January 2014
Please note: if you would like to receive regular updates on how to pray for Christian Union's work at Dartmouth, please email prayer@christian-union.org.
Happy New Year! We pray that this year is one marked by trust in the Lord and growth in His grace. Thank you for praying for Christian Union at Dartmouth. Let's bring in the New Year with even more prayer!
Studying God's Word
Students are back on campus already and have hit the ground running. We are getting started with Bible courses for the winter term, and are excited to see students grow as they study Scripture.From now until March, the freshmen will be delving into the topic of "Sex and Spirituality," learning God's design for sex within marriage and the overall purpose He has for sex within His grand story. This is obviously a monumental topic filled with all sorts of controversy. Many students are influenced by American culture far more than they are the Bible. Please be in prayer over the students as they grapple not only with the issue of sex, but with concepts such as dating, physical boundaries, and who to one day marry. Pray that they see and desire to live out the beauty of God's design.
From now until May, the upperclassmen will be studying the book of Mark. How wonderful that they get to spend five months pondering the life of Christ! The book of Mark tells a beautiful story of the incarnate Son of God. It paints a vivid picture of who He is and what our response to Him should be. Please pray for the upperclassmen as they study about Jesus. Pray that in the midst of the busyness of school, they would take time to truly prioritize learning about their Savior. Pray that they not only gain knowledge, but that their knowledge of Christ bears tangible fruit in their lives.
Exploring Community at Winter Conference
By the time you receive this prayer email, we will have just finished our annual winter conference with the students. We will be at Singing Hills Christian Camp from January 17-19. The theme of the weekend is community, and we will explore how community relates to the topics of worship, Scripture and prayer. We pray that God works in the hearts of all the students who attend. Please pray that the effects of the conference would be lasting. It is easy for students to get away for a weekend and make lofty commitments when they are separate from all their responsibilities. When back to the grind, commitments can be forgotten or begin to seem unrealistic. Please pray that students stay strong in their devotion to Christ, and that the winter conference only launches them into further pursuit of the Lord in their everyday lives.Developing Servant Leaders
One of the most important ways that students grow to not only be disciples of Christ, but also in their influence, is by either leading or being a part of a ministry team. Whether on the executive team, heading up the Friday night "Vine" meetings, leading the seeking God team, overseeing the communications or socials team, the ministry is student-led. Students gain valuable experience in learning to lead their peers, delegate, and use their influence in godly ways. As a result of their experience leading these ministry teams, our prayer is that they would learn how to be influencers for Christ even after they graduate and find themselves in various careers. Please be praying over the students as many of them assume new leadership roles. Many new roles are filled in the winter and spring terms, and those who end up in each role play a central part in the ministry. Pray also that students grasp the concept of "servant leadership," growing to be like Christ as they selflessly labor for the ministry and their peers.We thank you for partnering with us in prayer. Your intercessions for the students and the ministry overall are crucial. May the Lord bless, encourage and comfort each one of you.
"And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, [Jesus] departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed." Mark 1:35
Caroline Albanese
Ministry Fellow
December 2013 >
