Ministries
Merry Christmas! Since childhood, this has been a season I’ve looked forward to – the gatherings, anticipation, cookies, and yes, hopefully presents under the tree. Advent is actually that period of anticipation for the main event, the celebration of the birth of Christ. In recent years, I’ve begun to wonder why a sense and discipline of anticipation is important – for celebrations like Christmas, Easter, marriage, the birth of a child. For children it makes sense - children are, by their very nature, impatient and full of hopes – which is expressed in anticipation.
Merry Christmas from Palo Alto!
As I write this, our students are in the final stretch of their fall quarter, laboring over exams and papers, counting the minutes until they can walk away from all of it for a few weeks. For busy students (as well as the rest of us) exerting so much energy and focus on finishing the task during this time of year can certainly take them out of the season of Advent—a season of expectation, waiting, and reflection. In light of this, how refreshing it was recently when one of our students led a prayer time on campus using the words of a great old Christmas hymn to focus our devotion and prayer:
As I write this, our students are in the final stretch of their fall quarter, laboring over exams and papers, counting the minutes until they can walk away from all of it for a few weeks. For busy students (as well as the rest of us) exerting so much energy and focus on finishing the task during this time of year can certainly take them out of the season of Advent—a season of expectation, waiting, and reflection. In light of this, how refreshing it was recently when one of our students led a prayer time on campus using the words of a great old Christmas hymn to focus our devotion and prayer:
Friends,
It’s hard to believe, but we’re nearing the end of the semester here at Brown University. Our Christian Union community has had a full past couple of months digging into the book of Hebrews through Bible Courses, gathering together weekly for our large-group Leadership Lecture Series (“The Anchor”), serving students on campus and the larger Providence community, a Fall Retreat back in October, and currently a week of fasting and prayer, culminating in a large Thanksgiving feast on November 17th. With all this and so much more, it’s been a fun, spiritually nourishing, and busy semester so far!
It’s hard to believe, but we’re nearing the end of the semester here at Brown University. Our Christian Union community has had a full past couple of months digging into the book of Hebrews through Bible Courses, gathering together weekly for our large-group Leadership Lecture Series (“The Anchor”), serving students on campus and the larger Providence community, a Fall Retreat back in October, and currently a week of fasting and prayer, culminating in a large Thanksgiving feast on November 17th. With all this and so much more, it’s been a fun, spiritually nourishing, and busy semester so far!
Greetings,
This past month has been a fruitful time of ministry at Columbia. We praise God for two students who gave indications that they wanted to begin to follow Christ. May God increase this number as we continue to minister. We also have had a strong semester of engaging Illumina meetings. I preached a sermon on prayer and several students have remarked how impactful it was for their spiritual growth. One student told me that he has consistently gotten up in the morning to attend student prayer since this time. We also had pastor Rasool Berry return to speak on our search for identity from Ephesians. Students remarked how his talk caused them to rethink where they searched for purpose and meaning.
This past month has been a fruitful time of ministry at Columbia. We praise God for two students who gave indications that they wanted to begin to follow Christ. May God increase this number as we continue to minister. We also have had a strong semester of engaging Illumina meetings. I preached a sermon on prayer and several students have remarked how impactful it was for their spiritual growth. One student told me that he has consistently gotten up in the morning to attend student prayer since this time. We also had pastor Rasool Berry return to speak on our search for identity from Ephesians. Students remarked how his talk caused them to rethink where they searched for purpose and meaning.
Brothers and sisters in Christ,
Though it seems like it just began, the semester is coming to an end as we approach Thanksgiving break which is followed soon by winter break. In this last month, God has continued to move in amazing ways on Cornell’s campus, and I am sure that He will continue to do so as we approach the end of the year. We hosted a second day of our book giveaway and received great responses from students. We have had two students come to regular CU events on campus due to that outreach. We have also seen a couple of new believers become more involved in the community and seek discipleship. Along with these wonderful events, we had a week of fasting which has been a great time of spiritual growth for the students.
Though it seems like it just began, the semester is coming to an end as we approach Thanksgiving break which is followed soon by winter break. In this last month, God has continued to move in amazing ways on Cornell’s campus, and I am sure that He will continue to do so as we approach the end of the year. We hosted a second day of our book giveaway and received great responses from students. We have had two students come to regular CU events on campus due to that outreach. We have also seen a couple of new believers become more involved in the community and seek discipleship. Along with these wonderful events, we had a week of fasting which has been a great time of spiritual growth for the students.
Hello from Dartmouth,
It’s hard to believe that we are already wrapping up our fall term. Students are in finals mode right now and looking forward to six weeks off to rest and spend time with family and friends. Thank you for all your prayers for them over these last 10 weeks. We have so much to be thankful for!
It’s hard to believe that we are already wrapping up our fall term. Students are in finals mode right now and looking forward to six weeks off to rest and spend time with family and friends. Thank you for all your prayers for them over these last 10 weeks. We have so much to be thankful for!
Greetings from Cambridge!
Blink and eleven weeks have come on gone. Seventy-seven days—give or take—of non-stop classes, sports, extracurricular activities, “psets”, exams, papers and interpersonal highs and lows. It’s no wonder that many students almost jog to the T or Uber to the airport as soon as they possibly can post Harvard-Yale festivities.
Blink and eleven weeks have come on gone. Seventy-seven days—give or take—of non-stop classes, sports, extracurricular activities, “psets”, exams, papers and interpersonal highs and lows. It’s no wonder that many students almost jog to the T or Uber to the airport as soon as they possibly can post Harvard-Yale festivities.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I am writing to you after just meeting with one of our student leaders named Tyler. In our times of discipleship together we are currently looking at the book of Matthew. I have been meeting with Tyler regularly for over a year now and through our ministry he is becoming a strong Christian leader. Of course, these meetings are just a small part of the ministry—all of which is enabled by your generous support.
I am writing to you after just meeting with one of our student leaders named Tyler. In our times of discipleship together we are currently looking at the book of Matthew. I have been meeting with Tyler regularly for over a year now and through our ministry he is becoming a strong Christian leader. Of course, these meetings are just a small part of the ministry—all of which is enabled by your generous support.
Dear Friends and Partners of Christian Union at Penn,
This semester has been brilliant! Our freshman class is committed and enthusiastic about community and growing in the Lord together. I am continually amazed at the diligent efforts of our ABCL’s (Assistant Bible Course Leaders), who are serving and leading the Class of 2022 in gentleness and humility. We as a leadership team, have been meeting every Friday with our students who are currently teaching freshman Bible courses. Every week we are amazed, as they ALL gather to learn and acquire the tools needed to be better equipped to administer God’s word to their students. It has also been encouraging to see ABCL’s show up consistently who are not teaching and just want to be a support and be encouraged themselves. We are watching our leadership grow and mature and as a result, we are experiencing the same with our underclassmen; God is at work!
This semester has been brilliant! Our freshman class is committed and enthusiastic about community and growing in the Lord together. I am continually amazed at the diligent efforts of our ABCL’s (Assistant Bible Course Leaders), who are serving and leading the Class of 2022 in gentleness and humility. We as a leadership team, have been meeting every Friday with our students who are currently teaching freshman Bible courses. Every week we are amazed, as they ALL gather to learn and acquire the tools needed to be better equipped to administer God’s word to their students. It has also been encouraging to see ABCL’s show up consistently who are not teaching and just want to be a support and be encouraged themselves. We are watching our leadership grow and mature and as a result, we are experiencing the same with our underclassmen; God is at work!
Thank you all for your continuing prayers in support of God’s work through Christian Union at Yale. The Lord is indeed moving here in beautiful ways. We celebrated as one of our freshmen, who made a faith commitment in high school, passed through the waters of baptism this past Sunday. Another student came to faith after a spiritual encounter two weeks ago. Still others are actively exploring, drawing near, and on the verge of giving their lives to Jesus. We’ve even had non-Christians bringing their friends to our Friday dinner and Leadership Lecture Series.
