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Wed, March 18 - Sun, April 26
Christian Union Day and Night invites you to join us in a 40-day initiative of prayer, fasting and repentance to meet the threat of the Coronavirus.Click here to join the fast.
In times of crises, God desires that His people examine themselves and repent of everything displeasing to Him. We are to repent on behalf of ourselves and American Christianity which is largely self-indulgent and does not seek the Lord in holiness or wholehearted devotion. First-century Christians prayed and read the Scriptures every morning and evening, and fasted twice a week. Meanwhile, American Christians spend little energy seeking God and the church is therefore largely powerless. Most Christians don’t give at least ten percent of their income even though we are the richest country in the history of the world, and we pollute ourselves through movies and our own engagement with sexual immorality.
Pole Vaulter Pursues Christ at Cornell
by grace choi, cornell ’22
Maria Siciliano, a sophomore pole vaulter on the Cornell track and field team, has a deep faith that helps her soar in competition and as a leader on campus with Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Christian Union.
Siciliano, an English major with a concentration in literary theory and a minor in comparative literature, seeks to give God glory each time she competes. In 2019, she entered the Cornell record books with vaults during the indoor and outdoor seasons. She ranks tenth all-time indoors (11-feet-11.75 inches) and seventh all-time outdoors (12-feet-2.5 inches).
The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
— Proverbs 18:10
Jade Thompson ’21 Leads Outreach Team
by tom campisi, managing editor
For Jade Thompson, co-directing a Text-4-Toasties outreach for Christian Union at Columbia this fall was just one of the many ways she has been challenged to grow as a leader.
Thompson, an Economics and Sustainability major from Westchester, New York, called her involvement with Lumine, Christian Union’s ministry at Columbia, “the best part of my college experience.”
Students Warm Locust Walk with Cider Outreach
by eileen scott, contributing writer
Christian Union at the University of Pennsylvania put “campus kindness” into action this fall by giving away hot cider to students on their way to class on Locust Walk, a centrally located pathway. There were no strings attached to receive the hot beverage. Yet, if students chose to sip their drink and discuss faith, leaders were there to engage. The outreach was part of the ministry’s on-going campus kindness effort, which also includes book giveaways and welcoming bags for freshmen.
Midterms have begun, student schedules are packed and it’s still winter, but there is an excitement in the air with what God is doing at Columbia University through Christian Union Lumine. We are seeing higher turnout for our Leadership Lecture Series nights, impromptu prayer gatherings among the students and a feeling of community and togetherness even in the midst of all the transitions. Thank you for your continued prayers for the work on this campus. Here are ways you can be praying for us this month:
As we close out Week 7 of the Winter Term, here are a few prayer needs from Dartmouth.
“Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses.”
-- C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory
The above quote from Lewis’ remarkable sermon, given in Oxford in 1941, is part of the argument to raise our understanding and practice of what it means to live out the job description God gave us in Genesis 1 and 2: to honor God, steward creation, and bless others. It's not always obvious to us that we’re made in the very image of God, and we certainly struggle with seeing others in that way.
The rhythm of the semester has commenced, with mid-terms, clubs, and activities now in full force. One of the challenges for our students this semester is to “seek first the kingdom,” in the sense of taking 2 set times per day of prayer, Scripture reading, and worship. We’ve noticed that students are looking for structure, not in the rote sense of going through the motions, but in developing habits. As a few of our students prepare to participate in the Broad Street Run (a 10-mile race here in Philly), they have to set aside times for training. Our running the race of faith requires time set apart for training as well. Would you pray…
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Having returned from Ski Safari, the Spring Semester is now well under way—we are now in our fourth week of classes. Our students, true to form, have begun the Spring Semester with both intensity and excitement. This same intensity and excitement has been on display in our students’ spiritual lives—the Melrose Center has been bustling with students studying Scripture and praying with one another. This Spring our students are studying different material in Bible Course, based on their class year. Our seniors will be doing vocational preparation, as they look to enter the workforce; our juniors and sophomores are studying one of the most influential books in the Scripture—Paul’s letter to the Romans; and our frosh, in turn, are completing two studies—one on the Seeking-God Lifestyle, which lies at the heart of Christian Union, and another on Christian sexual ethics. The Spring semester is always an exciting time for students of seeing how God’s word applies to many aspects of their lives.
