The semester begins

Monday was the start of classes for all Fredonia students... but for me it was the day I finished my coursework. I officially turned in my thesis on Tuesday and am now done with my Masters in Education, although my graduation date in May 2013. I'm ahead of schedule by finishing a few days earlier than I planned.... anyway back to the rest of the students. As the jar busting post states (which you should read first), students are preparing to serve God in many different ways. Some students, like Danielle, will be posting on this blog to update you on how they're responding to the challenges God's placed in their heart: often as a result of the service trip or Urbana. They're stepping up into leading and branching out into different unreached sections of the campus and world. A few ideas of what's coming: Bowling and real friendships with international students set up in partnership with the International Education Office, a new 22+ small group to reach the older undergrad students, 3+ people inviting curious friends to Groups Investigating God, and the AIDS caregiver kit build. If you can pray for these new leaders as they step up and out of their comfort zone and for success in their ministries, they would appreciate it. While I did have the chance to be the staff worker (as shown here: http://vimeo.com/25837758) challenging the students, I am growing more excited as I prepare myself for campus. I'm reading up on leadership development and how to start new ministries while also strengthening myself and raising support through fundraising and training. Since I'm passionate about developing leaders, I plan to help grow the ministry on campus by growing more leaders and supporting them as they reach out in faith. Please be praying for all of the things happening on campus and for me as I prepare off campus raising my support.

Service Trip Final Night: Jar Busting

Our final night, Brett came to speak to us about carrying on the work of the service trip onto our campus during the semester. If the trip attitudes of service and Christian loving and family exist only during the one week then it's not worth having the trip. I agreed completely with this statement as over the past five years (since my outreach team started it in 2009), our on campus impact has varied. This year between the challenges presented during Urbana to 6 of the students and shared during the trip with another 20-30 students, I'm hoping we will have a bigger impact in our daily lives. Brett's talk focused on Mark 14:1-26 which describes a woman breaking a precious jar of perfume over Jesus' feet then wiping them with her hair. He challenged us to: 1. Go where most won't go 2. Bring what most won't bring and 3. Do what most won't do. This semester, the goal is for the students to break their jars (overcoming the fear) containing what is precious to them (time, money, future goals, etc.) to serve God where He calls them to be (wherever that may be). I know that I had to give up my preplanned life of getting a full time teaching job, with a guaranteed salary to continue to serve God on Fredonia's campus with InterVarsity so I know the temptation to just let our precious resources just drip out (giving little bits of money or time here or there, but not committing ourselves to His work completely. This semester I've challenged many students with specific ways that God might be calling them to step up and break the jar to serve Him. One student responded with "You just HAD to say the jar. Now I have no choice." It's a convicting thing to think about how God wants us to surrender to him and the metaphor can help provide students with the needed push to commit to going and doing something new this semester.

AIDS Caregiver Kits

At Urbana they had an event where all 16,000 of us made medical kits for caregivers in Africa. The caregivers are people that help the sick people affected by AIDS in their area. However, they are limited in their ability to help. The medical kits contain several items that the caregivers need to care for the people; such as petroleum jelly, anti-fungal cream, gloves, water purifiers, washcloths, all held in a drawstring backpack. I would like to have an event to make some of these kits and mail them to the caregivers. To do this, we would need to have a fundraiser since the kits are $22 each (this includes the supplies and shipping costs). Also, we need at least 50 kits to be made to do this. Please prayerfully consider helping InterVarsity at Fredonia to accomplish this goal.

