Greetings,
I felt it would be a good time to update you on all that Jesus is doing and has already done on campus in the first couple of weeks of the semester.
Before the semester even started I got together with 4 CA's(Community Assistants formerly known as RA's) who were in the midst of CA training and already they were mentioning that there were 2-4 CA's who have been at UMF now for at least a couple years but had not gotten involved were hoping to be able to attend this year. In addition to this just about everyone who had been involved last year and was coming back all seemed really excited in what God is planning to do on campus this semester and this year. And what is really exciting is that these students are taking some ownership for themselves, they aren't saying "Hey Chuck it would be cool if you..." instead they are thinking about what we as a club can do and are even trying to figure out what part they can play, where God is leading them.
As a result we have 3 students right now who are all trying to figure out what it is that God has in store for them, at the moment they are praying through the idea of leading what we call a GIG(Group Investigating God), which is essentially an Evangelistic Bible Study for people who don't yet know Jesus. But the exciting thing isn't necessarily the study itself, though that would be exciting, but more importantly these students are praying to God to ask Him for guidance and leading in how they can join Him in his work of drawing His lost sons and daughters unto Himself.
On Tuesday August 30th we had a gathering of all of the returning InterVarsity students for a time of fellowship with their brothers and sisters that they had not seen for the whole summer, for a time of worship through song with these same brothers and sisters, and for a time of focusing and being reminded what it is that God is calling them to do while here on campus. This reunion was suggested by one of our students in order to allow returning students to connect with one another prior to our Ice Cream Social outreach event in order that when the event came (which was the following day) returning students wouldn't simply be talking to one another but would instead be connecting with incoming students and being hospitable.
So came the Ice Cream Social on the following day. It was exciting for many reasons. First of all there were a bunch of students who came from all different backgrounds. We had freshmen Christians, freshmen who weren't, transfer students, some who didn't really know what they were, some who were really excited to be there and learn and grow in their relationship with Jesus, some there because their friends had brought them, some who were not freshmen but were finally deciding to check out the group. All in all we have 50-60 students show up and probably around 40 stuck around, hung out, and got to know people and as I looked around the room I saw that in every group of people interacting that there was a mix of both non-InterVarsity students and InterVarsity students.
The following Tuesday we had our first Core Group meeting, which is essentially the time where we gather all those who want to join more into the mission of InterVarsity and offer idea's and input as to how we can do it better. In this first Core Group Meeting we had 10 students show up and all of them had much to offer and we were able to come up with some good idea's on things we can do on campus as a group and individually in order to further the Kingdom of God on campus. We spent a great deal of time talking through the barriers that we all have to sharing Christ well with those around us and how we can overcome those barriers.
On Wednesday we had our first "regular" InterVarsity meeting and had about 35 students in attendance with about 15 of those being new students, some Christian and some not. With all of this there were around 10 or more IV regulars who were unable to make this meeting for various reasons. And just before this first meeting one of the students shared with me that a freshmen student had just the night before asked Jesus to be her Savior and Lord! Praise God, and pray that this would be the beginning, the firstfruits, of what might be an incredible semester.
All in all this semester has started off very well and I would ask and pray that you would continue to keep InterVarsity in your prayers. It is exciting to have so many people involved and God has clearly drawn then, please pray that he would guide is in how we might be faithful with those the Lord is draw in to us. Pray that through these students God would be brought glory on campus and that His lost sons and daughters would come to know Him.
Grace and Peace!
