Greetings,
By God’s grace, we have just completed another semester here at Columbia. While it was a difficult year in some ways, it was still a fruitful time of ministry. A few days before the writing of this newsletter, Columbia had its graduation ceremony. We were able to greet and celebrate with many of our graduating seniors’ parents, and prayerfully sendoff seniors out into the brave new world of adulthood.
As we wrap up this year of ministry, we do so with praise to God for his faithfulness, kindness, goodness, and grace to us. We have had a rich and full year with the Princeton students, and we count it a blessing to share some highlights with you – our ministry partners through prayer and generous giving.
As the rhythms of studying and assignments crescendo at the end of the Spring Quarter, our students face the reality that freshmen year has been not just new friends and fun experiences—it’s also a lot of hard work! Through this, we are grateful for the incredible start the Lord has given us this inaugural year with Christian Union Caritas -- Christian Union's ministry to students at Stanford. Our original freshmen guys’ Bible Course is thriving and connecting deeper with one another and with God. Also this quarter, we have launched a women’s Bible Course led by Garrett’s wife, Susan.
Dear Partners in Prayer,
Another academic year is behind us and we are so grateful for your prayers and support! We could not do the work that we do without your generous support! Thank you!
Celebrating Christian Life at Princeton
10:30 am – 1:00 pmSaturday, June 3, 2017
Robert L. Melrose Center for Christian Leadership
19 Vandeventer Avenue
Located one block from campus behind the Garden Theatre.
Another academic year is winding down at Harvard Law School. Classes have concluded and the students are in the midst of final exams. And yet, the horizon holds the next opportunities for these brilliant men and women to continue their legal education and begin their legal careers.
Easter marked a turning point in the seasons here in Ithaca. Over the span of forty-eight hours we watched tufts of green burst from the tips of branches. Daffodils, crocuses, and hyacinth dot the walkways, cardinals sing, and the spring rains raise fragrance from the soil. Over the weekend, 1,000 plus students and community members filled Bailey Hall at an event called Worthy. A Cornell music professor, Joe Salzano, drew musicians from across the campus and the local churches. The event wove genres as diverse as rap, classical, celtic rock, middle eastern, gospel choir, and contemporary Christian worship music to tell the story of Christ’s incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension. I wish you could have joined us singing “Oh Happy Day!”
Dear friends,
All praise is due to our faithful God who continues to bestow grace and favor on us as we do his work at Columbia University. Our staff continues the work of discipleship even amid various challenges, and we are seeing students grow in their commitment to follow Christ as we remain committed to them.
Dear Friends and Family of HCFA,
Thank you for your continued partnership in prayer for this ministry. As a staff team it is a huge encouragement to know that you all are invested in this ministry and lifting us up in prayer consistently.
Friends,
On March 15 we had the privilege of partnering with Aletheia Church here in Providence to bring Dr. Brian Miller, Research Director at Discovery Institute, to Brown’s campus to talk with students on “How Science Points to a Creator.” Dr. Miller, a physicist with degrees from MIT and Duke, presented a 45-minute-long lecture, which covered everything from cosmology to physics to biology in his attempt to show that science and faith are not at odds. His lecture was followed by a time dedicated to allowing the audience to ask Dr. Miller follow-up questions as they processed his presentation.
This month has brought much needed rest and peace here at Christian Union at PENN. This wasmmuch needed after the busy Fall and frigid winter months. After beginning the month with midterms, many of our students were able to get away to warmer climates with friends and family over spring break. They have returned with renewed spirits, energetic and hopeful for the months to come.
We celebrate the first full two months of the semester with many praises, thanks to your support in praying for us.
Greetings from the campus of Harvard Law School!
Students have returned to campus and are now deep into their spring semester studies. Milder temperatures in January have given way to recurrent storms in February blanketing the Harvard community in the bright white of winter’s colors.
It is with great joy and gratitude that I write to you with this report on the past month of ministry here on the campus of Princeton University. By God’s grace, we have seen our healthiest and most vibrant month so far this year; I’ll share some highlights in the space below.
Friends,
Spring semester is well underway here at Brown University, and we are keeping plenty busy with Bible Courses, our weekly lecture series, The Anchor, community and outreach events and much more.
Greetings,
We continue to see God’s grace in our ministry as we disciple students. One example of this is our winter conference which took place Jan. 20-22 at Spruce Lake. We were privileged to see students make strides in their walk with God. During one of our small group prayer times at the retreat, one young lady, who suffers from social anxiety and had never prayed before was taught by another student to pray. After she prayed for the first time, she was overwhelmed with joy and expressed interest to continue meeting with students to practice seeking God together.
Dear Partners in Prayer,
We covet your prayers as our student leadership has undertaken an enormous outreach effort--to reach every senior before he or she leaves Yale. At midnight on February 16, the email below was sent to the 1,322 members of the senior class. By 10am it had been opened by more than 1000 people.
Dear HCFA friends and family,
There has been a welcome stillness in Cambridge this past week as we have been covered by two snowstorms. My mind always runs to Isaiah, when God promises, “’Come now, let us settle the matter. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” What a provoking image of our good Father clothing us in the righteousness of his Son.
A student who’s been an engaged member of our freshman guys Bible course, and whom I’ve been privileged to meet and pray with regularly, recently said to me, “God is powerfully at work in my life, and I couldn’t be more excited about it.” This is from a student who experienced real challenges, both academic and personal, the second half of the fall quarter, but who by God’s grace has come back to Stanford this winter quarter with a renewed zeal for God’s word, prayer, and meaningful community with other Christians. Praise God for his work! Also, praise God for all He is doing in the lives of each student we have the opportunity to serve.