Service Trip Overview: From the story box

Each night we had a story box where students could write short or long stories and memories from the trip to be included on this blog and in the newsletter about the service trip. Here's one story: "I've always grown up going to Christian camps, and it was hard feeling accepted. However, coming to InterVarsity, I was overwhelmed and showered with love. The first thing I noticed about coming here was that everyone made sure they talked to someone they didn't know... and they were persistent! Even as we were blessed to have a home made dinner at First Baptist Church, they too made sure the students and adults mingled. They were such a blessing to us all. This trip has been full of heartfelt moments, tears, and laughter that makes your side hurt. This experience was very changing." God works in wonderful ways through the trip and we have been challenged to take our experience during the trip onto campus. To share it with others, both in the chapter and not, and to go and do what few desire to go and do, in God's power. Not to be dripping our precious perfume (Mark 14), but to break the jar and go all in. I pray that will happen this semester on campus and that the campus will be able to smell the perfume of our lives in humble service to God.

Service Trip Day 5: Notebooks Part 2

Friday night at midnight was the scheduled time to open up our notecard journals. After we finished the evening activities we had about 2 hours to complete any remaining notecards and place them in the 29 bags. For some people it was easy: they had completed the cards by Wednesday or only had a few remaining. For others, especially the coordinators, the majority of cards still needed to be written. Personally, I ended up writing IOUs to almost everyone as I got the chance to have a few 1-1 conversations instead (which I prioritized above writing cards that will instead be done by the weekend so they can be more in depth). We learned the joy and challenge of writing detailed cards about the wonderful people we served with over the trip. At midnight, each person was handed their bag with the cards on a ring inside. As people read the encouraging words, you could hear and see the joy, awww moments, and hugs erupting around the room. Below are a few pictures of the scene and a chance to join in the celebration of how God connected all of us. The pleasure of a written word of encouragement in amazing and powerful as we can quickly refer to the trip through the cards. See for yourself.

Service Trip Day 5: Notecards Part 1

Throughout the week, we have been writing note cards with little stories and encouraging words on them for each participant on the trip. Today, I worked with one student to hole punch them and attach them together with a book ring. While many of the students have not finished writing the notes yet, later tonight we will pass them out to the students so they can read what other think about them. Last year, we had journals that we wrote in for each participant. These journals brought people to tears as they read the encouraging words. The best part about it is that each student can take home their notecards and look at it whenever they are feeling sad or just need some encouragement. I know the journal idea started (with the notecards an adaptation of the journals), when we realized the power of sharing our feelings with each other during the service trip. Just after the first student trip, I headed to Australia to study abroad, but the chapter through me a surprise going away party. The best present they gave me was a journal with stories of how I had impacted their life, memories, and encouraging words. Whenever I was feeling lonely in Australia, I would open up that journal and remember that I had Christian friends praying for me and that I had been an impact in their lives. When I left Australia, I had some of my friends write in the same journal, then decided to continue it last year on the service trip. Each time, people are built up and encouraged to continue to impact those around them. We are called to build each other up and the notecards or journals provide a way to continue to touch the lives of those on the trip. Please pray for us tonight as we rush to finish the cards. While a few are done with them, many of us still need to finish alot of the 28 cards. Tomorrow we will debrief and head back to campus for the beginning of the semester.

Service Trip Day 4: Potluck and Caregiver Kits

Each night different churches and businesses provide wonderful meals for us. Thursday night we went to First Baptist Church in Dunkirk for a potluck dinner and time of fellowship with some of the members of the church. They were very smart and had already separated themselves to 2-3 people at each table so we couldn't follow our usual tendencies to just sit by ourselves. Instead, we got to enjoy mingling and connecting with those at our table. After we finished eating a portion of the food (many of the leftovers we ate for lunch Friday and we still have more leftovers), we all introduced ourselves. Dan (the Western NY Area Director for IV) drove up to visit and shared about the proxe station he had helped with at the UB campus. It gave a great example for the students of what a proxe station could look like, since none of the e-board had ever seen one. Fredonia sadly has not done an evangelistic proxe station to reach out to campus in about 5 years. After Dan spoke, I shared some about the service trip and Urbana before introducing a student to discuss her plan to make kits to send to caregivers of people with AIDS in Africa. At Urbana, we built 16,000 kits and while Fredonia's goal for the semester is smaller (50-100 kits), it is still a large task to raise $22 per kit. She and a few other students are working hard this semester to raise the funds to build these kits. If you're interested in joining, please comment below or contact me. This goal of continuing to serve throughout the semester through the kits is just one of many ways the students are bring God's love to the campus and world. Please pray for us as we finish up the last hour of service and our final night together.

