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Princeton, New Jersey

 

Christian Leadership Development Program

Princeton Faith and Action (PFA) is a student organization focused on Christian leadership development, and resourced by Christian Union.

PFA provides in-depth study of Scripture, Christian leadership training, fellowship, and support for Christian students as well as resources to help non-Christian students learn about Christianity. Open to all students, Princeton Faith and Action's main activities include intellectually rigorous Bible courses, a weekly lecture series, called Encounter, conferences, and various outreaches on campus. 

In addition, Christian Union owns and operates the Melrose Center at Princeton.

Christian Union Faculty

Christian Union's role is to resource students at Princeton by offering mentoring, discipleship and leadership training. Meet the Christian Union faculty team that works with Princeton students. Please contact the Christian Union faculty by emailing: Princeton@ChristianUnion.org.
 

 princeton
[ Photo: Princeton University, Office of Communications ]
 

 

Serving Students at Stanford University


Marcus Preciado

Christian Union Ministry Director
Bio coming soon.



Justin Woyak

Christian Union Senior Ministry Fellow

Justin.W2018Justin grew up in Pensacola, Florida, and studied Classics at Princeton (where he made some of his lifelong best friends in a Christian Union Bible course!). After graduating from Princeton in 2009, he earned an M.Div. and a Th.M. from Bethlehem College & Seminary in Minneapolis, where he also taught undergraduate Bible, theology, and Greek courses.

In 2016, Justin and his wife Kate moved to California to help launch Christian Union’s ministry to Stanford students. Justin enjoys golf and pickle ball, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, audiobooks and boardgames, good food and time with his wonderful wife and their four kids—and seeking God!

 



Susan Brown

Christian Union Ministry Fellow

Susan grew up in California and can’t imagine living anywhere else. She came to faith at an early age and has sought out opportunities to grow and serve Jesus in her church and local community ever since. 

Susan and her late husband, Garrett, the first Ministry Director for CU Caritas, were married for thirty years, serving side by side in different ministries on mission for God the entirety of their marriage. Over the past twenty-five years Susan has served in a wide range of ministry and leadership roles, including the nonprofit sector and the local public schools. She previously served as a volunteer Bible Course leader for Christian Union, helping to launch the very first women’s Bible Course at Stanford. She looks forward to being back on campus, spending time with students.

A graduate of Biola University, Susan enjoys travel, gardening, reading, baking and spending time with her three children and friends. 



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cu caritas stanford
Since 2016 CU Caritas has worked to bring spiritual transformation and renewal to campus by seeking the Lord, growing in knowledge and love of His Word, and thoughtfully engaging Stanford with the gospel.

The high-caliber ministry faculty at CU Caritas teach intellectually rigorous Bible courses, disciple students one-on-one, and coach students to develop as Christian leaders.

CU Caritas also offers conferences and retreats each semester and a weekly leadership lecture series called Venture, which features great worship, talks from compelling speakers, and space for students to grow together in fellowship.

 

Visit the CU Caritas student site here >

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Cory Lotspeich

Christian Union Director of Undergraduate Ministry at Penn

Cory2021Cory holds a Masters in Arts of Organizational Leadership from Regent University. Throughout his professional career he has consulted executive leaders, served in non-profit organizations, vocational ministry, and in the military as a Marine and government contractor for the Navy’s Wounded Warrior program for expeditionary forces and their families. 

Cory enjoys mountain biking and spending time with his wife and two boys outdoors.



Sarah Hickenbotham

Ministry Fellow

Sarah HSarah has had a desire to serve Jesus since she was very young. Growing up in Northern Virginia, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in music education from George Mason University. However, her greatest joys came from coaching high school and college students in an evangelistic ministry, which she served in for over ten years.

Throughout her career changes, God providentially used aspects of each job Sarah has had to prepare her for the role of the Women’s Ministry Fellow at CU Martus. She has the heart to see Penn students transformed by the Gospel and become witnesses for Christ.

Sarah and her husband currently reside in New Jersey with their two cats, and serve in the music ministry at their church. They enjoy board games, traveling together, and spending time with loved ones.



Collin Frisch

Ministry Intern

Bio coming soon.

