In this post I give you a whirlwind of things happening with students and faculty this month. Please pray for my team as they lean into lots of ministry activity in October. I’m going to try to fit two campus trips into this month as well as welcoming a new grand-baby to the Perry family in Cookeville, Tenn (ANY DAY NOW I might add)! Thanks so much for reading. Thanks for praying for my team. Thanks for your giving that makes it all possible!
First Fridays – Iowa City
The University of Iowa Graduate Christian Fellowship has a monthly large group gathering called First Friday. Our staff member in Iowa City, Kevin Kummer, has had to hit the ground running this fall. He and his wife, Maria, are coming off a 6 month sabbatical leave that included a three month stint of ministry in Barbados! Kevin got the chance to serve the Caribbean IFES movement while there through teaching and training. The wonderful thing about a sabbatical is also a challenge – reconnecting and picking back up with ministry you’ve taken a break from for 6 months! Pray for Kevin’s student leaders to stay focused and available to the fellowship in the midst of their grad work. Pray for the start up of Kevin’s bible studies as well. Tonight is a First Friday – pray for their community as they gather for encouragement, worship, prayer and teaching.
First Saturdays – Omaha
Every Friday before our monthly GCF Saturday Brunch I wrap up my RSVP with students, figure out the menu, head over to Bakers for a grocery run, then clean my kitchen! Tomorrow looks like we’ll have 9-11 students. Pray for my new student Kyra – she’ll be sharing a 13 minute TED talk on her life answering two questions: 1- How and Why am I Christian? and 2) How does my faith connect with why I’m in this professional discipline? Each year new students get the opportunity to share their TED talk with the group. I’m really excited about this year’s new students. Please pray for our time together at brunches and for students to invest in each other on their own through spiritual friendship. And just for the record I DO make cinnamon rolls from scratch every time we have brunch!
Student Retreat at Wash-U
Please be in prayer for our staff at Wash-U in St. Louis. Sarah Gregory and Joshua Ho (volunteer staff) will be teaming up with their student leaders to host a chapter retreat next weekend, Oct 12th-13th. The theme will be on Prayer. The Fall Retreat is always a good opportunity for new students especially to get out of town and forge some community with the chapter. Pray for good weather! Pray for more to sign up (I think there are just a little over a dozen signed up at this point.
Faculty Retreat w Carver Project
While I’m on things Wash-U, my staff member there who works with faculty members has been invited to team up with The Carver Project and lead them in a Prayer Initiative throughout the 24/25 academic year. The Carver Faculty also host an out of town retreat each year in the Fall. Our GFM staff member George Stulac will be at their retreat – which is happening THIS WEEKEND. He’ll be unveiling the Carver prayer initiative. Pray for his time with these influential and missional Wash-U faculty.
Technology and Story Telling at Iowa State
One last October happening you can be praying for is happening in Ames this fall on October 29th: Author and ISU alum Ethan J. Brue is being hosted by the Committee on Lectures to talk about How Engineering, Science and Faith Play! Since Ethan is also an IVP author, I’m extra eager to meet him and be a the event. Pray for Chad and Tom, our GFM staff as they partner with faculty and student organizations to bring Dr. Brue and promote the event. It’s a Tuesday night event – interesting timing! Pray for great communication about the event on campus. It is officially sponsored by University Lectures, so it will have some good promotional channels, but pray that the word will spread especially in the sciences an engineering schools. I’ll be brining you some on-site coverage from that event!
Thanks so much for your prayers!
PBR 