Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Summer Newsletter
Charles W. Ellis August 1st 2012
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
159 Perham St
Apartment 1
Farmington, ME 04938
(207) 491-8964
Greetings,
Chuck here with a brief update on what Jesus has been doing at UMF through InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. I want to again thank You all for your continued partnership in the ministry here. It has been exciting over the years to see that way that Jesus works on campus but also in the provision of finances for the ministry budget each year. Every year God has faithfully provided and each year it has become less and less stressful for me as I trust God and watch him work. Normally though there is a rush for me after the school year ends to push forward in finding the funds to make budget by the end of June(the end of our fiscal year). This year however that was not the case in fact without me making a funding push at this time I was able to end the year with a surplus of $1200 and I ask that you celebrate this with me and praise the Lord for all of the different ways in which he provides for our needs.
There are still financial needs in the ministry and I have been working from a bare-bones budget in order to be able to end the year in the black. During this time I have not received the normal annual increase that all staff workers with InterVarsity receive and if I am able to raise another $3000 this year I will be able to be at a full budget and receive my collective 3% annual increase that I have received for the past 3 years. This means if 12 people are able to give at $25 a month I will reach my goal and I would ask that you would prayerfully consider either beginning to support or increasing your support of the work Jesus is doing.
Moving on from finances I have heard from many of you the desire to either have me bring students with me when I speak at your churches, which for one reason or another hasn't seemed to work out, or hear from student the impact Jesus is having on their life. I am excited therefore to be able to share with you testimonies from both former and current InterVarsity students on how Jesus has impacted their lives. I hope and certainly believe that you will enjoy and be blessed by these testimonies. I know I did and was.
Before you go on to those please join with me in praising the Lord as this last year we saw 5 students make first time decisions for Christ and another 3 students recommit their lives to Christ. This is really exciting and in reality the most students we at UMF have seen become Christians in a single year since I got involved in InterVarsity as a student almost 10 years ago. I also believe it to be the result of years of preparation and learning and understanding how to share the gospel on the UMF campus and that this is only the beginning of God drawing people unto himself. I ask also that you would pray with me that the Lord would send workers into the fields of UMF and that he would continue to draw his lost sons and daughters unto himself. Thanks again and please be sure to enjoy the testimonies!
Your Fellow Worker In Christ Jesus,
Charles William Ellis
Campus Staff Member UMF
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Testimonies
Hi all,
This is the first of what will be a number of testimonies from students impacted by the work of InterVarsity. I hope you enjoy them as much as me:
To Whom it May Concern,
My name is Rebecca Hall, and I am a recent graduate of the University of Maine at Farmington. When I started college six years ago, I had many anxieties. As I left home for the first time, the challenge of keeping up academically was nowhere as worrying to me as the prospect of having to fit myself into an entirely new community. Most of all, I worried that in my new home, I would be unable to find other Christians to challenge and support me in my faith.
This need for community and Christian fellowship was partially filled by my involvement with Farmington Christian Fellowship. Through Bible studies, presentations, and weekly worship, I was challenged to keep nurturing my relationship with God, even in the midst of a hectic university schedule. Even though my views, both theologically and politically, greatly differ from many of those which were taught at FCF, they still welcomed me into an accepting, open community.
The fellowship they gave me made a key impact on my life. Even though I have since moved on to seminary, and other Christian communities, Farmington Christian Fellowship was the first group to fill that role in my life. I cannot thank them enough for the support they gave me during my time in Farmington, and I would like to thank you for the support which has made it possible for them to impact me, and so many others, in this way.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Hall class of 2011
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Spring 2012
Greetings,
Chuck here again and I am really excited to share with you about the work that Jesus is doing at UMF through InterVarsity as well as a recent partnership with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes of Central Maine, and the potential start in ministry to International Students at UMF, not to mention all that is already going on in the normal life of the fellowship as we reach out to the campus.
