Faith and Work
Bible Course Brotherhood
Opeyemi and Prudil Appreciated Comradery, Mentoring
Two recent Princeton University graduates, a computer science major and an electrical engineering major, are eager and prepared for the integration of faith and vocation.
Moyin Opeyemi ’19 and Bryan Prudil ’19 each credited their participation in a Christian Union Bible course with giving them confidence to be salt and light in the workforce. Opeyemi (computer science) is an associate product manager at Uber in San Francisco, while Prudil (electrical engineering) is a systems engineer at Raytheon in Tucson, Arizona.
It Takes a Village
Mendonsa ’19 Inspires Stanford Students to Serve
by eileen scott, contributing writer
Emily Mendonsa is a servant leader who is both “tenacious” and “tender,” according to Susan Brown, a Bible course leader with Caritas, Christian Union’s ministry to Stanford students.
Ever since she was a teenager, Mendonsa has had a passion for ministering to vulnerable and impoverished children through Naomi’s Village in Kenya, a ministry founded by her family. At Stanford, Mendonsa, who graduated in June, was active in Bible courses and responsible for recruiting fellow students to serve at Naomi’s Village on summer trips.
She credits her relationship with Susan Brown and the ministry’s rigorous Bible courses with providing structure as she pursued God during college. She and Brown met every week for two years and talked about everything from Bible course content to theological issues she faced in classes.
Seeking God for Multiplication
Ministry Director at HLS Has High Expectations
by catherine elvy, staff writer
Christian Union’s ministry director at Harvard Law School anticipates a season of fruitful expansion.
“I’m looking towards the 2019-2020 academic year with hopes for growth, both in numbers and impact,” said Justin Yim.
Senate Chaplain Chief of Staff
Q and A with Lisa Schultz
Lisa Schultz is the Chief of Staff for United States Senate Chaplain Barry C. Black. She directs all of Chaplain Black’s programs and outreach to Senators, their families, and hundreds of Senate staff. Schultz has spent 15 years overseeing Capitol Hill-focused ministries, first as Director of Outreach for the D. James Kennedy Center for Christian Statesmanship and the last 11 years for the Senate Chaplain. Prior to her time serving on Capitol Hill, she lived as a missionary in Schladming, Austria, for seven years under the umbrella of Torchbearers International.
At Christian Union’s Nexus Student Conference in February, Schultz was a member of the law and government panel during the vocational breakout sessions.
A Harvest of Righteousness
Susan Stover and Arthur Stella
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
- 2 Corinthians 9:10
Early in Susan Stover’s life, her parents, Bob and Joan Stover, sowed the seeds of generosity. “My parents’ faith journey had a tremendous impact on me,” Susan noted.
“My father became a Christian as a young man after serving in the Navy during World War II. His life reflected his personal belief that he needed to use his talents and resources in the Lord’s service.” After the war, Bob Stover began a temporary employment agency in San Francisco.
Thanks for the Memories
Seniors Show Appreciation for Christian Union at Dinner
by tom campisi, managing editor
In April, students with Christian Union at Columbia hosted a senior dinner at the organization’s new ministry center. It was a sweet time of reflection, prayer, and even a few tears, as seniors looked back with gratitude on four years of spiritual growth and Christian community.
“Student after student commented on how the ministry has made a difference in their lives and how they have made lifelong friends,” said Yolanda Solomon, a Christian Union ministry fellow at Columbia. “They talked about connecting and staying in touch and how they will miss Christian Union.”
Principles of Christian Leadership
Harvard Law, Kennedy School Students Study Nehemiah
by catherine elvy, staff writer
The account of Nehemiah offers timeless lessons in spiritual and practical leadership. God raised up the Jewish official for a strategic mission, pointing to the role of providence in the form of human managers.
Those were some of the themes that emerged during a recent series from Christian Union’s ministry at Harvard Law School. During the spring term, the ministry offered an in-depth study on the book of Nehemiah to students from Harvard Law School (HLS) and the John F. Kennedy School of Government. “These young adults are in a position to become our leaders in the next generation,” said Justin Yim, Christian Union’s ministry director at Harvard Law School.
Pressing Toward the Finish Line
Pinson ’19 Aspires to Medical Career
by catherine elvy, staff writer
A student-athlete, Claire Pinson relishes opportunities to support her teammates. Helping others to be their best is also a practice the Harvard College senior hopes to take into the medical field.
“I was put on the team to touch the people around me,” said Pinson, a member of the women’s swimming and diving team. In addition to helping the Crimson make a splash at collegiate meets, Pinson ’19 also has a passion to express her faith, in and out of the pool.
The pre-med student, who grew up in a Christian household, has flourished in her faith walk since enrolling in Harvard, especially via the mentorship she has received from Christian Union’s ministry.
Mission-Minded Service
Richards ’19 Is Poised for a Medical Career
by catherine elvy, staff writer
A Princeton University senior is jumpstarting a career centered around public service.
After arriving at Princeton, Denay Richards ’19 discovered a passion for volunteer initiatives, especially those on behalf of disadvantaged youngsters. “Community service is a key part of who I am and part of my mission as a Christian,” she said.
The Caribbean native also is majoring in molecular biology in preparation for a medical career, most likely in cardiothoracic surgery. Richards envisions herself participating in regular medical missions, especially to her native St. Lucia and other underserved countries.
Partnering with Pastors
Croston ’81 Is a National Director for Lifeway Resources
By Catherine Elvy, Staff Writer
University of Pennsylvania alumnus is using his dynamic ministerial skills to help pastors thrive as they meet the needs of African-American congregants.
