I figure pictures will give you the best feel for what’s going on here.
More words later this week.
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Archives For summer
Well, I’m here now. We have a good group it seems, 3 students from Mansfield University, 3 staff and 2 guys from other schools who have been co-opted to do official video footage for the festival.
We also have a guy from GAiN (Global Aid Network) trying to recruit for some overseas aid projects.
Last year we launched 8 new movements from this project. Pray that we’d be all the more effective this year… More people more resources, more effect?
Creation Festival
In the past 7 years that we’ve been with Campus Crusade, we’ve had a lot of ideas, one of which I have shared with some of you. Every year, there are a number of Christian music and arts festivals around the country. When I had the chance to go to some in college, I remember thinking it odd that organizations like ours didn’t have booths to connect interested youth with movements at their schools. This summer we get to help move in that direction! From June 28 – July 3 we’ll join another staff member and 4 students in Mt. Union, PA to invite college students to partner with us to reach their campuses. Last year was the first for anything like this and the result was 8 new movements in our region! So, if you’re attending Creation ‘10, stop by our booth and say hi!
Jobs!
In anticipating our move to Orlando, we’ve been eagerly speculating what our roles will be upon arrival. During our application process for the program in March, we outlined what kind of things we enjoy, wanted to learn, and felt prepared to do. Just last week we heard back from the placement team! And (drum roll…) our job titles will be as follows:
- Jayson: Content Manager for StaffWeb (All-Staff Intranet Site)
- Carrie: Campus Minitry Media Lab Project Manager
While we’re still figuring out exactly what those words mean, the small glimpses of have been both intimidating and invigorating. Jayson will be helping staff all over the world access vital information ranging from legal issues to encouragement from our senior leadership. Carrie will be helping the teams that design the media (everything from conference ads to websites) that engage students and partners with the heart and vision of our ministry.
We’re trusting the Lord that the coming year will be fruitful for our own growth as well as that of His kingdom. Thank you again for everything you do to make it possible for us to be here!
Please Pray For:
- Our times in the Word. As we step into roles that we feel unprepared for, 2 Timothy reminds us that it is used to, “equip his people to do every good work.”
- Every weekend in June has one or both of us out of town. Please pray for rest in our home when we are able to be here & strength while we’re not.
- For the students’ summer Bible study that starts next Tuesday.
Grace & Peace,
Jayson & Carrie
“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” – B. Franklin
The sign that said that caught students’ attention too. On April 24, we spent about 10 hours at Georgetown University for Georgetown Day, the campus’ annual excuse for an all-day block party on the quad complete with bands, free food and about 10,000 people. Georgetown Day sees a lot of alcohol consumed by students (as we got to campus at 10:30 a.m., the liquor store’s line was out the door). Beer is on many minds already; God, maybe not.
Needless to say, our table about beer, God and happiness provoked some interesting conversations. With a survey about the Ben Franklin quote, we requested thoughts on God, the nature of love and happiness, and even the meaning of Jesus’ death. Below is a quote from a corresponding website, BeerIsProof.org:
“To Ben the issue was simple. Simple enough that a cold beer from the local pub was proof that God loved him. What about you? Consider laughter, music, sunsets at the beach and the miraculous combination of chocolate and peanut butter. Do these things suggest that the genius behind it all wants us to be happy?”
Without endorsing drinking, we managed to have over 100 conversations and at least one person who said that he wanted to invite Christ into his life. Apparently anything can start a conversation about Jesus.
Go big or go home – and bring someone with you.
The semester is over. Students have moved home, gone to their summer projects or graduated and started “real life.” Last week at an end-of-the year retreat to help us look back before we look forward, we named as our greatest “wins” things that happened in our homes and extended “off hours” hangout times – out on the quad until midnight, at our place drinking tea over movies and life discussions, at campfires at the staff guys’ house, or at gatherings sharing home-cooked meals on couches rather than in fluorescent-lit meeting rooms facing front.
Year Two has seen God answer our prayer for genuine community marked by transformation. Internationals, skeptics of all varieties and even a few Jewish students have hung around to consider the claims of Jesus. Things have come into the open that normally don’t. We haven’t seen the masses come to meetings, but lives are changing. Praise God!
Lean, mean and on the scene!
This year we had a ready-made community of 9 staff and interns and three apartments to invite students into. With the close of the year comes (hopefully temporary) end of this fun chapter. This fall, it will be just 3 of us. Some of the interns will be fundraising and going elsewhere, one is moving on to pursue a masters and the other couple will be moving to an established ministry where their gifts will be a better fit. Every change comes with pros and cons, but we’re excited to see what the year will bring! Pray that God would fight our battles for us, and provide a way to move closer into the city.
Pray for:
- As we hope to move from Arlington into DC at some point, pray that we’d find affordable housing that can fit lots of students.
- This summer we’ll be taking classes again – this time to help us learn how to lead a team and structure a movement. We’re pining for summer project but recognize our need for training.
- We’ll be working on developing a larger support base in DC this summer before and after our assignment, pray for contacts and perseverance in that work.
