Friday, June 29, 2007
"There have been times in my ministry when I felt that university campuses might well be among the most fruitful fields for evangelism. In visits to some fifty nations, I have found students to be attentive and usuallyy respectful, listeners to gospel preaching. In spite of some superficial collegiate fads, they are basically involved in a search for self-understanding, for a view of life that makes sense, and for a useful role in society. Without knowing it, in many cases, they long for a personal fulfillment that can be found in Christ as nowhere else." -Billy Graham
Thursday, June 28, 2007
I am Home:
And here are some pictures for you to enjoy :)
My family for 10 days. We stayed with our family groups for most of the time. We studied scripture together, ate meals together, prayed together and learned to be staff together. Starting from the back left; David (in the white shirt) he was on staff in the 80's, left to work at a church, and is back on staff and the Univeristy of North Carolina-Greensboro. Max is direction the Chicago Urban Project. Sarah is on staff at University of Idaho. Steve works in the National Service Center in human resources. Brad, was my small group leader, an area director in Virginia. The girl next to me, Allyson on staff with Boston College, and Melanie is on staff at University of San Diego working with fraternity and sorority students.
Kaya didn't want to leave. She kept getting in my suitcase while I was packing. Sorry, Kaya, can't take you with me :)
My family for 10 days. We stayed with our family groups for most of the time. We studied scripture together, ate meals together, prayed together and learned to be staff together. Starting from the back left; David (in the white shirt) he was on staff in the 80's, left to work at a church, and is back on staff and the Univeristy of North Carolina-Greensboro. Max is direction the Chicago Urban Project. Sarah is on staff at University of Idaho. Steve works in the National Service Center in human resources. Brad, was my small group leader, an area director in Virginia. The girl next to me, Allyson on staff with Boston College, and Melanie is on staff at University of San Diego working with fraternity and sorority students.
The rest of the pictures are how I spent my sabbath on Saturday. Tina and I went to lunch, and did some sight-seeing and shopping. We eventually landed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which is right on this beautiful lake!!! Reminds me of St. Clair and being on the boardwalk.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Orientation for New Staff, Continuation of Day 8
Day 8, EVANGELISM:
I realized that I have not shared the Gospel in a while and I need to practice so I can clearly articualte it. We learned more ideas about proxe stations, and conversational evangelism. I am really excited to give my students a heart and passion for evangelism as we reach the out to the campus.
We went in partners and practiced some conversational evangelism. My partner and I went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which is really close to our hotel. We had two really good conversations where we shared the Gospel. Neither accecpted Christ, but there were seeds planted. Pray for the man from Chile, and the two female students from UW, that they would come to know Jesus as Lord over their life.
Last night we played the chapter building game, which I have done before, but it was great to be reminded of how to be strategic with my time. The game is a series of things that you would do as a staff worker, and you have 48 hours to do it all in. Your goal is to figure out how to manage your time most strategically so that you will make the largest impact on campus. It is sooo important to have prayer, prayer for students and prayer for the campus. Please pray for me as I implement this into our daily lives on campus.
I get to see my husband tomorrow :)
I realized that I have not shared the Gospel in a while and I need to practice so I can clearly articualte it. We learned more ideas about proxe stations, and conversational evangelism. I am really excited to give my students a heart and passion for evangelism as we reach the out to the campus.
We went in partners and practiced some conversational evangelism. My partner and I went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which is really close to our hotel. We had two really good conversations where we shared the Gospel. Neither accecpted Christ, but there were seeds planted. Pray for the man from Chile, and the two female students from UW, that they would come to know Jesus as Lord over their life.
Last night we played the chapter building game, which I have done before, but it was great to be reminded of how to be strategic with my time. The game is a series of things that you would do as a staff worker, and you have 48 hours to do it all in. Your goal is to figure out how to manage your time most strategically so that you will make the largest impact on campus. It is sooo important to have prayer, prayer for students and prayer for the campus. Please pray for me as I implement this into our daily lives on campus.
I get to see my husband tomorrow :)
Monday, June 25, 2007
Orientation for New Staff Day 7 and 8
Exhaustion is begining to take over. I have been here in Madison for 8 days, attending seminars all day long and becoming a tired :) I am plugging through though, almost done. We will be going hom on Wednesday.
