Columbia and Penn Alumni Discuss Films
By Anne Kerhoulas, Staff Writer
Alumni from Columbia and Penn gathered in person and virtually to discuss religious themes in film. Spearheaded by Columbia alumnus Stephen Cone ’20, who was a Film and Media Studies major, the alumni recently gathered at the CU Lumine Ministry Center on the day of the Columbia vs. Penn football game for the discussion entitled, “Where Is God in the Movies?”
In-Person Ministry Returns
By Tom Campisi, Managing Editor
A core group of emerging student leaders and alumni who have returned to the area have helped Christian Union Vox reach incoming freshmen and launch into the new academic year with vitality.
"That None Would Perish"
By Christopher N. White, Evangelist
As Jesus makes abundantly clear, the heart of God is never satisfied while even one soul is still lost, wandering in the darkness of sin:
Seeking God
On November 16, 2021, Christian Union Founder and President, Matt Bennett gathered virtually with Christian Union’s Cornerstone Partners from around the country to pray for America’s rescue and revival, and that the God-given mission of Christian Union would be accomplished. The evening was organized by leadership from all three branches of Christian Union’s ministry.
A New Realm of Social Media
When Facebook debuted in 2004 from a dorm room at Harvard, the world didn’t have any idea what the social media platform might become. Social media itself was still in its infancy, relegated to corners of the internet and certain affinity groups. But today, Facebook is preparing to enter an entirely new realm of its social media dominion—it’s called the metaverse.
Our Complicated Relationship with Eating and Drinking
As the holiday season approaches, most people begin to anticipate the culinary experience of feasting. Thanksgiving turkeys or Christmas hams, pies and frosted cookies, sparkling ciders, and holiday cocktails—they’re all part of our tradition of feasting with those we love during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.
CU Lumine Introduces Student Leaders Via Social Media
By Tom Campisi, Managing Editor
Prior to hosting its Freshman Welcoming Campaign this fall, CU Lumine embarked on a social media campaign that introduced first-year students to the ministry and gave them practical wisdom and biblical insight before they even arrived on campus.
CU Gloria Reaches Out to Freshmen, Returning Students
By Anne Kerhoulas, Staff Writer
It’s easy to recall March of 2020. The growing alarm about the COVID-19 pandemic, cases emerging in various parts of the country, the uncertainty of what might happen, the beginning of lockdowns, working from home, and some hospitals overflowing with patients. It was a traumatic time for everyone and the beginning of what would be many losses for individuals, families, businesses, and our nation.
CBN Airs Segment on CU’s New York Conferences
By Tom Campisi, Managing Editor
In August, the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) highlighted some of the supernatural healings and manifestations that have happened at Christian Union’s Gospel of the Kingdom Conferences in New York City. Karen Hetzler, Assistant Ministry Director of Christian Union New York, was a guest on the CBN News Prayer Link program with hosts Wendy Griffith and Charlene Aaron.
Greetings from Providence!
It’s hard to believe that it’s already November. We continue to give thanks to the Lord for the new faces that joined our ministry since the start of the semester, and we are so thankful that we’ve been able to meet in-person for Bible courses and discipleship meetings. The students are craving the warmth and assurance of personal interaction, and thanks to your financial support, we’ve been able to host family dinners and praise nights at the Judson Center. These community-wide events have proven to be so beneficial in providing students spiritual and emotional support as they re-adjust to life on campus following the turmoil of the last 18 months.
Lotspeich, a Former Marine, Is Hungry for Revival
By Anne Kerhoulas, Staff Writer
Christian Union’s new ministry director at Penn wants to change the world. Though many would scoff at such ambitions, former Marine Cory Lotspeich recognizes the immense potential of developing leaders at an institution like the University of Pennsylvania.
Greetings from Palo Alto!
Students’ initial excitement of being back on campus at Stanford (after a long time away!) is waning, and midterm season has been going strong for multiple weeks now. Students are in need of refreshment from the Lord! I suppose we all are, all the time.
Dear CU Martus Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
Greetings in the Lord! We now find ourselves heavily engaged with Bible courses, daily prayer, leadership development, Philia, Brogram, and reaching Penn students with the gospel.
Every community of Christians is called to pursue humility. In our study of Paul’s letter to the Philippians this semester, students at CU Lux learned that early Christians incorporated a hymn about Christ’s humility in their worship (Phil. 2:5-11). The hymn celebrates Christ’s life of selflessness, from his divine preexistence to his undeserved death and exaltation. The one who enjoyed equality with God emptied himself. Instead of clinging to the advantages of that equality, Christ set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, becoming human. He lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death—a crucifixion.
Christian Union Multi-Site Event Stirs, Strengthens Believers
By Dr. Chuck HetZler, Director of CU Day and Night
Christian Union Day and Night hosted its first-ever, multi-site version of CU Fire on Friday, October 8 and Saturday, October 9.
We praise God for partners like you in supporting the work He is doing through Christian Union Lumine at Columbia. The students have reached the halfway point of the semester and are finishing up their midterms. It’s truly hard to believe how fast this semester is going!
Where does the time go? It’s hard to believe that the Freshmen Campaign is complete and now the fall term nearly is as well. It’s been a joy to see the normal rhythms and rituals of Dartmouth life return this academic year. Being together again for Bible course, The Vine, and our social events have been such a blessing. To contradict the popular saying, we did know what we were missing by not gathering together. Would you please join us in praying for these few requests:
Dear CU Gloria Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
Greenleaf’s Testimony of the Evangelists is one of a thousand such apologetic works from lawyers, literary scholars, philosophers, and theologians who have argued for through the ages the veracity of the teachings of Jesus and eyewitness testimonies of his earliest followers. Last month I mentioned the stunning ‘Christ hymn’ in Philippians, chapter 2 (see also John 1:1-18; Colossians 1:15-20). As I say to students all of the time, the descriptions of the nature and person of Jesus in the New Testament are crazy talk unless we can support and defend them. The onus is on us to do our homework and to keep an open mind.
Christian Union Nova remains strong as students study the book of Philippians and near the end of a semester with zeal and genuine camaraderie.
First-year students are engaged in Bible courses and readily share how much they appreciate their fellowship with those of the same precious faith! In addition, many upperclassmen have returned to their Bible courses with greater levels of commitment, and student-to-student discipleship pairs continue to be a place for nurtured friendships. At the same time, large group meetings are charged with sincere worship and messages that convict us all to seek God, love one another, and trust in the reliability of Scripture.
As we enter November and a season of Thanksgiving, we want to express some of the ways we are grateful, specifically to the Lord, for his kindnesses in Christ to CU New York and to all of us, His people, in NY!