First off I feel the need to express my gratitude to God for granting me an incredibly mature leadership team that not only know their stuff Biblically but are also excellent at gathering, teaching, training, and making disciples of younger students. This group of leaders has done an excellent job of working with the University and establishing a good report with the administration as well as most of the students on campus. Without these future leaders InterVarsity would not be in the great place that it is today. Please pray for these students leaders though as they shoulder a lot of responsibility and are under constant spiritual attacks from the enemy. Pray that they grow and mature and God gives them grace that those they are witnessing to might come to know the Lord.
We started the semester with the students desiring to have a greater emphasis on prayer as it is when we are on our knees before the Lord that he tends to work the most. There are now 3-6 students who meet weekly to pray both for one another and that God would move in mighty ways in the hearts and minds of the students and faculty on campus. We have begun doing monthly 24 hour prayer sessions where we grab a classroom on campus and someone is praying for the fellowship and the campus for 24 consecutive hours. During this time also anyone who needs someone to pray with can come and be prayed for or they can simply come and seek the Lord in silence and solitude. I had opportunity to man the prayer room during the first 24 hour session and was greatly encouraged in my own relationship with the Lord and I am confident it has already had a great impact on those involved as well as, through their prayers, the campus.
This year we sent 32 students from UMF to New Orleans for KRUP (Katrina Relief Urban Project) our alternative spring break trip during which we spend our days working with locals helping to rebuild the poorer neighborhoods in the city. 32 students from UMF about half are unbelievers, many of whom have never really engaged with the gospel before in their lives, and each evening we engage with the gospel hearing from different speakers as well as spending time in small groups studying and talking through the scriptures. Now as of yet I do not believe any students have made professions of faith but evangelism is so much deeper than that and many of these students took important steps in the direction of faith moving from a position of skepticism to being more curious about this whole Christian thing. One of our small groups even decided to keep meeting once they got back to campus because though only half of them believe in Jesus the others wanted to continue to pursue what this life might look like, which is really exciting especially given where some of these students lives have taken them. Four of the non-Christian students who went to KRUP have decided to get involved in our weekly Large Group meeting to continue to learn about Jesus.
Another exciting development this semester have come in area’s that I have had a burden for many years now but have just never gotten the opportunity to make contact. The first of those is with Athletes on campus who are for InterVarsity a practically unreached group of people who make up a large part of the campus. I was contacted early in the Semester by a young Woman named Margaux Shute who grew up in Skowhegan Maine before going off to UNH to play Field Hockey, where she would later coach and only recently decided to work with FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes). God was also at work in the heart of a senior named Emma and through their combined efforts FCA and IVCF at UMF have launched an Athletes Bible Study with the hope of it developing into a ministry that will reach Athletes for Christ. At their first Bible Study there were 8 students who showed up. One of those who showed up is a young woman named Keli who is a freshman but has a huge heart for the Lord and she and Emma will be leading the Bible Study this semester. Praise God for the mighty ways in which he works bringing people together to accomplish His purposes of redeeming sinners.
This upcoming semester through a connection with an InterVarsity Staff Worker on the West Coast we are going to have the opportunity to minister to students from southern China who will be at UMF for a year. Most, if not all of these students, have never heard the gospel and we’ll have opportunity through this connection of basically starting a small group Bible Study for them. Please pray that God would work mightily.
Lastly please join me in praising the Lord for the ways in which he continually provides for my and the ministries needs. Over the course of the past couple of years my support raising has gotten easier and easier as more and more of you have taken up the cause of supporting the ministry on a financial level and I just want to thank you once again for all you do and remind you that without this support I would be unable to minister on campus. Thank you all and God bless!
Your fellow worker in Christ Jesus,
Charles William Ellis
Chuck here again and I am really excited to share with you about the work that Jesus is doing at UMF through InterVarsity as well as a recent partnership with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes of Central Maine, and the potential start in ministry to International Students at UMF, not to mention all that is already going on in the normal life of the fellowship as we reach out to the campus.