Sunday:
On Sunday we focused on the value of building multi-ethnic witnessing communities. Before we could build multi-ethnic witnessing communities on campus, we had to know who we were ethnically and how that fit into the broad scheme of things. I am still wrestling with what it means to be white, and what I can offer to other cultures and what I can learn from other cultures.
I am also wrestling with what that looks like on the campus of Albion, being a mostly white school. How can I train students to reach out to every ethnicity and culture if the only ethnicity and culture they see is white upper class? I am jumping too far into this though, because I know that I have not spent enough time on campus to know what types of student groups there are. I need to get to know them better and find out who the student body is that I will be serving.
Today:
Evangelism......
Sorry guys, time for bed, more on that later :)
Sunday:
On Sunday we focused on the value of building multi-ethnic witnessing communities. Before we could build multi-ethnic witnessing communities on campus, we had to know who we were ethnically and how that fit into the broad scheme of things. I am still wrestling with what it means to be white, and what I can offer to other cultures and what I can learn from other cultures.
I am also wrestling with what that looks like on the campus of Albion, being a mostly white school. How can I train students to reach out to every ethnicity and culture if the only ethnicity and culture they see is white upper class? I am jumping too far into this though, because I know that I have not spent enough time on campus to know what types of student groups there are. I need to get to know them better and find out who the student body is that I will be serving.
Today:
Evangelism......
Sorry guys, time for bed, more on that later :)
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Orientation for New Staff Day 6
Sabbath continues!! I had an amazing sabbath today. I slept in. This morning, the capitol turned into a farmer's market. I went down to the lobby to go to the market and found Tina, the Greek Staff Worker at Central Michigan University. We decided to go look at all the vendors and go to lunch. We joined with another Kristin and went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It is a BEAUTIFUL campus!!! It is right on a lake. We spent some time there, reading, journaling and spending with the Lord.
While we were there, several bridal parties came and went, taking pictures near the water. It reminds me of being home in St. Clair and having everyone come near the water. I miss it. To me water is home, and it is hard to be away. Water is refreshing and where I meet the Lord.
One thing I have truly gained from my time in InterVarsity is the importance of taking a sabbath each week. I have always been taught about sabbath taking, but never before have I seen a group of people practice it like InterVarsity staff. I have learned that it doesn't have to be on a particular day of the week, but it is more of a time for rest, reflection on Christ, and what He has done and is doing. It is a time to do things that you enjoy, that bring you rest, when you may not have the time to do it during the week. I am not perfect at taking a sabbath, but I am learning and growing in this. It is definitely a habit I want to instill in my family!
While we were there, several bridal parties came and went, taking pictures near the water. It reminds me of being home in St. Clair and having everyone come near the water. I miss it. To me water is home, and it is hard to be away. Water is refreshing and where I meet the Lord.
One thing I have truly gained from my time in InterVarsity is the importance of taking a sabbath each week. I have always been taught about sabbath taking, but never before have I seen a group of people practice it like InterVarsity staff. I have learned that it doesn't have to be on a particular day of the week, but it is more of a time for rest, reflection on Christ, and what He has done and is doing. It is a time to do things that you enjoy, that bring you rest, when you may not have the time to do it during the week. I am not perfect at taking a sabbath, but I am learning and growing in this. It is definitely a habit I want to instill in my family!
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Orientation for New Staff Days 4 and 5
"The Sabbath teaches grace in a deep, experiential way. Perhaps more than anything else, in our time, we need grace. We need to rest in the reality that our lives do not oridinate with us, that all love comes to us as a gift and that God's grace surrounds and fills us. God's love and favor come to us not because we deserve them but because of who God is." From Sabbath Keeping by Lynne Baab, InterVarsity Press
Tonight starts our sabbath. I am so excited to have a sabbath, to rest and regroup. I went to dinner at a pub with my family group tonight. It was fun to get to know each other even better. Not sure my plans for tomorrow, but I will sure update!
Yesterday was so encouraging!!! I was able to talk to several people to invite them into partnership in this ministry!!! I was making phone calls and working in Lisa Espineli Chin's office. She is kind of my "InterVarsity Hero." Her office was so cozy and homey and she left a note for us, and some candy. Today I actually had a chance to meet her, give her a hug and chat a little bit. I was thrilled!