Service Trip Day 4: Morning

Sadly this morning, I've been feeling sick with my health problems taking away any energy I've had. So instead of joining the students for breakfast, I spent the morning on my bed praying then joined them for the short morning meeting. As they all left to go to their service locations, I stayed behind on the couch with my computer. I was energized as I read a few emails from various InterVarsity staff and caught up with what the Student Life ministry is doing in Australia through some of my friends. Since I'm very passionate about building leaders, I was excited to see that Tim Elmore has both daily updates and is putting out a new Habitudes books soon. I also prayed for the e-board as they were meeting this morning and I will join them later to share some of the information I learned. Near the end of the morning, the group of students returned from Fredonia Place. It's one of the 6-8 new service locations students are going to this year as we needed to add to the regular locations due to our size. Three girls all entered the common room separately and discussed how hysterical the ladies were. As I watched a video of one of the ladies playing kazoo, I could see why. It's a blessing to learn how the students are impacting lives. Lastly, I've been encouraged as I've challenged specific members to take on additional responsibilities this semester. Someone has agreed to organize bowling with the International Students, another is putting together the newsletter after the service trip that will be shared with all donors and organizations we worked with this week, and another is going to make a video of the service trip that we can share with the rest of the chapter and churches as well. Every specific need we've announced, God has provided a new leader to do it. Tonight, a few of the students who attended Urbana will be speaking to help motivate others to be involved in their big project this semester, not to mention those students are going to begin a small group for older students this semester. Prayer Requests: My health and the health of other students who are getting colds or are just sleep deprived (even though we are typically all in bed this year by 2am). And continued prayers for safe travel as we visit new locations. Praises: A wonderful morning, despite having to lay down (for me) and happy faces on the students as they share Christ's love with those in the area. Plus we all had a wonderful dinner last night and are looking forward to a potluck tonight.

Service Trip Day 3: Love and Joy

As we worship, the wall behind reflects our attitude: Laughter sparkles like sunshine. We laugh so much on this trip even at the smallest things. A conversation, a face, or an action causes some of the students to burst into uncontrollable laughter. Right behind me, I hear the sound of laughter as someone plops down in the chair next to me. Can't get a water bottle to stand up: laugh... talking about taming mice: laugh. At St. Vincents one of the older ladies who wasn't fully there was trying to hold a conversation with one of our students. However, the student couldn't connect with the lady who was not logically speaking. The older lady moved on to another student and bam... instant connection. The student, joined in with all of the silliness, even strutting down the hall. As another student shares this story with me, she's smiling as she reports on the "instant rapport the student build with a woman who I fear doesn't get that from many people." Overall, the theme of the day seemed to be love as we discussed unconditional love in the talk by the chapter president. He reminded us that we need to love God first before we can truly love each other. We are called to love each other and God as those are the greatest two commandments. So tomorrow as we head out to our third day of the service, please pray for continued safety on the roads, additional service locations or work to do, and have wonderful conversations.