First off I feel the need to express my gratitude to God for granting me an incredibly mature leadership team that not only know their stuff Biblically but are also excellent at gathering, teaching, training, and making disciples of younger students. This group of leaders has done an excellent job of working with the University and establishing a good report with the administration as well as most of the students on campus. Without these future leaders InterVarsity would not be in the great place that it is today. Please pray for these students leaders though as they shoulder a lot of responsibility and are under constant spiritual attacks from the enemy. Pray that they grow and mature and God gives them grace that those they are witnessing to might come to know the Lord.
We started the semester with the students desiring to have a greater emphasis on prayer as it is when we are on our knees before the Lord that he tends to work the most. There are now 3-6 students who meet weekly to pray both for one another and that God would move in mighty ways in the hearts and minds of the students and faculty on campus. We have begun doing monthly 24 hour prayer sessions where we grab a classroom on campus and someone is praying for the fellowship and the campus for 24 consecutive hours. During this time also anyone who needs someone to pray with can come and be prayed for or they can simply come and seek the Lord in silence and solitude. I had opportunity to man the prayer room during the first 24 hour session and was greatly encouraged in my own relationship with the Lord and I am confident it has already had a great impact on those involved as well as, through their prayers, the campus.
This year we sent 32 students from UMF to New Orleans for KRUP (Katrina Relief Urban Project) our alternative spring break trip during which we spend our days working with locals helping to rebuild the poorer neighborhoods in the city. 32 students from UMF about half are unbelievers, many of whom have never really engaged with the gospel before in their lives, and each evening we engage with the gospel hearing from different speakers as well as spending time in small groups studying and talking through the scriptures. Now as of yet I do not believe any students have made professions of faith but evangelism is so much deeper than that and many of these students took important steps in the direction of faith moving from a position of skepticism to being more curious about this whole Christian thing. One of our small groups even decided to keep meeting once they got back to campus because though only half of them believe in Jesus the others wanted to continue to pursue what this life might look like, which is really exciting especially given where some of these students lives have taken them. Four of the non-Christian students who went to KRUP have decided to get involved in our weekly Large Group meeting to continue to learn about Jesus.
Another exciting development this semester have come in area’s that I have had a burden for many years now but have just never gotten the opportunity to make contact. The first of those is with Athletes on campus who are for InterVarsity a practically unreached group of people who make up a large part of the campus. I was contacted early in the Semester by a young Woman named Margaux Shute who grew up in Skowhegan Maine before going off to UNH to play Field Hockey, where she would later coach and only recently decided to work with FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes). God was also at work in the heart of a senior named Emma and through their combined efforts FCA and IVCF at UMF have launched an Athletes Bible Study with the hope of it developing into a ministry that will reach Athletes for Christ. At their first Bible Study there were 8 students who showed up. One of those who showed up is a young woman named Keli who is a freshman but has a huge heart for the Lord and she and Emma will be leading the Bible Study this semester. Praise God for the mighty ways in which he works bringing people together to accomplish His purposes of redeeming sinners.
This upcoming semester through a connection with an InterVarsity Staff Worker on the West Coast we are going to have the opportunity to minister to students from southern China who will be at UMF for a year. Most, if not all of these students, have never heard the gospel and we’ll have opportunity through this connection of basically starting a small group Bible Study for them. Please pray that God would work mightily.
Lastly please join me in praising the Lord for the ways in which he continually provides for my and the ministries needs. Over the course of the past couple of years my support raising has gotten easier and easier as more and more of you have taken up the cause of supporting the ministry on a financial level and I just want to thank you once again for all you do and remind you that without this support I would be unable to minister on campus. Thank you all and God bless!
Your fellow worker in Christ Jesus,
Charles William Ellis
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
God At Work On Campus
Greeting,
Chuck here with another update on the amazing work that Jesus is doing in the hearts and minds of college students at the University of Maine at Farmington through InterVarsity.
It has definitely been an interesting semester both for myself and for the students. On a personal level I went through one of the most difficult Spiritual droughts that I have encountered in my time as a Christian. During this same time I heard that this was not something that simply I was going through but that a number of the students in the fellowship were also experiencing trying times in their faith. What was particularly interesting about all this is what God was able to do in the midst.
