Newsletters

November 2004

Gathering the State of Michigan

For the sixth year in a row I ran our fall retreat. After doing something for a while it has the possibility of becoming old hat or even boring. But, we had an unbelievable weekend that gave us a glimpse of things to come in our ministry within the state of Michigan.

Fall Retreat is critical to the health and momentum of our movements. There is no better place for our students to learn more about God, build relationships with each other, and catch a renewed vision for how God might use them on campus. It is the first major connect point for freshmen, where they decide to spend their own money to spend a whole weekend at a Campus Crusade event. Freshmen who attend Fall Retreat are much more likely to attend other events like Christmas Conference, spring break trips, and even summer projects.

The most students we ever had attend a retreat is 200 last year. This year 300 students attended our retreat! Close to 200 came from U-M alone. We had sizeable groups from Eastern Michigan, Albion College, Adrian College, and Kettering University. We also had a group come from Central Michigan and one gal come for a brief time from Western Michigan. These are two schools we would like to begin sending staff in the near future, with the hopes of launching a full staff team to these strategic schools within the next few years.

Jim Sylvester was our main speaker. Jim was the campus director at Ohio State when Shelly and I were students. Jim spoke out of Galatians on justification by faith, our position in Christ and walking with the Spirit. It was a significant series for many of our students as they began to learn that their status before God is not determined by their performance (a critical issue especially for our performance driven U-M students).

Students also had opportunities to learn from each other throughout the weekend and have fun together, playing football on Saturday afternoon, eating smores around the bonfire, and making the traditional Steak ‘N’ Shake run around midnight Saturday night/Sunday morning.

Jim Sylvester (on the right) listens to senior students talk about what they have seen God do  during their years on campus

Even the ladies got into the football spirit (right). Fortunately they only had some bruises and one bloody nose. They fared better than the guys who sent two to the local hospital for stitches (they are fine)

Kids' Column

Fall retreat was so much fun! I almost got to sleep on the top bunk. But Daddy and Mommy decided I should wait until next year. We jumped in a huge pile of leaves—it was bigger than my bedroom! And I got to throw the Frisbees around—that was my favorite thing from last year, too. I am starting to be able to read. The first book I read had just a few pages and it was called Zac the Rat. I think reading is almost more fun than math now.

I have a new hairstyle. Mommy puts a barrette in my hair and I look like Miss Jenny. Miss Jenny works with Mommy and Daddy and she has curly hair just like me. We got new flashlights for fall retreat. There were lots of students there. And my favorite thing was getting to play with Michael. His mommy and daddy work with my mommy and daddy. Next we are going to Indiana for a conference before Thanksgiving.

I am soon going to be a big traveler. I got to sleep in a cabin for the first time at fall retreat. I’ll sleep in a new place for the staff conference, for Thanksgiving, and in a couple different places for Christmas. My pak ‘n play goes with us, so I’m the only one who gets to take my bed along everywhere! I have 5 teeth now and 3 more are coming in. For some reason Mommy and Drew get upset when I try my new teeth out on them. Mommy gave me a spoon for the first time this morning. Did you know that with a spoon you can get food on your forehead and in your hair more easily?

Bath time!

Lauren gets a better view at Fall Retreat

Who needs to go to Fall Retreat to see woodland critters when this one keeps showing up on our sliding back door screen

“I really had fun at my first Fall Retreat!”- Lindsey

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