Life has seemingly gone by way too quickly! Since I last posted all this has happened:
I have started working part-time from home doing everything from admin, newsletter writing/designing, managing our Guelph Facebook Group, updating our Guelph Campus for Christ website and organizing/directing the childcare for about 20 children for Campus For Christ's Winter Conference among many other things.
Jamie and one of the men he disciples (Ryder) led another guy to Christ a few weeks ago! Praise God for the first male new believer this year!
Noah turned 1 year old! He's walking everywhere and babbling (mostly incoherently) quite a bit.
We are seriously thinking/planning/preparing for our winter outreach that will happen in January with Erwin McManus called My Cravings - a take off of one of his newer books/media series called Soul Cravings (I will be managing the web side of things for this outreach).
So many things have happened and so much is still yet to come. I have added a timeline on the sidebar so you can stay updated with what's coming up for us and how you can pray accordingly.
For those of you who enjoy stats, I have a few details about our Summit weekend and the following week. Out of the 326 students who attended our Summit, 96 of these were first year students! Be in prayer for these 96 first years, that they would feel connected with God but also connected with other students in Campus for Christ and that these next 4 years would be years of huge growth for them in their walks with God.
Also, the week that follows Summit is traditionally a week of evangelism. Students sign up for different time slots and go out onto campus and strike up conversations with students that happen to be sitting around in hopes that they will have an opportunity to share the gospel with them. At the University of Guelph, there were 53 groups of 2 (we usually go out in pairs - not too big, not too small) that went out during the week and 3 people came to know Christ in a personal way!
As soon as I get the details of these new brothers and sisters, I will post the stories.
Here is what 4th year Guelph student, Nicky had to say about her final Summit:
Being in my 4th and final year, I'm going through a lot of 'last' experiences, and this past weekend was my last Summit as a student, and perhaps the most powerful. Looking back on it in years to come, I know that what I will remember about this Summit is the impact that the main sessions had on me. The key note speakers really hit home in speaking about idolatry in our lives and how destructive and disobedient it is in our relationship with Christ. Moreso than the message itself, I was compelled by the utter transparency that Eric and Allan spoke with; they didn't pretend to be perfect or have it all figured out, they simply shared with us the reality and danger of this sin, how they're struggling with it, and what the Bible says about it. This has compelled me to be a more transparent leader. In my leading of a 3rd year female leaders DG this year, I have little to work on in the area of creating community and unity because the girls already love each other and have been through a lot together, but the Lord has challenged me to lead them deeper, more vulnerable and 'messy' with each other, and that is going to require me going there first. Eric and Allan's transparency in their talks has given me a great example by which to do this. Through this the Lord is teaching me that he's not looking for perfect people to lead, he just wants surrendered and honest souls willing to admit their struggles and show others the work Christ is doing in that area. Praise the Lord that he redeems!
Here is one story from a 3rd year student, Sam Foster of her experience at Summit this year:
I was really looking forward to Summit this year, because last year’s Summit changed my life.God used that time last year to speak me about my faith barrier of sharing to students on campus.I have seen more incredible things that God has done in this past year than in my whole life as a Christian.The most exciting part is that God used me to answer my own prayers of wanting to see students come into a relationship with Christ.
This Summit God had a big challenge for me.I didn’t think much about this faith barrier that I had, but God totally set it before me this past weekend.God has called me to not only make disciples on campus but He has called me to share my faith with my family.My relatives are not believers. My aunts, uncles and cousins do not know Jesus.God has put this burden on my heart for them.When I think about sharing with them, I worry what they will think of me.Will they think of me as the crazy niece/cousin?Will they not want to hear any of it?But Jesus says in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”So when I think about sharing to them in that perspective I get totally excited to go home and share Jesus with them.Wow. God is Good!
Summit has come and gone and all in all, an amazing weekend where lives were changed, friendships built and much fun was had. More stories and details to come. Here is all the students from the University of Guelph that attended.