At the end of last year we were averaging around 30 students in attendance at our large group meetings but we had around 10 students who were moving on to bigger and better things and some of them very integral members of the group. So coming into the semester I had now idea what to expect, especially considering the fact that my spiritual drought had begun in force just before the semester began. So the semester began and right away we were averaging 30 students and we had a number of freshmen and transfer students get connected and involved in the life of the fellowship quite quickly giving a much needed boost of energy to those who were weary.
One of the most exciting and encouraging things that God did this semester was drawing his lost sons and daughters unto himself. Not only did we have many students coming to InterVarsity on a regular basis but also a number of them were non-Christians interested in checking out what this Christian group on campus was all about. Prior to the semester I felt challenged by the Holy Spirit to pray for a particular number of students to become Christians and so as I sought the Lord the number that he revealed to me was 10 for the whole school year. In the first few weeks of the semester we saw two students become Christians and as the semester progressed another two became Christians. While numbers very clearly are not the most important matter and while it is also just as important to teach and train current believers how to live the Christian life as it is to see conversions it was particularly important and exciting for me because we have been able to disciple Christians but until recently we had seen very little in the realm of conversions. In fact I would say we've probably seen more people come to know Jesus in the past year (6 because we had two during our trip to New Orleans) than in all of my time being involved in InterVarsity (approximately 8 years).
In addition to this we have begun preparation for KRUP 2012 (Katrina Relief Urban Project) both in fund-raising and recruiting and have 30-40 students hoping to go, around half of whom are unbelievers, some of which it is clear to me are seeking. And so I ask that you would be in prayer for this trip as it has the potential to be a life-changing trip for many students both Christian and non-Christian at seeing a larger picture of the world and hopefully growing closer to the creator, sustainer, and redeemer of that world. Pray also for myself and the leadership as we prepare for a new semester, that our plans would be in line with what it is God has in mind both for us and the campus. Lastly pray for the finances of both the trip to New Orleans and the ministry expenses themselves. During this holiday season I would ask that you might consider a gift to the work that Jesus is doing here at UMF either for the ministry itself or for the trip to New Orleans. If you are interested in giving to the general ministry fund follow this link: https://donate.intervarsity.org/. If you would like to give towards the trip to New Orleans please write your check payable to InterVarsity and send it to me at:
Chuck Ellis
116 Hammond Rd
Farmington, ME 04938
I have been blessed over the past year and many people have increased their support of the ministry and new people have begun supporting. I am incredibly thankful for this especially in the midst of difficult economic times. Your gifts are evidence of your faith not in the American economy but in God's economy. Additionally I want to thank our prayer warriors who lift up the ministry before God and without whom I don't know where we would be. Thank you all so much! Merry Christmas!
Your Fellow Worker In Christ Jesus
Charles William Ellis
Chuck here with another update on the amazing work that Jesus is doing in the hearts and minds of college students at the University of Maine at Farmington through InterVarsity.
It has definitely been an interesting semester both for myself and for the students. On a personal level I went through one of the most difficult Spiritual droughts that I have encountered in my time as a Christian. During this same time I heard that this was not something that simply I was going through but that a number of the students in the fellowship were also experiencing trying times in their faith. What was particularly interesting about all this is what God was able to do in the midst.
At the end of last year we were averaging around 30 students in attendance at our large group meetings but we had around 10 students who were moving on to bigger and better things and some of them very integral members of the group. So coming into the semester I had now idea what to expect, especially considering the fact that my spiritual drought had begun in force just before the semester began. So the semester began and right away we were averaging 30 students and we had a number of freshmen and transfer students get connected and involved in the life of the fellowship quite quickly giving a much needed boost of energy to those who were weary.
