Another academic year is winding down at Harvard Law School. Classes have concluded and the students are in the midst of final exams. And yet, the horizon holds the next opportunities for these brilliant men and women to continue their legal education and begin their legal careers.
Easter marked a turning point in the seasons here in Ithaca. Over the span of forty-eight hours we watched tufts of green burst from the tips of branches. Daffodils, crocuses, and hyacinth dot the walkways, cardinals sing, and the spring rains raise fragrance from the soil. Over the weekend, 1,000 plus students and community members filled Bailey Hall at an event called Worthy. A Cornell music professor, Joe Salzano, drew musicians from across the campus and the local churches. The event wove genres as diverse as rap, classical, celtic rock, middle eastern, gospel choir, and contemporary Christian worship music to tell the story of Christ’s incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension. I wish you could have joined us singing “Oh Happy Day!”
Dear friends,
All praise is due to our faithful God who continues to bestow grace and favor on us as we do his work at Columbia University. Our staff continues the work of discipleship even amid various challenges, and we are seeing students grow in their commitment to follow Christ as we remain committed to them.
Dear Friends and Family of HCFA,
Thank you for your continued partnership in prayer for this ministry. As a staff team it is a huge encouragement to know that you all are invested in this ministry and lifting us up in prayer consistently.
Friends,
On March 15 we had the privilege of partnering with Aletheia Church here in Providence to bring Dr. Brian Miller, Research Director at Discovery Institute, to Brown’s campus to talk with students on “How Science Points to a Creator.” Dr. Miller, a physicist with degrees from MIT and Duke, presented a 45-minute-long lecture, which covered everything from cosmology to physics to biology in his attempt to show that science and faith are not at odds. His lecture was followed by a time dedicated to allowing the audience to ask Dr. Miller follow-up questions as they processed his presentation.
This month has brought much needed rest and peace here at Christian Union at PENN. This wasmmuch needed after the busy Fall and frigid winter months. After beginning the month with midterms, many of our students were able to get away to warmer climates with friends and family over spring break. They have returned with renewed spirits, energetic and hopeful for the months to come.
We celebrate the first full two months of the semester with many praises, thanks to your support in praying for us.
Greetings from the campus of Harvard Law School!
Students have returned to campus and are now deep into their spring semester studies. Milder temperatures in January have given way to recurrent storms in February blanketing the Harvard community in the bright white of winter’s colors.
It is with great joy and gratitude that I write to you with this report on the past month of ministry here on the campus of Princeton University. By God’s grace, we have seen our healthiest and most vibrant month so far this year; I’ll share some highlights in the space below.
Greetings from New York!
Dr. William Hurlbut, professor at Stanford Medical School, spoke at a recent CU New York forum on “The Challenge and Opportunity of Gene Editing: Scientific and Ethical Considerations”. Prof. Hurlbut addressed the ethical issues associated with advancing biomedical technology, especially when applied to direct interventions in human life. The evening stands as an example of thoughtful Christians exploring both a deeper understanding of a key scientific advance, and the range of implications it contains. CU New York’s mission is to equip and encourage Christians in New York in engaging culture in redemptive and transformative ways. You can watch the video of the talk here.
Friends,
Spring semester is well underway here at Brown University, and we are keeping plenty busy with Bible Courses, our weekly lecture series, The Anchor, community and outreach events and much more.
Greetings,
We continue to see God’s grace in our ministry as we disciple students. One example of this is our winter conference which took place Jan. 20-22 at Spruce Lake. We were privileged to see students make strides in their walk with God. During one of our small group prayer times at the retreat, one young lady, who suffers from social anxiety and had never prayed before was taught by another student to pray. After she prayed for the first time, she was overwhelmed with joy and expressed interest to continue meeting with students to practice seeking God together.
Dear Partners in Prayer,
We covet your prayers as our student leadership has undertaken an enormous outreach effort--to reach every senior before he or she leaves Yale. At midnight on February 16, the email below was sent to the 1,322 members of the senior class. By 10am it had been opened by more than 1000 people.
Dear HCFA friends and family,
There has been a welcome stillness in Cambridge this past week as we have been covered by two snowstorms. My mind always runs to Isaiah, when God promises, “’Come now, let us settle the matter. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” What a provoking image of our good Father clothing us in the righteousness of his Son.
A student who’s been an engaged member of our freshman guys Bible course, and whom I’ve been privileged to meet and pray with regularly, recently said to me, “God is powerfully at work in my life, and I couldn’t be more excited about it.” This is from a student who experienced real challenges, both academic and personal, the second half of the fall quarter, but who by God’s grace has come back to Stanford this winter quarter with a renewed zeal for God’s word, prayer, and meaningful community with other Christians. Praise God for his work! Also, praise God for all He is doing in the lives of each student we have the opportunity to serve.
Dear Prayer Partners,
It’s hard to believe we’re already in week 7 of the term, with only 3 more weeks to go. The time has flown by quickly, but much has happened to make this term a very memorable one. There have been some ups and downs within the ministry as well as at Dartmouth. Please join us in praying for these requests:
Dear Friends and Partners of Penn,
The second semester is in full swing and the students are now preparing for mid-term exams this week and next. Incredibly, spring break is a mere 3 weeks away, and both students and Ministry Fellows are ready for a break.
Dear prayer partners,
We are well on our way into winter term and started off strong with our winter conference at Singing Hills Retreat Center. We were so pleased with the number of students who came, especially since we had so many freshmen (‘20s) and seniors (‘17s). As hoped, it was a restful time for the students, of hearing the word, spending time together in prayer, and connecting with new people in the ministry.
Winter Quarter is in full swing as Stanford students bear down for what typically is the heaviest course load of the academic year. Out from that lively rhythm we are calling our emerging group of freshmen to press in deeper with God and with one another as Christian Union Caritas -- Christian Union's ministry to the students at Stanford -- continues its first year. One of those freshmen, Isaiah, shares his experience so far:
