Our church has a beautiful tradition of giving all students beginning their Kindergarten year a quilt handmade by some of the ladies in the church. Their name is sewed at the top, the congregation signs a panel on the back. At the beginning of the service the Sunday before school begins (this past Sunday) the quilts are draped over the baptismal font. As each child comes forward, I wrap the quilt around their shoulders, remind them of the promises made at their baptism and encourage them to think of their Covenant family giving them a hug every time they wrap themselves in the quilt. This year was my first time being a part of this and it was truly a wonderful moment.
Thanks, Libby and Ken, for your input and the helpful resources. Our local police can do something like 3/month. Do either of you (or anyone else) have any other suggested organizations and specific costs?
You are right - it certainly saves us a lot of money to have my office located at the church rather than on-campus (for which we are extraordinarily grateful to River Terrace Church).
The difficulty this presents is that I am aways an "outsider" to campus. This manifests itself in a couple of ways. First, it means that it is more difficult for students/faculty/staff to come to me unless they already know who and where I am. Those who do know where I am are less likely to come to me if it means a separate drive over to the church; for those who do not attend River Terrace Church this is even more likely. Now certainly, the easy response to this conundrum is for me to go to the students - but here again I run into the outsider problem, as I am not an organic part of the community into which I am trying to integrate.
Another difficulty this poses for us is a bit of an "identity crisis." As a young ministry (this is our first year), we have very little name recognition on campus. Without a designated campus space associated with Campus Edge Fellowship, it can be difficult to gain. Now, name recognition doesn't come just from being a building - as we build the community of Campus Edge, people will be drawn to it naturally. Yet, I would still argue that it is more difficult to build that community when you don't have one centralized place to call "home."
I certainly don't think that having an office on-campus would magically solve all of these difficulties. Whether you are off-campus or on-campus, challenges will go along with it. I think it is important for campus ministries to think about the limitations, challenges, and freedoms of physical space, as we often find ourselves somewhere between church and parachurch.
Thanks, everyone, for your insights. I'd love to hear more experiences from others.
I continue to learn more about the ways in which everything works here. Residence hall staff are funded by fees of that hall's residents, so student groups have to pay for the use of residence hall lounges and conference rooms. Classroom space is free for anybody to use as long as the building is scheduled to be open at that time. There is the alumni chapel on campus, but it is mostly used for die hard Spartans who wish to hold their wedding on campus. We plan to rent it out for our large group worship services (starting the end of this month) but, as best I can tell, no other student group uses the chapel regularly.
I'm curious, Shiao, how the administration decides who gets to use office space. Is it primarily first-come/first-served?
I appreciate everybody's insights about getting to know the administration. I am doing my best to do so, but this too is hindered by the fact that as an MSU affiliate (my official title on my MSU ID) I am allowed to be an advisor to a student organization but according to MSU rules, should technically not have any official "power" over the organization. Thus, student life doesn't necessarily want to have a lot to do with the campus ministers who work with the organizations. We do have the Religious Advisor's Association, which is the "official" channel for connecting with the campus. I have found them helpful to connect with but more or less bureaucratic when trying to connect with the university.
Because of our focus on graduate students, faculty, and staff, we have opted for hosting most of our events off campus. Bible study is at my apartment, prayer groups are at River Terrace Church, dinners are also at RTC. Our large group worship will be in the chapel and we're starting another Bible Study, hopefully to be held in one of the classrooms on campus.
To be honest, this has been one of the most unexpected struggles in these early months. I look forward to hearing more ideas and experiences.
I would add a good set of favorite blogs. Subscribe in your inbox, follow on social media, whatever is going to keep it in your attention. My three top recommendations for campus ministry-minded folks:
ThinkChristian (http://ThinkChristian.reframemedia.com) - think pieces on all things culture-related. Movie reviews, social commentary, etc.
The Twelve (http://blog.perspectivesjournal.org) - daily blog with a rotation of twelve writers. Sometimes devotional in nature, sometimes responding to current events, sometimes taking a look at an overlooked chapter of history. Has often been a way of introducing me to something I would otherwise not have known about.
inAllThings (http://www.inallthings.org). A new blog run out of Dordt College, addresses a range of topics from the Reformed perspective.
Blogs like these three can be a great way to start thinking about a topic or to be able to pass something along to students.
Thanks, Bonnie, for your encouragement. I've been thrilled already to see what feels like a tremendous spirit of unity and have been amazed by the prayers being offered on our behalf through social networking sites like Twitter.