One of the most exciting and encouraging things that God did this semester was drawing his lost sons and daughters unto himself. Not only did we have many students coming to InterVarsity on a regular basis but also a number of them were non-Christians interested in checking out what this Christian group on campus was all about. Prior to the semester I felt challenged by the Holy Spirit to pray for a particular number of students to become Christians and so as I sought the Lord the number that he revealed to me was 10 for the whole school year. In the first few weeks of the semester we saw two students become Christians and as the semester progressed another two became Christians. While numbers very clearly are not the most important matter and while it is also just as important to teach and train current believers how to live the Christian life as it is to see conversions it was particularly important and exciting for me because we have been able to disciple Christians but until recently we had seen very little in the realm of conversions. In fact I would say we've probably seen more people come to know Jesus in the past year (6 because we had two during our trip to New Orleans) than in all of my time being involved in InterVarsity (approximately 8 years).
In addition to this we have begun preparation for KRUP 2012 (Katrina Relief Urban Project) both in fund-raising and recruiting and have 30-40 students hoping to go, around half of whom are unbelievers, some of which it is clear to me are seeking. And so I ask that you would be in prayer for this trip as it has the potential to be a life-changing trip for many students both Christian and non-Christian at seeing a larger picture of the world and hopefully growing closer to the creator, sustainer, and redeemer of that world. Pray also for myself and the leadership as we prepare for a new semester, that our plans would be in line with what it is God has in mind both for us and the campus. Lastly pray for the finances of both the trip to New Orleans and the ministry expenses themselves. During this holiday season I would ask that you might consider a gift to the work that Jesus is doing here at UMF either for the ministry itself or for the trip to New Orleans. If you are interested in giving to the general ministry fund follow this link: https://donate.intervarsity.org/. If you would like to give towards the trip to New Orleans please write your check payable to InterVarsity and send it to me at:
Chuck Ellis
116 Hammond Rd
Farmington, ME 04938
I have been blessed over the past year and many people have increased their support of the ministry and new people have begun supporting. I am incredibly thankful for this especially in the midst of difficult economic times. Your gifts are evidence of your faith not in the American economy but in God's economy. Additionally I want to thank our prayer warriors who lift up the ministry before God and without whom I don't know where we would be. Thank you all so much! Merry Christmas!
Your Fellow Worker In Christ Jesus
Charles William Ellis
Monday, September 12, 2011
First couple of weeks
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!
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!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Events to be praying for
Hi all,
Chuck here with another prayer request. The semester is fast approaching and the student leaders and I are already busy beginning to plan for upcoming events. Please be in prayer especially for the beginning of the semester as that is the most important time to connect with students. During the first few weeks of the semester students are more open to doing different things and going to events and meeting new people as they have yet to solidify a schedule and a friend network. As a result please be praying that we would be able to connect with students early on and get them connected to the group both through our events as well as through students personal interactions. We have a number of events in particular that you could be praying for.
On Wednesday August 30th (the first day of classes) at 6:30pm we will be having our annual Ice Cream Social in the student center. Historically this has been very successful at getting new Christian students connected to the fellowship, please pray that this continues but that we are effective at connecting with everyone who comes and that IV members don't simply come to the social to connect with their friends that they haven't seen all summer.
On Tuesday September 13th at 7pm also in the UMF Student Center we're going to be hosting a campus-wide event called: How can a good God allow pain, suffering, and evil? featuring Maine Apologist Daryl Whitmer who heads up AIIA Institute which is dedicated to the defense of the faith in Maine (http://aiia.christiananswers.net/about/).
On Monday September 26th at 7pm we will be hosting Invisible Children (http://www.invisiblechildren.com/) who will be sharing on their work combating the Human Slave trade, in particular they fight against Child Soldiering in Africa lead by Joseph Kony.
We are hoping to start some Alpha groups (evangelistic Bible Studies: http://alphausa.org/Groups/1000065342/Alt_Home_page.aspx). Please pray that students volunteer to lead these and do the work of inviting their non-Christian friends that they may hear the gospel.
All of this and more, please continue to be in prayer for all facets of the ministry. Thank you all for your continued prayer and financial support of the work that Jesus is doing at UMF.
