October 2018

Dear Friends and Partners of Christian Union at Penn,

I was looking back at an old prayer letter from June 2018. In that letter I asked that you would “…pray for fresh vision for this coming fall. Even now as we plan, we are trusting in God’s power to bring divine appointments, to scatter the seed of the Gospel and to see much fruit born.”

Penn’s freshmen campaign is now completed and I am so thankful for your prayers throughout. God answers us, always (Matthew 7.11). We had a vision to build the morale of our CU@Penn students, to make passive students active members of this ministry, and to grow and develop a strong group of freshmen who would further solidify the grace-centered ethos we are trying to establish. Even now, I think of how God has been so faithful…through divine appointments bringing students like Kaden, Jonathan, Elijah, Leo, Christmas (yes, that is her name, and she is a superstar!), Halley, Gabby, and Loren…and so many more who have been enveloped into this community. Our upper-classmen were anything but passive. Their intentionality in reaching out to incoming students was incredible and a joy to witness.
 
All of which to say: Thank you! Your prayer partnership is absolutely essential to this ministry. Each one of you who has prayed, God has heard. He is leading. We long to follow. To see the fruit of the Spirit in our students is an amazing testimony to the work of His Holy Spirit and encourages us on this journey. I hope you are encouraged too.

Please continue to pray for our Bible courses, as we go through the book of Hebrews. We are asking our students to consider Jesus, draw near to God through Him, and hold fast to the Gospel of grace. Pray that as God’s word is scattered, there would be continued fruit born. “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God” (1 Peter 1).

Pray that our Seeking God ministry team would have a vision for intercessory prayer. Our Ministry Team Leaders are planning a 24-hour prayer for early November. Pray that it would be a step towards increasing prayer and fasting amongst our students. In 18^th century Germany, a group of Moravians began a 100-year prayer watch. By 1791, the small Moravian community had sent 300 missionaries to the ends of the earth. Prayer begets action! Pray that our students would have a passion to reach the lost, both at Penn, and to the uttermost ends of the earth. May this time of prayer be kindling that brings the spark to a roaring flame.

Finally, pray that our staff and students would be a light to those who are walking in darkness, beacons of hope to an increasingly hopeless world, and wellsprings of joy in a vitriolic culture. May Jesus be exalted at Penn!

In Christ our King,

Tucker Else
Ministry Director
Christian Union at Penn