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Justin Yim

Christian Union Ministry Director at Harvard Law

JustinYim2018Justin grew up in NYC as the youngest son of a pastor, church planter, and missionary. After graduating with a degree in Psychology from the University of Rochester, he received his M.Div from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. While finishing up his seminary degree, he served at Bethany Church in New Hampshire for the next 11 years, as the Associate Pastor of Worship, Young Adults, and Youth. He also met his wife, Melissa, during this time, and in 2007, accepted a call to Grace Fellowship Church in the Capital District of NY, near Albany, to launch their first multi-site location, as Lead Pastor. For the next 11 years, he helped launch and oversee 4 locations, as the Executive Pastor of Multisites.

In over 22 years of experience with the local church, Justin’s passion has been to invest and develop the next generation of leaders for God’s Kingdom, by grounding them in the truth and power of God’s Word. He brings a vast diversity of experience in many aspects and levels of leadership, and is eager to contribute wherever God seems to lead.

He and his wife have 4 beautiful children—Sydney, Austin, Cooper, and Sawyer—and currently reside north of Boston, where they hope to make an impact on their local community for Christ.

40-Day Seasons


Christian Union invites Christians from around the country and world to join together in special seasons of prayer and fasting.  

Previous 40-days initiatives have made a tremendous impact in the lives of participants. Christian Union has heard from many of the hundreds who participated, encouraging the ministry to call and give leadership to ongoing 40 Day Initiatives.

During each of the 40 Days Initiatives, participants have shared wonderful stories about ways that God moved in their lives. These 40 Days Initiatives are now being run through Christian Union's new Day & Night ministry. To learn more, go to DayAndNight.org/moves

Create Your Legacy

161213 CU UPENN 8H9A3873

Planned gifts are typically made through provisions in a revocable trust or will.

Other planned gifts include: securities or real estate, life insurance policies, beneficiary designations of an IRA or other tax-deferred retirement account, and gifts that provide tax-advantaged income by means of charitable trusts or gift annuities.

  • Planned gifts are popular because of the financial flexibility and tax benefits they provide.
  • They are also an effective means of Christian stewardship as they redirect assets to ministry that otherwise might be lost to income taxes, capital gains taxes, or estate taxes.

Consider making a bequest to Christian Union by will or living trust, or by other creative ways in which you, your loved ones and Christian Union can all benefit. 

 

Navigate planned giving options in the menu to the left.

Please contact the Annual Giving Associate to explore planned giving options.



Financial Partner Testimony


"I give generously of my time, finances and prayers because I believe so much in Christian Union. In return I am blessed in so many ways."
- Adair Webb



For Assistance

 

If you need assistance with any of these giving opportunities, call a financial partner representative at: 1-609-688-1700 Option 2 or email giving@christianunion.org.

Increase the Impact of Your Giving

Your employer – or your spouse's – may offer a matching gift program that will support your charitable giving to Christian Union. Contact your human resources representative to find out if your company matches charitable gifts. If your donation qualifies, your contribution to Christian Union could have double or triple the impact. You can initiate a matching gift by requesting a matching gift form from your employer. Send it completed and signed with your gift to:

Christian Union
19 Vandeventer Avenue
Princeton, NJ 08542

For more information on matching gifts, email the Annual Giving Associate or call 1-609-688-1700 Option 2.



Financial Partner Testimony


"I grew in my Christian knowledge, faith, and fellowship at Princeton largely because others provided the funds for Christian ministry to exist on campus. I want other students to have this same opportunity."  
- Melinda Sims '95



For Assistance

If you need assistance with any of these giving opportunities, call a donor representative at: 1-609-688-1700 Option 2 or email giving@christianunion.org.

A form of giving that may offer tax advantages. 

Gifts of appreciated securities held by either your bank or brokerage or held by you offer significant tax advantages for alumni, parents, and friends and are easy to make.

Stock Table

If your shares are held in an account:
 

Step 1: Transfer Shares

Ask your broker to make an electronic transfer of the shares to Christian Union's account.