Chuck here with another prayer request. The semester is fast approaching and the student leaders and I are already busy beginning to plan for upcoming events. Please be in prayer especially for the beginning of the semester as that is the most important time to connect with students. During the first few weeks of the semester students are more open to doing different things and going to events and meeting new people as they have yet to solidify a schedule and a friend network. As a result please be praying that we would be able to connect with students early on and get them connected to the group both through our events as well as through students personal interactions. We have a number of events in particular that you could be praying for.
On Wednesday August 30th (the first day of classes) at 6:30pm we will be having our annual Ice Cream Social in the student center. Historically this has been very successful at getting new Christian students connected to the fellowship, please pray that this continues but that we are effective at connecting with everyone who comes and that IV members don't simply come to the social to connect with their friends that they haven't seen all summer.
On Tuesday September 13th at 7pm also in the UMF Student Center we're going to be hosting a campus-wide event called: How can a good God allow pain, suffering, and evil? featuring Maine Apologist Daryl Whitmer who heads up AIIA Institute which is dedicated to the defense of the faith in Maine (http://aiia.christiananswers.net/about/).
On Monday September 26th at 7pm we will be hosting Invisible Children (http://www.invisiblechildren.com/) who will be sharing on their work combating the Human Slave trade, in particular they fight against Child Soldiering in Africa lead by Joseph Kony.
We are hoping to start some Alpha groups (evangelistic Bible Studies: http://alphausa.org/Groups/1000065342/Alt_Home_page.aspx). Please pray that students volunteer to lead these and do the work of inviting their non-Christian friends that they may hear the gospel.
All of this and more, please continue to be in prayer for all facets of the ministry. Thank you all for your continued prayer and financial support of the work that Jesus is doing at UMF.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Funding and summer prayer request
Hi everyone,
The summer continues and I hope everyone thoroughly enjoyed the 4th of July weekend and the beautiful weather that came with it. I wanted to update everyone and thank you all so very much for your prayer and donations to the ministry. Coming into the last month of our fiscal year which runs July-June I was looking at having a $1500 deficit going in to next year and thanks to your generous support both financially and prayerfully that gap appears to have been fulfilled. Praise God for his constant faithfulness.
As the summer continues please be in prayer for the upcoming semester in all of the following: That God would send Christian students who are ready to jump in and join the mission of InterVarsity here at UMF; That God would grant both myself and the student leadership his vision for the upcoming semester that we might bring Him glory through all that we do and that through our work His lost sons and daughters unto Himself; Pray also for the students who are away from campus doing other things that Jesus might continually be at work in them growing them in love for Him and working through them but also preparing them for the work that He has called them to do on campus; Pray also for Unity College and the work that was done there this past semester that God might lead and guide both Christian Carlson and myself as we try to figure out what campus ministry looks like on that particular campus. Thank You all and God bless!
Chuck
The summer continues and I hope everyone thoroughly enjoyed the 4th of July weekend and the beautiful weather that came with it. I wanted to update everyone and thank you all so very much for your prayer and donations to the ministry. Coming into the last month of our fiscal year which runs July-June I was looking at having a $1500 deficit going in to next year and thanks to your generous support both financially and prayerfully that gap appears to have been fulfilled. Praise God for his constant faithfulness.
As the summer continues please be in prayer for the upcoming semester in all of the following: That God would send Christian students who are ready to jump in and join the mission of InterVarsity here at UMF; That God would grant both myself and the student leadership his vision for the upcoming semester that we might bring Him glory through all that we do and that through our work His lost sons and daughters unto Himself; Pray also for the students who are away from campus doing other things that Jesus might continually be at work in them growing them in love for Him and working through them but also preparing them for the work that He has called them to do on campus; Pray also for Unity College and the work that was done there this past semester that God might lead and guide both Christian Carlson and myself as we try to figure out what campus ministry looks like on that particular campus. Thank You all and God bless!
Chuck
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