To our friends and partners in the Gospel,
It is a new year and with it comes many new opportunities for our God to do a new thing on campus at Penn. This past semester saw the creation of a new Christian journal at Penn, Locust Walk, and we are excited to see many of our students take on roles as writers and staff to bring this space for dialogue to the campus.
Dear Prayer Partners,
As you may well know, Hanover is extremely quiet this time of year, since the vast majority of students are home for their longest break of the year. It has been a good time for us as staff to begin thinking and preparing for a new term with returning students, many of whom we have not seen in months due to off-terms, as well as new Bible Courses.
Dear HCFA friends and family,
Merry Christmas! I hope this season of Advent has been one of remembering and waiting upon our God who draws near to us in Christ. We are winding down here at Harvard, students are in finals and are beginning to disappear from campus. Since December is largely a quiet month in our activity with HCFA, I would love for you to join in prayer with us in these ways.
We have had a great inaugural quarter here as Christian Union Caritas -- Christian Union's ministry to students at Stanford -- launched its first West Coast campus! There is much to be thankful for this Christmas season, and we look forward to our continued partnership in what God is doing on this campus.
Dear Prayer Partners,
Happy Christmas!! It is amazing to think that another year, by God’s grace, has come and gone. As we bid farewell to our students, our ministry staff here at Yale have also undergone significant transition: this month we bid Chris Matthews, our founding ministry director, and his family farewell after 6.5 years at Yale.
Greetings from the campus of Harvard Law School!
As the Fall 2016 semester winds down, students are engaged in completion of their final exams. Based upon a high, middle, or low pass model, exams weigh heavily in the final grade students receive for their academic efforts. Students who hope to become professors feel even greater pressure to secure a high level of performance evaluation critical to future employment opportunities.
As we draw near to the end of 2016, we pause to give thanks and praise to God for his goodness and grace to us during these past months – particularly in our gospel ministry here on the campus of Princeton University. Allow me to share a few highlights from the fall months, as well as a few ways that you can be praying for our ministry in the month ahead.
Friends,
It’s hard to believe, but we’re already at the end of the semester here at Brown! These past few months have flown by as God has continued to work in the lives of so many students. Through our study of Mark’s Gospel, students have given serious thought to what it means to truly follow after Christ. Our weekly large-group gathering, The Anchor, has fostered space for healthy, Christ-centered dialogue on the topics of sexuality, politics, race and mental health – complex issues with which students at Brown are constantly wrestling and seeking to navigate as faithfully obedient and thoughtful Christians.
To our friends and partners in the Gospel,
This month here at Christian Union at Penn we have seen great growth and leadership amongst our students. It has been a sprint coming off Thanksgiving Break. These compact weeks have challenged students to find balance between finding excellence in their academics, while also working to keep a positive and effective testimony for Christ. They strive to see and live out God’s will while being saturated with worldly expectations. God has shown to be faithful through miraculous moments of encouragement and exhortation; we are very thankful!
As we reflect upon the completed semester, we echo Zechariah’s prayer this Christmas season:
Because of our God’s tender mercyDespite the shortened daylight hours, God’s light has indeed broken over Cornell this semester. We have witnessed countless tender mercies and divine guidance distinguish so many students’ lives as they responded to the news of the election, to racial tensions, not to mention personal challenges through relationship breakups, preliminary examinations, labs, group projects, sports competitions, illness and finals.
the dawn will break upon us from on high
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Dear Friends,
Reflecting on the winter term that is coming to a close, we truly have much to be thankful for. Our Thanksgiving dinner last weekend was a huge success, bringing in over 130 students, including several who have not been involved in Christian Union. Since then, we have had a few inquiries on how to get involved in a Bible Course for the winter. The freshmen (‘20s) did a fantastic job leading the event. They worked hard on the fall decorations and the program for the night, which consisted of music, worship songs, 2 testimonies and some delicious food. There was even entertainment during the meal, provided by one ’20 who is extremely talented at card tricks. Overall, it was a wonderful night of fellowship and thanksgiving. We so appreciate your prayers for this event!
Dear HCFA friends and family,
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you are all doing well. It’s hard to believe that the semester is wrapping up so quickly. We are in the final weeks of Bible Courses and DOXAs and students are beginning to eye their final exams in the first weeks of December.
It is exciting to write this inaugural prayer letter! Please praise and thank God along with us for what has happened so far this fall:
Greetings from the campus of Harvard Law School!
Famous for its fall foliage, the bright colors that once hung so magnificently in the New England autumn sky now drape the ground in subdued and faded shades of brown. Like life, fall foliage reminds us of the cycle of birth and death that marks our own journey through the present world to the heavenly Zion.
Dear friends,
Thank you for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement to all of us who labor for Jesus Christ on the campus of Princeton University. As you know, Christian Union’s ministry at Princeton has a goal of developing Christian leaders to transform culture; we seek to never lose sight of this goal, as we teach students the Bible, train and mentor young men and women, and do our best to equip them for lives of service, leadership, and influence in our world for the glory of Jesus Christ and the good of all people in Him. Below, I offer you a few brief updates on various aspects of our ministry at Princeton.
Dear Prayer Partners!
Thank you for your prayers and support of Christian Union at Yale. Shortly after I sent the last prayer email, one of you encouraged me to keep on spiritually “mothering,” and later that day a student confessed some sin to me, asked for my advice and help to get out of the situation and then said to me, “Thank you for being my mom that I can tell things to” (as opposed to her mom that she can’t tell things to).
Dear Friends and Partners of Penn,
My family is new to Philadelphia and Christian Union at the University of Pennsylvania, and at times it seems as though we’ve crammed 3 years into our 3 months here. But what a joy it has been. We have seen God working in the students of Penn, in the churches of Philly, and in the ministry team here of which I’m overjoyed to be a member. Thank you for your continued prayers for myself and my family, and the prayers for the other new Ministry Fellow, Kelly Schaaf, and her family, and Ministry Director Justin Mills and his family.
Thank you for praying for students in our ministry in November—the time to focus on answers to prayer with thanksgiving!
Dear Prayer Partners,
Thank you for your ongoing prayers and support! The semester is officially at its midway point, and that means many tests, papers, problem sets (“p sets”)…and lots and lots of stress.
Hello Prayer Partners,
This has been a pretty big month for the Christian Union faculty here in Hanover. The Albanese family welcomed a new beautiful baby girl named Hazel Rebecca Albanese. She arrived on September 25th at 3:22am and is doing very well. In addition to this, Ministry Fellow, Kristen Ottaviano, was engaged to be married to Dominic Sylvester on September 30th! Also, Chase and I are happy to announce that we are expecting our own little bundle of joy in April! Exciting times for our team here and we would cherish your prayers for all the wonderful gifts and changes to life that are happening.