Personally, I think that it is important we share the Gospel in as many ways as possible - using rap, hiphop, and R&B if necessary. We have an obligation to reach out to the whole world, no matter their background, age, or musical tastes.
I would, however, offer a couple of cautions about using a video such as this. Every generation has a broad range of interests and tastes - some young people will find this rap just as distasteful as many adults in the congregation. We must be careful to not assume that a specific style of music will reach a certain population.
Also, I would caution against using "gimmicks" to reach the youth. If a church plays a video like this one time in an effort to appeal to a certain subset of the population, but does not consistently reach out to that group, it becomes clear pretty quickly that it was a one-time thing done just because, rather than out of a passion for responding to the needs of that population.
I think that the Heidelberg Catechism in and of itself speaks directly to the needs of young people today. Many have written about the lack of community many of today's youth feel. Many young people feel alone, abandoned, and separated from their families and peers. Social networking sites like Facebook allow us to create huge networks of shallow friendships. In response to that, the Heidelberg Catechism says, "What is your only comfort in life and in death? That I am not my own..." I am currently using the Heidelberg as the basis for a Bible Study of almost all graduate students and faculty of Michigan State University - we use the questions of the Catechism to guide our discussions. By doing so, we are encountering the full scope of the Gospel and basic theology. Rather than "teaching" the Catechism, we are using the questions as springboards for our own discussions - only occasionally do we read one of the Catechism's answers verbatim. This has received a strong positive response in our group - I have heard responses from many people saying things like "I had never thought about it that way before!" To which, of course, I inwardly smile, knowing that some great writers had thought of it that way hundreds of years ago. I think that perhaps it is better for us to repackage the Catechism according to the needs of our immediate audience, rather than hoping that a rap about the Catechism might make it more interesting again.
Incidentally, as far as raps about basic theology go, I think this one is much better: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RUciHVpCbw&feature=share. The rap by Curtis Allen is partially about the HC but also to a considerable degree about Kevin DeYoung's book about the catechism.
Posted in: Back to School With a Blessing
Our church has a beautiful tradition of giving all students beginning their Kindergarten year a quilt handmade by some of the ladies in the church. Their name is sewed at the top, the congregation signs a panel on the back. At the beginning of the service the Sunday before school begins (this past Sunday) the quilts are draped over the baptismal font. As each child comes forward, I wrap the quilt around their shoulders, remind them of the promises made at their baptism and encourage them to think of their Covenant family giving them a hug every time they wrap themselves in the quilt. This year was my first time being a part of this and it was truly a wonderful moment.
Posted in: Questions on Implementing Background Checks
Thanks, Libby and Ken, for your input and the helpful resources. Our local police can do something like 3/month. Do either of you (or anyone else) have any other suggested organizations and specific costs?
Thanks!
Posted in: Suggestions for Campus Ministry When Space and Rules Get in the Way?
Ken:
You are right - it certainly saves us a lot of money to have my office located at the church rather than on-campus (for which we are extraordinarily grateful to River Terrace Church).
The difficulty this presents is that I am aways an "outsider" to campus. This manifests itself in a couple of ways. First, it means that it is more difficult for students/faculty/staff to come to me unless they already know who and where I am. Those who do know where I am are less likely to come to me if it means a separate drive over to the church; for those who do not attend River Terrace Church this is even more likely. Now certainly, the easy response to this conundrum is for me to go to the students - but here again I run into the outsider problem, as I am not an organic part of the community into which I am trying to integrate.
Another difficulty this poses for us is a bit of an "identity crisis." As a young ministry (this is our first year), we have very little name recognition on campus. Without a designated campus space associated with Campus Edge Fellowship, it can be difficult to gain. Now, name recognition doesn't come just from being a building - as we build the community of Campus Edge, people will be drawn to it naturally. Yet, I would still argue that it is more difficult to build that community when you don't have one centralized place to call "home."
I certainly don't think that having an office on-campus would magically solve all of these difficulties. Whether you are off-campus or on-campus, challenges will go along with it. I think it is important for campus ministries to think about the limitations, challenges, and freedoms of physical space, as we often find ourselves somewhere between church and parachurch.
Posted in: Suggestions for Campus Ministry When Space and Rules Get in the Way?
Thanks, everyone, for your insights. I'd love to hear more experiences from others.
