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We are reaching out to share the latest happenings at Christian Union Lux and to invite you to continue praying for these vibrant students ministering here at Yale.
October brought us so much joy, which we are excited to share with you. We started with record-breaking attendance for the fall retreat. We had roughly 57 in attendance, where Dimas Salaberios shared the need for total surrender to Christ while God is forming you here at Yale.
God is on the move at Harvard Law! Thank you for your support and prayers. Since the start of the academic year, I have been holding weekly mentoring meetings, Bible courses, leadership lecture series, and great conversations with law school students who are seeking more of Christ in their lives.
We are pleased to share with you a few highlights from the most recent Christian Union Fire Retreat (CUFR) that was held in the vibrant city of New York! The CUFR event left an indelible mark on all of the participants, many of whom are a part of our Young Alumni Society!
The group of participants expressed that the event had a significant impact on their lives, and many encountered the unmistakable presence of God. CUFR’s combination of Spirit-led prayer, insightful teaching, uplifting worship, and dedicated time immersed in Scripture resonated deeply with our group, fostering an atmosphere of spiritual connection and growth.
Truly I say to you whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again, I say to you, if two or more of you agree on earth about anything they ask it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or more are “gathered in my name, there I am among them.”
- Matthew 18:18-20
Thank you for your ongoing support through prayers and financial giving. We are greatly encouraged by the fruit of your sowing into the ministry.
CU Lux Men Unite During October Recess
By Demilade Omolade, Class of 2026October recess is a breath of relief for all Yale undergraduate students. Held halfway through the fall semester, it serves as a temporary solace from the constant demands of classes and an opportunity to enjoy a slower pace of life.
While some students traveled out of Yale, the men of Christian Union Lux who remained in New Haven enthusiastically anticipated the lock-in they would have at their ministry center, the James W.C. Pennington Center, lovingly referred to as "the Mouse." The instructions were simple: "Get to the Mouse at 4 pm sharp; we’ll be leaving for our mystery location at 4:10 pm."
College Students Struggle as Israel-Hamas War Continues
By erin conner
"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." -John 13:35
Many of our nation’s colleges and universities have been in a state of turmoil since the October 7 attacks against Israel. Christianity Today’s recent article by Emily Belz, “As Campus Threats Rise, College Ministries Look for Ways to Help,” takes a closer look at how Christian Union and other ministries are responding.
2023 Reopening of CU Vox's Ministry Office at Dartmouth
By Erin Conner
Tim Pillsbury, previously a local Associate Pastor with deep family roots at Dartmouth, started his new position as Ministry Director at CU Vox this spring. He had one task in mind: to create a space at Dartmouth to equip students to wholeheartedly seek God.
As Pillsbury began to prepare for CU Vox’s open house event on March 30, 2023, which was held a few days after the start of Dartmouth’s ten-week spring term, he decided the storage closet in the ministry center was not an effective use of space. “It seemed like such a waste to have this room devoted to storage when what students need is prayer,” he said. So, Pillsbury converted an empty storage closet into a vibrant prayer room filled with Bibles, books, instruments, and the elements of Communion.
During the open house, when students toured the rooms of the ministry office, they expressed the most excitement about having access to a space devoted for prayer. Francisca Fadairo, ‘25, decided that she and her friends would consistently use this room during the spring term, and they have. “CU Vox has provided us with a space to pray for campus. We come here together to pray for a revival– for people’s hearts to return to God,” Fadairo stated.
Highlight: CU America member, Erika Lamara Garrett, LMFT
By Erin Conner
“It was the fall that saved my life,” Erika Lamara Garrett explained. In January of 2020, at the age of 33, Garrett fell. The injuries she sustained from this fall confined her to a bed and made her dependent on others to perform basic daily activities. Despite the desperation of her circumstances while on bed rest, she sensed the Lord telling her, “Erika- you will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”
School of Public Health at Brown Helps to Host Drag Performance
By erin conner
The emblematic statement that introduces the School of Public Health’s page on Brown University’s website reads, “Standing at the forefront of today's most important public health issues, Brown is spearheading vital initiatives that will shape the future of the field.”
On October 20-21, 2023, the School of Public Health at Brown University helped to host an event entitled “Decolonize Drag with Professor Kareem Khubchandani.” The poster advertising this event for students shows the professor lying down in a provocative manner.
By Rev. Jeffrey Walsh
Ministry Director, Christian Union Lux at Yale University
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand Firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God... – Ephesians 6:13-17
"Sergeant, I forgot my rifle in my room," one team leader radioed as we drove out of the front gate of our Iraqi-based compound in March 2004. Our mission: to carry out a covert assignment with a clandestine operations team from the National Security Agency. I was surprised when our team leader realized he had forgotten his rifle. We always ensured we had all the required equipment before starting any mission. However, I suggested that he find a solution, and we continued our journey without returning. This decision would be one of my life's worst decisions. Roughly three hours later, we would meet the enemy, and two people would die due to not bearing the most essential weapon in the arsenal.
