Thursday, May 1, 2014

An Update on April

Hello friends and supporters!

Well, May is finally here and with it comes the promise of summer rest for our students and, to a lesser degree, our staff. April has been a great month, and I can't wait to update you on how it has gone.

Our corefa team (aka our small group leaders) are wrapping up their time in our ministry. This is always a bittersweet time of year for me. It's sad to see the students I spent all year with on a week-in, week-out basis leave our Collin team. But a large part of me is happy that they will be investing in students elsewhere (most of them at a 4 year university that Focus is on!). In some infinitesimal way I guess it feels like parents must feel when their children leave home. While I certainly haven't changed any diapers or had the span of years to be anywhere near that, I have deeply invested my time, energy, and my very self into these students. When they leave I worry for them, even though I know they will use all the things they have learned to be effective ministers of the gospel on their campuses. I'm so proud of this group of corefas. They have been a great joy to me and I could not be happier with what God has done in each of their lives.

Our ministry as a whole has never been in a better place. We have so many committed and engaged students involved in our small groups, our weekly meeting, and one-on-one studies. Our end-of-the-year banquet is coming up this Saturday. That will be a neat time to get to reflect on the year, share about our community, and enjoy time together before summer.

Summer Focus is another cool season of ministry. All the Focus campuses will be meeting at a church in Plano this summer. We have ministry classes that go on in the summer as well, giving students an opportunity to expand their knowledge and experience of God together during an otherwise inactive time for most students. We aim to enable and recharge our students this summer, giving them rest and a fresh perspective for Fall.

Finally, our staff will be experiencing some shifts this year. Tyler and Brianna will be welcoming their baby, Reese, into the world any day now! This will affect their ability to play a full time role on staff, although we fully expect them to continue to be pillars in our community. We have two new staff members coming on at Collin, Danielle Rodriguez and Cody McCarty. We're excited about that addition to our team!

As friends, partners, and supporters in this ministry I'd ask that during this time you please be praying for the following things:

  • God to give us discernment in choosing leaders for the next year
  • Tyler and Brianna's baby
  • Our new staff and their effective ministry this year
  • Our transitioning corefas and their success in the campuses we are sending them to
  • Summer Focus and its impact on our ministry
  • Our ministry as a whole, for its continued pursuit of God and his will, and for lives to be changed and hearts turned to God
Thank you so much for your help, support, and prayers. We could do nothing without you! I'm praying blessings for you and yours, that the God who supplies all will amply supply you as you do his kingdom's work here! 

Yours for the campus,

Garrett 

P.S. ( I am looking for people to join my support team! If you are interested in financially supporting me please contact me at garrett@anyfocus.org or call me at 214-336-8392. I'd love to meet with you face-to-face and answer any questions you may have. Any amount really helps support me continuing to do ministry on campus!) 

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