Just an update that we are safely stowed away in the Atlanta area with Jen's parents.
Four students rode up with us. One is staying with his dad who lives in the area, and three are staying with us - all are from Tulane, which announced that it will not open its residence halls until next Sunday, and recommence classes next Monday.
We are still waiting on word from UNO and Loyola, regarding whether they will reopen on Wed, as previously published, or push back until next week like Tulane, as well.
Tulane usually sets the precedent for all the other schools in the city, so I expect UNO and Loyola to follow suit, tomorrow.
August 31, 2008
August 29, 2008
Gustav II
So, does anybody else think that Gustav is a funny name for a hurricane?
I'm trying to make light of the whole hurricane issue right now, praying for grace to practice trust in God's sovereignty as we say goodbye to a weekend of events, which entails hours of labor and about $100 in publicity. More than that, we are saying goodbye to our best, from my perspective, opportunities to connect with the new students at our campuses, especially Tulane.
Thankfully, we've had some great connections at UNO and Loyola, already. And, I must confess that God is bigger than a weekend's plans.
Here are some fun pictures from last weekend:
the slideshows might take a minute to load.
UNO and Tulane move in pictures - Thurs the 21st, and Sat the 23rd:
Moving in freshmen in the August heat of New Orleans might be considered torture in some cultures, but we relish the opportunity to serve Christ in serving students. You should see the relieved and happy looks on the parents' faces when they find out we are there to help.
UNO Kickoff BBQ - Friday the 22nd:
As, I mentioned before, more than 100 students (maybe up to 140) came out to share some BBQ and hang out with us at UNO. This was a huge group of people. We are praying that the connections made there will begin to grow and blossom, and become relationships where the Good News about Jesus can be shared.
Loyola's Worship & Gospel - Saturday the 23rd:
Together, with Genesis Gospel Choir and some guest musicians from Life Fellowship Church in Des Allemands, LA, we worshiped the Savior, and got to know a few new Loyola freshmen. Chi Alpha students reconnected, and an exciting relationship has begun with Genesis. God is good!
I'm trying to make light of the whole hurricane issue right now, praying for grace to practice trust in God's sovereignty as we say goodbye to a weekend of events, which entails hours of labor and about $100 in publicity. More than that, we are saying goodbye to our best, from my perspective, opportunities to connect with the new students at our campuses, especially Tulane.
Thankfully, we've had some great connections at UNO and Loyola, already. And, I must confess that God is bigger than a weekend's plans.
Here are some fun pictures from last weekend:
the slideshows might take a minute to load.
UNO and Tulane move in pictures - Thurs the 21st, and Sat the 23rd:
Moving in freshmen in the August heat of New Orleans might be considered torture in some cultures, but we relish the opportunity to serve Christ in serving students. You should see the relieved and happy looks on the parents' faces when they find out we are there to help.
UNO Kickoff BBQ - Friday the 22nd:
As, I mentioned before, more than 100 students (maybe up to 140) came out to share some BBQ and hang out with us at UNO. This was a huge group of people. We are praying that the connections made there will begin to grow and blossom, and become relationships where the Good News about Jesus can be shared.
Loyola's Worship & Gospel - Saturday the 23rd:
Together, with Genesis Gospel Choir and some guest musicians from Life Fellowship Church in Des Allemands, LA, we worshiped the Savior, and got to know a few new Loyola freshmen. Chi Alpha students reconnected, and an exciting relationship has begun with Genesis. God is good!
August 27, 2008
Gustav
So, kickoff is really busy, and my energies and/or time ran out before I could do the daily blog idea, but I do plan to give some more details regarding the past week, and the upcoming days in the near future. Also, a newsletter, with the highlight reel will roll out in the next couple of weeks.
Tonight's late entry is a request for prayer, as Gustav churns up toward the Gulf of Mexico. Tulane and Loyola are already nearing decisions to evacuate with the storm 5 days out. Should this evacuation take place, our Labor Day weekend plans at Tulane and Loyola will be wiped out taking away many opportunities to connect with new students.
Of course, the greater prayer request, is that the storm just shrivels up and dies for the sake of all the people in and around the Gulf. Preemptive evacuations are annoying. Major hurricanes are devastating.
Thank you for praying with us.
Tonight's late entry is a request for prayer, as Gustav churns up toward the Gulf of Mexico. Tulane and Loyola are already nearing decisions to evacuate with the storm 5 days out. Should this evacuation take place, our Labor Day weekend plans at Tulane and Loyola will be wiped out taking away many opportunities to connect with new students.
Of course, the greater prayer request, is that the storm just shrivels up and dies for the sake of all the people in and around the Gulf. Preemptive evacuations are annoying. Major hurricanes are devastating.
Thank you for praying with us.
August 22, 2008
A Campus Missionary Life: Kick-off Day Two
It's late, and we're heading to bed, as we need to be at Tulane at 7:45am tomorrow for freshmen move-in day.
We had a great Welcome BBQ at UNO. We sered 80 burgers and 80 hotdogs! There were between 125-150 students that we were able to welcome!
But, I'll have to fill out the rest of the day, and more details on the BBQ later. I've got to get some rest.
Thank you for your prayers.
Next on the prayer list: That our flyers for Loyola's worship event get up, and get seen. The event is tomorrow at 7pm. We want to connect the Christian freshmen to Christian community right off the bat!
We had a great Welcome BBQ at UNO. We sered 80 burgers and 80 hotdogs! There were between 125-150 students that we were able to welcome!
But, I'll have to fill out the rest of the day, and more details on the BBQ later. I've got to get some rest.
Thank you for your prayers.
Next on the prayer list: That our flyers for Loyola's worship event get up, and get seen. The event is tomorrow at 7pm. We want to connect the Christian freshmen to Christian community right off the bat!
August 21, 2008
A Campus Missionary Life: Kick-off Day One
Today, was the first official day, in my book, of fall kick-off 2008.
9am-1pm - Helping freshmen move-in at the University of New Orleans. Move-in at UNO is not as big an event as it is at some other schools. We worked, but not too hard, which was a relief, as it was a scorcher outside, today. What I really like about UNO's move-in, is that we actually had time to meet and talk with students. We personally invited several to our Welcome BBQ tomorrow.
1-2pm - Drive home with a pitstop at the grocery store to pick up some necessary items for upcoming events.
2-3pm - I took a short break, and got a shower. That was quite refreshing.
2:30-4:30pm - Catch up on some email and facebook communications, and move stuff around that we will be needing for upcoming events - stuff that is stored in our house.
4:30-6:30pm - Host a pizza dinner for part of the Residence Life staff at Tulane (RAs, Area Director, and such). This "quad" won the Religion & Spirituality Jeapordy game show Jen hosted on Monday during RA training. Jen and some others from Tulane Religious Life informed the RAs of the typical student's interest in spiritual and religious matters, as well as the resources and organizations available on campus. I was in Lafayette, LA having a rousing Theology Roundtable class with the Diversity Project interns.
The rest of the night - Prepare some web stuff for Chi Alpha, finish catching up on emails and such... go for a run... type this blog... go to bed.
Prayer Requests:
1) That we really connect with students at our BBQ at UNO tomorrow. We're going to feed a lot of them, and have some fun, but pray for deeper connections than grub and games.
2) That Tropical Storm Fay fizzles out for the sake of Florida residents, and for the sake of our planned Tulane Leadership Advance in Gulf Shores, AL this coming Sun-Tues.
9am-1pm - Helping freshmen move-in at the University of New Orleans. Move-in at UNO is not as big an event as it is at some other schools. We worked, but not too hard, which was a relief, as it was a scorcher outside, today. What I really like about UNO's move-in, is that we actually had time to meet and talk with students. We personally invited several to our Welcome BBQ tomorrow.
1-2pm - Drive home with a pitstop at the grocery store to pick up some necessary items for upcoming events.
2-3pm - I took a short break, and got a shower. That was quite refreshing.
2:30-4:30pm - Catch up on some email and facebook communications, and move stuff around that we will be needing for upcoming events - stuff that is stored in our house.
4:30-6:30pm - Host a pizza dinner for part of the Residence Life staff at Tulane (RAs, Area Director, and such). This "quad" won the Religion & Spirituality Jeapordy game show Jen hosted on Monday during RA training. Jen and some others from Tulane Religious Life informed the RAs of the typical student's interest in spiritual and religious matters, as well as the resources and organizations available on campus. I was in Lafayette, LA having a rousing Theology Roundtable class with the Diversity Project interns.
The rest of the night - Prepare some web stuff for Chi Alpha, finish catching up on emails and such... go for a run... type this blog... go to bed.
Prayer Requests:
1) That we really connect with students at our BBQ at UNO tomorrow. We're going to feed a lot of them, and have some fun, but pray for deeper connections than grub and games.