I continue to learn more about the ways in which everything works here. Residence hall staff are funded by fees of that hall's residents, so student groups have to pay for the use of residence hall lounges and conference rooms. Classroom space is free for anybody to use as long as the building is scheduled to be open at that time. There is the alumni chapel on campus, but it is mostly used for die hard Spartans who wish to hold their wedding on campus. We plan to rent it out for our large group worship services (starting the end of this month) but, as best I can tell, no other student group uses the chapel regularly.
I'm curious, Shiao, how the administration decides who gets to use office space. Is it primarily first-come/first-served?
I appreciate everybody's insights about getting to know the administration. I am doing my best to do so, but this too is hindered by the fact that as an MSU affiliate (my official title on my MSU ID) I am allowed to be an advisor to a student organization but according to MSU rules, should technically not have any official "power" over the organization. Thus, student life doesn't necessarily want to have a lot to do with the campus ministers who work with the organizations. We do have the Religious Advisor's Association, which is the "official" channel for connecting with the campus. I have found them helpful to connect with but more or less bureaucratic when trying to connect with the university.
Because of our focus on graduate students, faculty, and staff, we have opted for hosting most of our events off campus. Bible study is at my apartment, prayer groups are at River Terrace Church, dinners are also at RTC. Our large group worship will be in the chapel and we're starting another Bible Study, hopefully to be held in one of the classrooms on campus.
To be honest, this has been one of the most unexpected struggles in these early months. I look forward to hearing more ideas and experiences.
Posted in: Books for a Campus Backpack?
I would add a good set of favorite blogs. Subscribe in your inbox, follow on social media, whatever is going to keep it in your attention. My three top recommendations for campus ministry-minded folks:
ThinkChristian (http://ThinkChristian.reframemedia.com) - think pieces on all things culture-related. Movie reviews, social commentary, etc.
The Twelve (http://blog.perspectivesjournal.org) - daily blog with a rotation of twelve writers. Sometimes devotional in nature, sometimes responding to current events, sometimes taking a look at an overlooked chapter of history. Has often been a way of introducing me to something I would otherwise not have known about.
inAllThings (http://www.inallthings.org). A new blog run out of Dordt College, addresses a range of topics from the Reformed perspective.
Blogs like these three can be a great way to start thinking about a topic or to be able to pass something along to students.
Posted in: Why I'm Excited for Synod
Thanks, Bonnie, for your encouragement. I've been thrilled already to see what feels like a tremendous spirit of unity and have been amazed by the prayers being offered on our behalf through social networking sites like Twitter.
Posted in: A Wrap of a Rap on the Heidelberg Catechism
Personally, I think that it is important we share the Gospel in as many ways as possible - using rap, hiphop, and R&B if necessary. We have an obligation to reach out to the whole world, no matter their background, age, or musical tastes.
I would, however, offer a couple of cautions about using a video such as this. Every generation has a broad range of interests and tastes - some young people will find this rap just as distasteful as many adults in the congregation. We must be careful to not assume that a specific style of music will reach a certain population.
Also, I would caution against using "gimmicks" to reach the youth. If a church plays a video like this one time in an effort to appeal to a certain subset of the population, but does not consistently reach out to that group, it becomes clear pretty quickly that it was a one-time thing done just because, rather than out of a passion for responding to the needs of that population.
I think that the Heidelberg Catechism in and of itself speaks directly to the needs of young people today. Many have written about the lack of community many of today's youth feel. Many young people feel alone, abandoned, and separated from their families and peers. Social networking sites like Facebook allow us to create huge networks of shallow friendships. In response to that, the Heidelberg Catechism says, "What is your only comfort in life and in death? That I am not my own..." I am currently using the Heidelberg as the basis for a Bible Study of almost all graduate students and faculty of Michigan State University - we use the questions of the Catechism to guide our discussions. By doing so, we are encountering the full scope of the Gospel and basic theology. Rather than "teaching" the Catechism, we are using the questions as springboards for our own discussions - only occasionally do we read one of the Catechism's answers verbatim. This has received a strong positive response in our group - I have heard responses from many people saying things like "I had never thought about it that way before!" To which, of course, I inwardly smile, knowing that some great writers had thought of it that way hundreds of years ago. I think that perhaps it is better for us to repackage the Catechism according to the needs of our immediate audience, rather than hoping that a rap about the Catechism might make it more interesting again.
Incidentally, as far as raps about basic theology go, I think this one is much better: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RUciHVpCbw&feature=share. The rap by Curtis Allen is partially about the HC but also to a considerable degree about Kevin DeYoung's book about the catechism.