I'd like to take a brief amount of time to update you all on what has been going on in May. You may think that because school ends for students towards the beginning of May that there's not much going on. I assure you, nothing is further from the truth! May is one of the busiest months of the year for a few great reasons: wrapping up the school year, Student Institute of Campus Ministry (SICM), and Regent College. I'll take some time to explain each.
End of the School Year:
The end of the school year is marked by some poignant time with students and student leaders. As we say goodbye to many of our students and leaders we reflect on what their time has meant to the health and life of our community. We send them out to many 4 year universities (most of them go to another university where Focus is to serve as leaders), knowing they'll be vital parts of those communities as well. It's all a bittersweet experience. We had our last Focus meeting and took time to hear from numerous young students about what their experience in Focus has meant to them this year. We said goodbye to and honored three people who have played pivotal roles on our staff this year: Tyler Marble, Brianna Marble, and Cody McCarty. They mean so much to the success and health of Focus at Collin and they will be dearly missed as they go fill positions in ministry elsewhere.
Student Institute of Campus Ministry:
SICM is also this time of year. We choose students from the various ministries to attend a week-long campus ministry training in Bellingham, Washington in order to train them how to be student leaders on their campuses. It is such a meaningful experience for both our staff and those students. This year all together we took 77 students! Collin College (both the Spring Creek and Preston Ridge campuses) took 21 of those students. Our students were profoundly impacted by this experience and I can't wait to see how their time at SICM affects the way they view their peers and their campuses! Regent College:
On a more personal note, I have been attending Regent College in Vancouver, British Canada since after SICM. Myself and 5 others on our staff will be here until the end of the week taking various seminary courses. It has been amazing for me to get to attend class every day and hear from Rikk Watts, a New Testament scholar. I have been learning a lot and can't wait to take what I've learned back into my ministry at Collin College. The financial and material investment for me, while large, has been worth it. I am constantly seeking to enrich my faith so that I may be of some use to the students in our community so as to build them up and equip them to proclaim the gospel of Jesus to their peers.
Finally, we have some new additions to our staff at Collin that I'm excited to tell you about. We have 4 new interns coming on staff in the fall at Collin. For now I'll tell you their names and ask that you be praying for them as they take on the challenge and joy of campus ministry. They are: Matthew Evans, Katelyn Mullings, JD Pearson, and Albert Rodriguez. We are so excited to get to work with them this next year, and I can't wait to see how God uses them in campus ministry. Until next month, I ask you continue to pray for us, as you are in our prayers constantly. Thank you so much for your support and your commitment to what the Lord is doing on these campuses!
Yours on the campus,
Garrett
No comments:
Post a Comment