2) That Tropical Storm Fay fizzles out for the sake of Florida residents, and for the sake of our planned Tulane Leadership Advance in Gulf Shores, AL this coming Sun-Tues.
August 18, 2008
Transgnerational Discipleship
That's a mouthful of a phrase, I know. What is "transgenerational discipleship?"Example: Meet Kelsey (left), and Amanda (right), pictured here at Eric Treuil's house in Lafayette, LA.
Amanda grew up in a pastor's home, and discovered the path of her ministry calling while at the University of Northern Colorado in Chi Alpha. Amanda was a Campus Missionary in Training (CMiT) with Jen and I in Lafayatte, LA during the 2002-03 school year. She's still a close friend; that was a wild, challenging...GREAT year!
Now, Amanda is the associate director with Eric Treuil at the UL-Lafayette Chi Alpha group where she develops student leaders, helps them lead small groups on campus, and helps facilitate the expanded CMiT program at UL, known as the Diversity Project.
Kelsey came to know Jesus as a freshman at UL-Lafayatte through the loving outreach of young ladies that Amanda was mentoring. Not long after that, Kelsey was reaching out to new freshmen at UL, as Amanda now mentored her.
This fall, Kelsey joins Jen and I at Tulane as a CMiT, herself. We have the wonderful opportunity of training her in the practics of campus ministry, and continuing to mentor her as she grows in the character of Christ.
Starting this weekend, Kelsey will begin reaching out to freshman girls at Tulane.
That's transgenerational discipleship, and that's what we're about here at Chi Alpha New Orleans.
August 1, 2008
July/August 2008 Newsletter (postcard)
Our summer newsletter, is a fun postcard.
Since, you've taken the time to come to the website, I've got some more detailed prayer requests for you, below.
A good way to keep up with prayer requests is to check the nolaxa.com website and calendar. That's where we keep students up to date on the happenings around here. You can pray for each event as it is in the planning stages, and as it happens!
A few more areas for prayer:
Money: we are still raising our annual ministry budget, which we are estimating to be approx. $10,000 (not counting the Veritas Forum). We need about $7,000 more as of today.
UNO: recent graduate, Nikki Gordy, is starting grad school at UNO, and will be part-time Chi Alpha staff as a Campus Missionary Associate. Please pray for her as she raises her financial support, and as she leads the flegling community at UNO. I believe that this is the year that God will break open the doors for Chi Alpha at UNO - a year for students to come to know Jesus Christ, a year for numerical growth, a year to establish Chi Alpha as a vibrant community at UNO for years to come!
Intern: our new Campus Missionary in Training is Kelsey Tomes, who just graduated from UL-Lafayette. She will be working with Jen and I at Tulane, primarily, and training to become a full-fledged Chi Alpha missionary. Please pray for her as she raises her financial support and transitions to a new city and campus. Also, pray for her training to be deeply life-changing, and successful.
Loyola: continues to puzzle. We are still praying and brainstorming for the right relationships to be established, and the right direction to take to establish Loyola Chi Alpha as an effective and productive community for evangelism and growth in faith.
Since, you've taken the time to come to the website, I've got some more detailed prayer requests for you, below.
A good way to keep up with prayer requests is to check the nolaxa.com website and calendar. That's where we keep students up to date on the happenings around here. You can pray for each event as it is in the planning stages, and as it happens!A few more areas for prayer:
Money: we are still raising our annual ministry budget, which we are estimating to be approx. $10,000 (not counting the Veritas Forum). We need about $7,000 more as of today.
UNO: recent graduate, Nikki Gordy, is starting grad school at UNO, and will be part-time Chi Alpha staff as a Campus Missionary Associate. Please pray for her as she raises her financial support, and as she leads the flegling community at UNO. I believe that this is the year that God will break open the doors for Chi Alpha at UNO - a year for students to come to know Jesus Christ, a year for numerical growth, a year to establish Chi Alpha as a vibrant community at UNO for years to come!
Intern: our new Campus Missionary in Training is Kelsey Tomes, who just graduated from UL-Lafayette. She will be working with Jen and I at Tulane, primarily, and training to become a full-fledged Chi Alpha missionary. Please pray for her as she raises her financial support and transitions to a new city and campus. Also, pray for her training to be deeply life-changing, and successful.
Loyola: continues to puzzle. We are still praying and brainstorming for the right relationships to be established, and the right direction to take to establish Loyola Chi Alpha as an effective and productive community for evangelism and growth in faith.
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