to joining us in studying God’s Word.
The freshmen campaign isn’t over! We are continuing to reach out, and at the end of September we will go away as a whole community on a Retreat weekend with our newest family members, our dear freshmen.
Please pray for
- The rest of the freshman campaign.
- A well-attended and successful retreat where the Holy Spirit is evidently at work.
- The newly formed Bible courses to be strongly established and consistently well attended.
- Strength, encouragement, protection, and favor over our student leaders, ministry fellows, and the community.
- All our other year groups to be effective disciples of our Lord Jesus as they come together to study the word, pray, love, and stir each other up to grow in the faith.
We are so aware that you are behind us in this journey with your love, prayers, and financial support. We simply cannot do this without you. You are a vital part of the CU Lux team!
If you want to get a glimpse of some of these events that have been described in this email please look at the Christian Union Lux Instagram reels that our creative student communication team leader has worked hard at capturing. I am in no doubt you will be inspired and encouraged by it.
We praise God with you for what He is doing in our midst. We keep looking to Him to build the ministry at CU Lux at Yale. We know that “unless the Lord builds the house, those who build labor in vain” (Psalm 121:1).
With much love and gratitude for your part in laboring with us,
Chitra Kovoor
Ministry Fellow
Christian Union Lux