Mark Croston ’81 serves as national director for Black and Western Church Partnerships of LifeWay Christian Resources. The Tennessee-based organization ranks among the world’s top Christian resource providers, though it recently announced plans to shift from brick and mortar stores to online operations. LifeWay, the publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, continues to stock major retailers with inspirational materials.'
In 2013, Croston left a lengthy pastoral career to join the LifeWay team, where he heads efforts to support and resource African-American churches.
Shepard Found the Truth at Harvard
Kennedy School Professor Recalls being Surprised by Grace
By Mark Shepard, Harvard ’08, PhD ’15
Editor’s note: The following story was reprinted with permission from The Veritas Forum (www.veritas.org).
Harvard University is special for me because it is where I first came to know Jesus Christ. Perhaps this should not be surprising. Harvard is a place that reveres truth (Veritas), and Jesus says He is the truth. But most people when they hear this about me are surprised, since they see the university as a secular place. Let me share my story and a few of the surprises it has entailed.
P.S. We All Deserve a Second Chance
Tam Smith ’09 Is Helping to Break the Cycle of Poverty
By Lauren Curiotto, Contributing Writer
A Columbia University alumna is proving that a business model that uplifts those who feel unworthy and overlooked can operate sustainably at the intersection of compassion, good food, and God’s love.
“Think of the worst thing you’ve ever done in your life and being forever known for that,” says April Tam Smith, as she explains why P.S. Kitchen, the restaurant she founded in Manhattan, gives those marginalized by their past a new beginning. The people whom Smith has chosen to serve and rehabilitate are often treated like afterthoughts, but P.S. Kitchen wants to make them feel as valued as they are in God's sight.
Thomas Merton Lecture: “Views from Space”
Former Astronaut Was Starstruck by God’s Creation
By Nathan Barlow, Columbia ’20
On March 7, Columbia’s Catholic Ministry hosted engineering professor and former astronaut Mike Massimino at the 41st annual Thomas Merton Lecture. Dr. Massimino spoke about his journey, outer space, and what his adventures taught him about faith.
Columbia’s Catholic Ministry hosted former astronaut Mike Massimino to speak on what his journeys into outer space taught him about God.
International Affairs
Princeton Alumnus is Serving the City
by catherine elvy, staff writer
Christian Union ministry intern has enjoyed a season of amazing celebrations, including a new position allowing the recent Princeton alumnus to combine his twin passions for ministry and cultural redemption.
In September, Matt Allen ’18 became an intern for Christian Union Cities, which offers an enriching slate of leadership development opportunities and other resources to professionals in New York City and Washington, D.C.
Seeking God, Seeking Justice
Arce ’19 Has a Heart for Public Service
by catherine elvy, staff writer
A Cornell University senior is establishing the groundwork for a legal career centered around his passion for aiding refugees and immigrants.
“As a Christian, I’m called to love my neighbor and the marginalized,” said Chris Arce ’19.
Arce, who is actively involved with Christian Union at Cornell, plans to use his leadership talents and drive to pursue a career in the public sector. Arce serves as co-president of Cornell Interfaith Council, and has served as co-president of the Puerto Rican Students Association at Cornell and as vice president of Cornell Welcomes Refugees.
Basic Training
Christian Union Hosts Bible Course for ROTC Students
by catherine elvy, staff writer
Christian Union’s ministry at Princeton University is helping to bolster spiritual readiness for a group of students who plan to serve in the U.S. Military.
The ministry is in its second year of hosting a Bible course that caters to the rigorous schedules and responsibilities of undergraduates who are enrolled in Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) to become military officers upon graduation. Each week, students receive robust biblical insights and Christian leadership coaching.
A New England Homecoming
Harvard Law Ministry Director Has a Passion for Revival
by catherine elvy, staff writer
Since his seminary days of two decades ago, Justin Yim has been fervently praying for revival to ignite across New England. Now, the longtime pastor will have a chance to mentor law students and encourage them to seek God fervently via his new position with Christian Union. This fall, Yim stepped into the role of the ministry director for the organization’s ministry at Harvard Law School.
“I always had a heart for New England,” said Yim, who grew up in New York City and attended seminary in Massachusetts. “When this opportunity came up with Christian Union, my wife and I felt a pang in our hearts. God has always been faithful, and we felt like it was time.”
A Theology of Making
by makoto fujimura
In my studio, I make art. The term “Theology of Making” (the title of my upcoming book) amplifies how this human act is connected to the divine presence. Simply put, when we make, God “shows up.” Therefore, before I begin a discourse on what God has done to make even our broken shards of life invaluable essences of the new creation, let me began by describing the creative process that an artist knows well, and how God the artist reveals a vision beyond the “fixing” of our lives, a type of theology.
Life after Graduation
Christian Union Hosts Alumni Panel Discussion
by tom campisi, managing editor
Being a leader with Christian Union at Brown helped Ayisha Jackson make a smooth transition to urban missionary when she graduated in May. Jackson, an engineering major, said the ministry’s emphasis on a seeking-God lifestyle and rigorous Bible study prepared her for her work with Renaissance Church in Providence, Rhode Island.
Jackson returned to campus in the fall as a participant in Christian Union’s Life After Graduation panel discussion, which included three other members of the class of 2018 who are active in vocational ministry at Brown: Gianna Uson, an intern with Christian Union; Isaac Whitney, an intern with Athletes in Action; and Katie Hay, an intern with InterVarsity.
A Celebrated Space
Christian Union Dedicates Ministry Center at Columbia
by catherine elvy, staff writer
Profound awe and gratitude permeated the highly anticipated opening of Christian Union’s ministry center adjacent to Columbia University.
On October 13, staff, ministry faculty, and financial partners of the leadership development organization celebrated the debut of the center on West 113th Street with a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony.