Today we learned how to write prayer letters....YEAH!!! Aren't you all excited to be getting them? I am excited to share with you about what God is doing on campus!
We went to the National office for InterVarsity today. It was interesting to meet all the people that work there, and to get tons of free stuff.
Sorry, not much to update on :)
Tonight starts our sabbath. I am so excited to have a sabbath, to rest and regroup. I went to dinner at a pub with my family group tonight. It was fun to get to know each other even better. Not sure my plans for tomorrow, but I will sure update!
Yesterday was so encouraging!!! I was able to talk to several people to invite them into partnership in this ministry!!! I was making phone calls and working in Lisa Espineli Chin's office. She is kind of my "InterVarsity Hero." Her office was so cozy and homey and she left a note for us, and some candy. Today I actually had a chance to meet her, give her a hug and chat a little bit. I was thrilled!
Today we learned how to write prayer letters....YEAH!!! Aren't you all excited to be getting them? I am excited to share with you about what God is doing on campus!
We went to the National office for InterVarsity today. It was interesting to meet all the people that work there, and to get tons of free stuff.
Sorry, not much to update on :)
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Orientation for New Staff Day 3
Calling all Alum!!!!
If you are reading this and you are an alumnus from Albion College, I want to connect with you. I want to update you on what is happening in the chapter, send you alumni newsletters, and have alumni events. If anyone is interested in helping me coordinate this, it would be great!!!
This morning was sooo hard for me to stay awake. I did not sleep well last night and it really showed during our morning sessions. Today we talked about partnerships in ministry. It was so encouraging to know that I am partnering with other people as they give financially and prayerfully so that this ministry can exist on campus.
We had seminars in the afternoon. I attended "Women in Ministry" and "How to Integrate Fund Development and Campus Work." It was useful to hear the tricks of the trade and what has worked well for other people.
Each day here, we get a free book. YEAH! That means it just adds to the books that I am yet to read. I love InterVarsity Press. They truly print some quality material, books that challenge me in my walk with God, and challenge me in my mind and are a challenge and encouragement to students. Today the book of the day was "Finding God at Harvard." It is all about Christian thought and what is means to think christianly. I am excited to read that.
Tonight we had a table discussion at dinner about how to minister to alum. I am really excited about this part of my job. I have already had a chance to talk with some of the Albion alumni and they have been a huge source of encouragement. I am eager to hear their stories of how InterVarsity has impacted their lives. I look forward to serving you guys and getting to know you better!!
Best part of tonight.....free Ben and Jerry's ice cream!!! I had half baked frozen yogurt for those who care:) There is a Ben and Jerry's store down the street from our hotel.
If you are reading this and you are an alumnus from Albion College, I want to connect with you. I want to update you on what is happening in the chapter, send you alumni newsletters, and have alumni events. If anyone is interested in helping me coordinate this, it would be great!!!
This morning was sooo hard for me to stay awake. I did not sleep well last night and it really showed during our morning sessions. Today we talked about partnerships in ministry. It was so encouraging to know that I am partnering with other people as they give financially and prayerfully so that this ministry can exist on campus.
We had seminars in the afternoon. I attended "Women in Ministry" and "How to Integrate Fund Development and Campus Work." It was useful to hear the tricks of the trade and what has worked well for other people.
Each day here, we get a free book. YEAH! That means it just adds to the books that I am yet to read. I love InterVarsity Press. They truly print some quality material, books that challenge me in my walk with God, and challenge me in my mind and are a challenge and encouragement to students. Today the book of the day was "Finding God at Harvard." It is all about Christian thought and what is means to think christianly. I am excited to read that.
Tonight we had a table discussion at dinner about how to minister to alum. I am really excited about this part of my job. I have already had a chance to talk with some of the Albion alumni and they have been a huge source of encouragement. I am eager to hear their stories of how InterVarsity has impacted their lives. I look forward to serving you guys and getting to know you better!!
Best part of tonight.....free Ben and Jerry's ice cream!!! I had half baked frozen yogurt for those who care:) There is a Ben and Jerry's store down the street from our hotel.
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