Only 6 days until SUMMIT! So far we have over 95 students signed up to come with us to Summit and we're praying for 120. Please join us in prayer for those who have signed up that they would show up on Friday and attend this life-changing weekend! Please pray for at least 15 more students to sign up before Wednesday (this is the last day). Pray for the rest of the last minute details that are still coming together (registration, sound and equipment rentals, etc.). Lastly we ask that you pray for God to be moving and working in students' hearts to prepare them for what He will speak to them this weekend.
Last year we invited you to join us in praying for our students and staff in Canada. We saw God answer so many prayers and are hopeful that He will again hear our cries and answer and show His power. This year, we want to again invite 2000 people to join us in asking that God draw 500 students to faith on our campuses, and that they, in turn, would be used by Him to impact even more all around the world. You can sign up for a 15 minute time slot any time of the day or night and commit to praying for Canadian university students. An amazing opportunity awaits you here.
O-week is half over! Almost all our events are done as well! Sunday went well. Jamie's short talk went really well - he was bold and challenging. About 40 students (and some parents!) showed up to listen and worship together. A few students came up to Jamie afterwards to get some more information (guys! We always need more guys involved at Guelph!) Noah and I enjoyed being out with the students and he proceeded to charm any and everyone who would look his direction. It's amazing what an ice-breaker a baby can be. I was able to meet a couple girls who were actually in 2nd year and chat briefly with them. The numerous events we had planned went generally well - there were a few problems with rooms we had booked but the Lord provided and the events (Xbox tournament) went on as planned. The staff and students at Guelph ended up giving over 2200 Real Life Kits away to students within 2 days! I believe this is the most at any campus across Canada! Pray that God would use these 2200 Real Life Kits to bring students to Him and pray that we (staff & students) would be wise with our follow up contacts and that meaningful meetings would be happening over these next few weeks as we attempt to follow up and meet up with all those who filled in our surveys and indicated that they are interested in either more materials, meeting with someone to know more about God or getting involved in a discipleship group. Today at Guelph we had our Discipleship Group Leaders Training all day and had about 30 C4C senior students show up to be refreshed and to learn how to best disciple and spiritually multiply through our discipleship groups as well as one on one discipleship. Pray that students would feel connected with each other and grow deeply and be challenged in their walk with God.
As every year, O-week (or Frosh Week) is the busiest time of our year. We put on numerous events all designed to help connect Christian first years with other Christians as well as trying to find “hungry hearts”; Students who are looking for something, but they aren’t sure what. We want to reach every student, every year with the gospel and we think that the most strategic way to do that is to reach every first year student, every year and in four years, every student will have had a chance to respond to Christ’s amazing invitation to a personal relationship with God.
Here is our line up of events and activities and we would love you to partner with us in prayer this week - and the weeks to come!
Sunday, August 31st
10am - C4C’s Worship Together
A mini worship service and message (given by Jamie). Students will be given information on churches in Guelph and how they can connect with one during their time in Guelph.
1-3pm - Meet the Christians
An open house-type event with games of all types (even Rock Band!) for Christian students to come out and connect with each other and find out more about C4C.
Monday, September 1st
2-4pm - Sports Adventure
Ultimate Frisbee game and refreshments to appeal to the sportier types. A casual time to make relationships and find out where students are at.
7:30-10pm - 2 Step
Guelph is hailed as a farm/country university so we’re celebrating that by teaching students how to 2 step and square dance followed by refreshments.
Tuesday, September 2nd
1-5pm - Xbox Tournament
Last year this was such a successful event to reach out to the first year guys (in definite minority here at the U of G). Jamie made some contacts last year and even led one of them (his name was also Jamie) to Christ half-way through the semester.
5-7pm - Amazing Race
First years get a fun tour of the Guelph campus as well as the city via foot and bus. Another time to connect and build relationships with first years.
Thursday, September 4th
5:30-7pm - Info Night
A time for students who are seriously interested in getting involved with C4C to come out and here all about our weekly meeting, discipleship groups, and our fall retreat, Summit.
Friday, September 5th
7:30-10pm - Ignition
Our weekly meeting where students will get to connect once again with each other and upper year students as well as gain some vision for reaching the campus and worship God together.
Also, throughout the entire first week we will be manning a booth in the centre of campus - handing out Real Life Kits, chatting with students and engaging them in spiritual conversations.