A sample letter might read:

I wish to make an irrevocable gift to Christian Union of "x" shares of "XYZ" Corporation. Please transfer the stock to Christian Union via DTC as follows:

     • Merrill Lynch
     • FBO (for the benefit of) Christian Union, Inc.
     • Christian Union's account number: 2X7-02131
     • DTC routing number: 8862

Once the stock is received and transferred into Christian Union's account, the ministry will receive notification of the transfer. For the ministry to provide you a receipt you will need to inform Christian Union of the details of your stock gift (see step 2).


Step 2: Notify Christian Union

To avoid unidentified gifts, please send a copy of your correspondence with your brokerage to Christian Union. If you would like to specify a designation for your gift (i.e. Columbia, Harvard, Princeton), please include that in your correspondence with the ministry:

Mail to:
Christian Union
19 Vandeventer Avenue
Princeton, NJ 08542

Email: giving@christianunion.org

Phone: (609) 688-1700 Option 2

Fax: (609) 688-1795

For each gift, please include:
  • Your name
  • Name of stock
  • Number of shares
  • Brokerage


If you hold the certificate for your shares:

If you hold the actual stock certificates, you will need to sign a stock power form for each certificate you contribute. You may obtain a stock power from any broker or financial institution. When you sign the power, be sure to sign your name precisely as it appears on the certificate. For example, if you are listed as John A. Johnson on the certificate, sign it John A. Johnson. Leave the rest of the form blank.

When mailing the certificates, use two envelopes.

  • In the first envelope, place the unendorsed certificates. If you would like to designate your gift to a specific ministry (i.e. Brown, Dartmouth, University of Pennsylvania), include a letter indicating your intentions.
  •  In the second envelope, place the completed stock power(s).

Send the envelopes to Christian Union on the same day by certified mail. Christian Union's address is:

Christian Union
19 Vandeventer Avenue
Princeton, NJ 08542

Determining the Gift Date

The date of the gift is determined by the act of relinquishing the stock.

Electronic transfer: the date the shares are received in Christian Union's account.

Mail: If mailed through a private mail service (FedEx, etc.) the gift is complete on the date Christian Union receives the mail containing the stock certificates and signed powers documents. If mailed through USPS, the gift is complete on the date of the postmark of the last envelope to arrive at Christian Union (in case they do not arrive at the same time).

Hand delivery: the date of delivery.

Receipting of Stock Gifts

Receipts to donors indicate the number and types of shares. The donor of publicly traded stock will be credited with the fair market value which is determined by averaging high and low trading prices on the date of the gift (see above paragraphs to determine the date of a gift).

Liquidation of Stock

Stocks are liquidated as soon as Christian Union receives them, or upon notification by the ministry's broker that the shares have been transferred to one of Christian Union's accounts.



For Assistance

If you need assistance, call a donor representative at: 1-609-688-1700 Option 2 or email giving@christianunion.org.

Welcome to Christian Union

Christian Union’s mission is to develop and mobilize godly leadership across all sectors of American society. I founded this Christian leadership development ministry in 2002 to do so, by bringing sweeping spiritual transformation to the nation’s most influential universities and to key cities that shape American culture. 

Below, you will find general information about the ministry and resources such as the leadership team, the ministry logo, and photos. Christian Union has been featured in several news outlets over the years. You will find more details about that below as well. 

Please contact me to learn more and to request an interview for your organization or news outlet.

In Christ,
mattbennett signature blue
Matthew W. Bennett 
Founder and President



Quick Facts
Christian Union Founded 2002
Princeton ministry launched 2002
Harvard College ministry launched 2008
Yale ministry launched 2010
Columbia ministry launched 2011
Dartmouth ministry launched 2011
Christian Union New York launched 2012
Cornell ministry launched 2012
Harvard Law ministry launched 2013
Penn ministry launched 2013
Brown ministry launched 2014
Stanford ministry launched 2016
Christian Union Day & Night launched 2016



Christian Union Leadership

Executive Leadership
Board of Trustees



Resources 

Christian Union Logos
(A downloadable .zip file of both a vertical and horizontal Christian Union logo in .eps format)



Media Contact

Please direct all interview requests to the CEO's office. Email the Executive Assistant to the CEO to arrange an interview.



Past Media Coverage

CBN's 2017 interview with Christian Union Founder & President, Matt Bennett
World Magazine: "Influencing the Influencers."