The end is near!

Hello,

It's amazing to think that starting tomorrow December is upon us, the Christmas season has begun and the end of the semester is near. What would you like to accomplish before the semester ends? Do you have a friend you would like to talk with about Christ? Do you have a Christmas outreach planned that you and/or others in your ministry would like to follow through with? This is such a great time of year to show the love of Christ to our friends and neighbors!

Matthew 5:16 "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

Here are some things to keep in mind for your last week or two of the semester:

• Reserve your meeting room for next spring, plan on starting your meetings during the first week of classes. Starting early is key to involving returning students and attracting new/transferring students.


• Find out if there is any club fair or orientation that you can reserve a table for to publicize your ministry to new or transfer students, reserve any rooms or tables needed for outreach activities or special events.


• Choose or design your posters and make copies of them, then you'll be ready to put them up when you return.


• Meet with other leaders to talk about next semester. Topics to study, outreach ideas, plan something fun to do during the first few weeks of the semester.


• Celebrate the end of the semester and Christmas! Either in your last weekly meeting or at a separate time - have a Christmas party, take time to have fun with one another and to build memories before saying goodbye for the next several weeks.

Also, keep in mind the importance of registering for the Boston Winter Conference and for promoting it as well. The early pre-reg discount deadline is December 15th. Once classes come to an end, it will be much tougher to get students to register. The next week or two are very important. Please click on this website to learn more about the conference and register: http://www.bostonwinterconference.com

We are praying for you!

Christmas is coming!

Hello,

Most likely as you read this, you are eagerly anticipating your upcoming Thanksgiving break! Chances are, that you may think there is plenty of time to consider Christmas outreach after thanksgiving but even with this celebration just over a week away, most of us only have a few weeks before exams end. That means right now is probably just the right time to plan for some Christmas outreaches. People are usually much more interested in spiritual things at Christmas time, so I encourage you to be ready to share the hopeful "news of great joy" that we have with your friends and classmates.

"But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."" Luke 2:10-11

Some outreach ideas to the campus may include:

• Giving out any remaining evangelistic books and resources and/or give out the Case for Christmas at a table, or bringing them to a weekly meeting or small group and encouraging members to take 2-5 with them to give out to friends.


• Giving out candy canes and/or hot chocolate at a table near the campus bookstore when people are selling books back. (There is an interesting story about the Candymaker using/designing candy canes to tell others about Jesus--not sure if it is true or not but there is some interesting connections in the design).


• Showing the Charlie Brown Christmas special (there is actually gospel content in it!)or the Nativity movie and having a party where people invite friends. Play some fun games and decorate Christmas cookies (made in advance).


• Get together as a group and bake cookies to give out to non-Christian friends and to the people on campus that you want to thank.
• Use the everystudent.com Christmas posters found at http://everystudentpromotion.com/campaigns/20-christmas/index.html to offer students an opportunity to seek Christ this Christmas.

One other thing we would like you to consider is taking a few moments to thank those who help to make your ministry possible on campus. (Phil 1:3 "I thank my God every time I remember you.")
Some of those people may include:

• Faculty Advisor


• The person who approves your posters


• The worker who reserves rooms for you


• The accounting person who you go to with your financial questions and for money


• Etc....

There could be many others, but consider how you might show some appreciation to them. A card signed by those in your ministry or leadership team, a small plate of homemade cookies etc. Nothing expensive or elaborate but it shows care, appreciation and the love of Christ

We pray that these ideas will help you reach out with the love of Jesus in a couple weeks as we enter the Christmas season. If you don't use one of these ideas I hope it helps spark your imagination to develop other methods of reaching out!

Praying for you,

Spiritual Growth: Community building

Hello,

"Dear friends let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." (1 John 4:7)

I hope and pray that your week has gone well and that you are keeping up with your classes! As you continue to build the ministry on campus this semester, please keep in mind the need to grow in love for one another. Cultivating community in your ministry is one of the best ways you can help students to grow in love and compassion for each other.

As students connect with one another in your ministry, they will grow in their concern for one another and their desire to come to other events and activities is likely to increase. If they keep coming, their relationship with the Lord is likely to grow. When they become more comfortable with others in the ministry, barriers will be broken down and people will more willingly open up about what they are thinking and struggling with.

Some simple steps to cultivate community:

• Incorporate simple ice breakers or games into your weekly meeting/bible study. Activities to get people sharing about themselves and laughing together. You can go to the website http://www.godsquad.com/discipleship/icebreakers.htm for some great ideas. If it isn't too difficult have snacks or refreshments at/after your meeting or Bible study.


• Plan some fun activities outside of your regular meeting times: game night, bowling, mini golf, make your own ice cream sundaes, go to a fall festival together. Go out with others after the meeting


• Get together as a smaller group - invite 2-3 people over to your apartment (if you have one) for dinner, or ask them to meet you at the dining hall. You could also meet for lunch on campus. It could be as simple as picking a day and time each week to meet in a particular area of the commuter cafeteria.


• Plan a girls night out/guys night out. This is a great way to bond and develop friends.
  People are much more apt to open up at bible study and volunteer their time to help out if they are friends with the people in the ministry. Don't forget the fun!

Acts 2:42,46 "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." "Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,"