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Pray for Cornell

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Please pray for Christian Union's ministry at Cornell.
Brothers and sisters in Christ,

Though it seems like it just began, the semester is coming to an end as we approach Thanksgiving break which is followed soon by winter break. In this last month, God has continued to move in amazing ways on Cornell’s campus, and I am sure that He will continue to do so as we approach the end of the year. We hosted a second day of our book giveaway and received great responses from students. We have had two students come to regular CU events on campus due to that outreach. We have also seen a couple of new believers become more involved in the community and seek discipleship. Along with these wonderful events, we had a week of fasting which has been a great time of spiritual growth for the students.

Brothers and sisters in Christ,

October thus far has been a time of great growth and outreach for the students here at Cornell. Freshman campaign has ended, and the regular school year is in full swing. As things have begun to take on a normal schedule, students are regularly involved in Bible courses, daily prayer, and other events. Along with this, new relationships continue to be formed and grow within our community.

Brothers and sisters in Christ,

Before giving a few updates about what God has been doing here at Cornell, I wanted to just give a brief introduction to myself. My name is Jordan Cooper. I served in pastoral ministry for about six years in the Midwest before receiving God’s call to serve the students here in Ithaca, NY. These past few weeks since I moved in, have been a whirlwind, but I am very excited to be part of God’s work through Christian Union, and specifically here at Cornell.

Dear friends,

It was over twenty-five years ago, but I still remember moving in my freshman year of college and wondering “now what?!”. We just witnessed thousands of first year Cornellians move in last week and by the looks on their faces they’re thinking much the same thing. We’re doing our best to answer their “now what?!” with “come and be a part of our Christ-centered community . . .”.

Dear friends of Christian Union at Cornell,

Summer casts students far and wide, while a handful remain on campus to conduct research or fill in a class or two. Irrespective of their specific job or responsibility this summer, we’re thankful that they belong to Christ and that he holds them fast.

Dear friends of Christian Union at Cornell,

Where has the time gone?

The school year has ended, our seniors have graduated, and summer is here. God’s grace to his beloved, thankfully, remains the same. Our Lord Jesus Christ reigns now as much as he reigned throughout the school year, whether that’s here in Ithaca, in San Francisco, in Johannesburg, or in Uganda.

Dear friends of Christian Union at Cornell,

Spring has arrived in Ithaca! While winter, too, is a gift from the Lord, spring is a wonderful reminder of the new life that is ours in Christ. Praise Him for the provision of a Savior who has accomplished everything we need for our salvation, to His glory.

Dear Praying Friends

As I write this it is 70 degrees and sunny here in Ithaca, a warm welcome from winter’s long shadow.

Dear Friends of CU at Cornell,

There is never a bad time to elicit interest in Jesus Christ among Cornellians. In an effort to do just that, we served hot chocolate and coffee in free, logoed mugs to dozens of students this past Monday. The ever-bustling lobbies of Willard Straight Student Center and Mann Library were filled with people. Lots of good conversations about our fellowship here on campus took place and everyone we spoke with has been invited to visit our large group meeting this Wednesday. Would you pray that they would take us up on that offer? It would be a unique opportunity for them to hear clearly the claims of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a worshipping and loving community of faith.

To Our Praying Friends,

We have much to give thanks to God for this month.

Just last week we hosted apologist Alycia Woods from Ravi Zacharias International Ministry. Alycia is a winsome speaker who has addressed mixed believing and unbelieving audiences at MIT, Harvard, Brown, Boston University and, now, Cornell. She addressed the question, "Is Christianity Intolerant?" to a room of about 75 students, and made a clear statement of the Christian principle of expressing the truths of Christianity with love and respect even to those we have deep and fundamental disagreements with. She gave clear expression of the beauty of the Gospel. Her 40-minute talk was closed with 15-minutes of Q&A. Friendly, but serious, questions were raised by the audience, like: "How do Christians explain their checkered and, at times, intolerant past?" "What are some practical, effective ways we can 'break the ice' to speak with our atheist and agnostic friends about the truths of Christianity?" About a dozen people stayed after the event to dialogue further with Alycia. Please pray that the unbelievers who came would continue to grapple with the truths of the gospel in community with us. Cornell is a fiercely secular place which means your prayers are especially needful to break through these hard spots and skeptical hearts.