Service Trip Day 2: Blue vs. Orange

My service started today with the dividing of teams... Girls were blue and Boys were orange. You might be asking why these colors or why did we have to divide so quickly into a service trip designed to bring unity to the group. Truth is at Fredonia First United Methodist Church where we are living for the week, the youth room is now painted blue and orange. Since all three girls were wearing blue (and painting the teal) and the boys were wearing warm colors (painting the orange), we applied our warpaint and attacked. Most of the paint ended up on the walls although some remained on our clothing and bodies as reminders of the job we had done. That was the first 1.5 hours of the day. A later peek at the room showed that the gray trim was almost all finished and a second coat of paint was on. Job almost done! The rest of the groups were divided between other service locations: cleaning pews, folding clothes, and visiting with the elderly. They braved the storm to get to their location and we've been thankful to have had safety in the 10ºF weather (with windchill as well). After a day of service, sloppy joes for lunch, and some free time designed for shower/internet/etc, we returned to the church for the evening. Dinner was provided by Christ Community Church and this story came from a student: "Life outside of IV collided with IV in the grandest of fashion today. As I walked into the kitchen for dinner tonight, I took a bit of a double take when I saw the familiar face of an usher who I house manage back at school. My mind practically exploded when I realized that it was her! We were both shocked to see each other here, so, of course, we began catching up only to find that we know a lot of the same people and our paths have crossed many times in the past. This reinforces how God uses people in unfathomable ways to connect us all (as the body of Christ)." Dinner and conversations was replaced by the nightly worship time. Afterward, I got to introduce the Urbana Onward series of testimonies by everyone who attended Urbana. Each of us is sharing how God moved in us at Urbana and practical ways to apply that to our lives. After sharing some ways we can impact the campus this semester, our main speaker began to share what she's learned through life recently and the impact of Urbana on her life. While there were many places that we could relate to her story, we ended the time writing a letter to God, following the ACTS prayer guideline: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. It can help refocus our prayer life into remembering how wonderful God is instead of just bringing him a list of our requests. Finally, before I head off for less than seven hours of sleep, I was again reminded of the joys of staying at a church as a group. The ability to wander around and quickly start a conversation with someone else, learning about them, and having a meaningful conversation larks around every corner. The sounds of graceful music come down from upstairs, even though it's after quiet hours and half of the group is asleep. It's time to prepare ourselves through sleep for what God has planned for us tomorrow.

2013 Service Trip Day 1

The 5th Annual Service Trip for InterVarsity at SUNY Fredonia begins in about 5 hours. People are beginning to arrive back in town, through the snow and frigid temperatures. I've been in town since we returned from the Urbana student missions conference in St. Louis on January 2nd and I'm glad I don't have to travel today. A total of 30 students will be joining this year, sometimes juggling work, sports teams, or RA training, but the majority will be full time participating in the trip. We have new members who haven't even started their first semester yet all the way through seasoned veterans. This year is my second year not coordinating the trip, however I am happy to be the staff worker supervising the trip. While I know that some things still need planned for the trip to run smoothly, I believe that the students in charge will be able to get everything to work. More importantly, I know that God has big things planned for this trip... it's almost a foolproof way to impact the campus and community. Four hours a day of service, three meals a day with each other, games, worship, prayer, and testimonies all while sharing many experiences in an attitude of servanthood for Christ. Small problems are less important than learning how to work as the body of Christ and going out into the neighboring community to help in whatever way we can. I'll try to add updates as the week progresses and stories from throughout the day. For anyone who has been on the trip before, I hope you can use this to remind yourself of what God taught you during your trip(s). And for anyone involved in planning the first trip, thank you for your dedication and hard work which helped this idea become reality and now is one of the highlights of the school year. Please pray for safety on the trip, God to work in many hearts both of participants and those we work with in the community, and to help develop leaders who love God and are seeking to serve Him.

About me and the blog

As I prepare to join InterVarsity Christian Fellowship as a full time campus staff worker at SUNY Fredonia, I decided to create this blog to pass on stories of how God is working at Fredonia and my own journey as I raise my support. I will also include prayer and praise requests, maybe even pictures. Right now, I just finished my Master's degree in Education and will be taking the next semester to focus on fund development. I'll still be attending large group meetings and have a general idea of what is happening on campus during the semester. But before classes begin next week, IVCF at Fredonia likes to begin the spring semester with the service trip. I will try to post daily updates from the trip and prayer requests. If you are interested in more information about the ministry please contact me via kepilgrim999@gmail.com. I will be sending out newsletters every few months as well. To support Kathryn's ministry, please go to visit: https://donate.intervarsity.org/donate/to/kathryn_pilgrim