The Meaning of Marriage - Week 1

Last night, a great group of people began studying Tim and Kathy Keller's The Meaning of Marriage.  We watched a clip from a talk Tim Keller gave at Google's New York City campus.  Regardless of whether you agree with his approach to marriage (which I do, mostly), the first couple of minutes about our inherent biases toward marriage is excellent.  Also, the Q&A gets pretty interesting at the end.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9THu0PZwwk

Enjoy!

Travis

Youth Auction This Sunday!

When I began working in student ministries almost ten years ago, a revolutionary book had just been released called Hurt: Inside the World of Today's Teenagers.  The book provided an in-depth view into the lives of middle and high school students and the incredible pressures and rapid pace of change they face on a daily basis.  The book helped me find a way to relate to students with a better sense of what their world is like compared to the world I encountered as a teenager years before.  One of the keys of the book is how students simply need caring adults to relate to them, treat them with respect, and invite them into faith in Christ in transparent and honest ways.

Below is a link to an interview with the author, Chap Clark.

http://fulleryouthinstitute.org/articles/hurt?/2005/08/hurt/

This Sunday, our student ministries team will host our annual Youth Auction in Fellowship Hall.  It's a can't-miss event with great items and opportunities to connect with student ministries in a deeper way.  Supporting student ministries through events like the auction is a wonderful way to show kids that we care about them.  All morning long, we'll have silent auction items available, and starting at 6pm, the live auction will begin.  It's a great event and a great way to support student ministries.  I hope to see you there.

Solo Dei gloria,

Travis

InterVarsity Update

Dear Ministry Partners,

I hope these last couple months have been as wonderful for you as they have been for me and InterVarsity in Grand Junction. I have had the joy of watching a community of students appear out of nothing. It has been challenging being alone, constantly meeting many new people, and discovering how to do this job. Yet, it has been rewarding, amazing, and truly worth all the struggles. Shortly, God has been moving here and writing a tremendous story. Thank you for making InterVarsity at CMU a possibility. As Alison and I prepare to get married this Saturday, I would love to share with you some highlights, stories, and requests for prayer.

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at CMU: Discovering fulfillment in life with Jesus for people of all backgrounds.

Praises

Over 130 students have been personally invited to Bible studies, prayer group, frisbee, or other events where they can get involved. Over 40 students have shown up to at least one event. We have 3 weekly events that I co-lead with students: a small group that studies the Bible, a prayer group, and, as of this week, a Group Investigating God (GIG). The GIG is a group for students who are new to life with Jesus or are curious about what it means to be a Christian. At least 3 students will be attending this new group the first week. 8 students, all freshman, attended Fall Conference. The conference was powerful and built friendships, community, and a desire to reach out to our campus.

   Carlee, a freshman who called me to ask about InterVarsity, agreed to meet me for coffee. One of the first things she expressed was her desire to have a place on campus where she could pray and learn about what prayer is. I said, "why don't you start a prayer group with me?" She was very excited to start something new. The group took off, averaging 5 or 6 students each week. We pray for our campus, friends, and for God's movement. We also investigate what prayer is and invite everyone to come check it out. Carlee is growing into an excellent leader and is a core member of our new fellowship.

Jake, a freshman I met the first day of school, has been playing frisbee with us and showed an interest in finding out who Jesus is. After an invitation to InterVarsity's annual Fall Conference in Fraser, Colorado, Jake excitedly, and unexpectedly, accepted. During the conference, the speaker gave an invitation for students to stand up as a decision to follow Jesus. Jake was the first one on his feet. When asked about the experience, he said he was overwhelmed by emotion, crying, and his legs were shaking, but he knew he wanted to stand. InterVarsity at CMU is overjoyed to have one more person discovering the life Jesus has to offer. He will be learning about the Bible and other aspects of Christianity in the new GIG.

Lauren, a freshman with strong leadership potential, met with me one afternoon. She was almost in tears as she described her desire for friends on campus who would encourage her, treat her with respect, and follow Jesus with her. I invited her to keep coming to InterVarsity events. She showed up and loved it. Now, some of her best friends are in InterVarsity, and Lauren has a strong drive to invite other students who share her longing for good community. She is now co-leading our weekly small group and plans other community building activities, such as cooking dinner in my apartment. I foresee many more student dinner nights here once Lauren and Alison combine forces.

Student Quotes

"InterVarsity has been my favorite part of school so far." Jennifer, Freshman

"I feel so refreshed and closer to God after Bible study." Carlee, Freshman

"I made 8 new friends!" Jake, Freshman, a few days after deciding to follow Jesus at Fall Conference

Please Partner in Prayer for:

Our community to continue to grow and never grow stagnant

Students to grow in their faith and develop into leaders in their dorms and friend networks

Jake to discover joy and life in relationship with Jesus

The new GIG starting this week

The large amount of underage drinking and drug use on our campus. Students on our campus are thirsting for satisfaction in places they will not find it.

God to continue moving in powerful ways

More partners to support this growing ministry financially and in prayer

Alison and my wedding on the 12th to be a wonderful start to an even better marriage

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at CMU: Discovering fulfillment in life with Jesus for people of all backgrounds.

No Intended Return

I've mentioned in previous blog posts about a question we ask often in our mission and ministry: "Who is this for?"  In other words, who are we trying to reach with a particular ministry effort?  Another phrase we use less often - although it's the subtext for a lot of what we do - is "no intended return."  ShareFest was founded on the idea that churches in Grand Junction could share the love of Jesus in tangible ways - with no intended return.  We're not trying to get anything out of serving our community; we simply feel that this is what churches are called to do to show the love of Christ.  If people choose to support the ministry of a church or get involved somehow because of ShareFest, that's great - but it's not why we do what we do.

Today, a brilliant inter-generational service project unfolded in our Fellowship Hall.  More than 150 people volunteered nearly 4 hours of their time to help feed hungry children in Haiti, West Africa, and right here in Colorado.  The project was called Kids Against Hunger, and through a dedicated team of leaders and a small capital investment for materials, people of all ages were able to package meals and prepare them to be shipped around the world.  One of our local news stations came by to see what we were up to:

http://www.krextv.com/news/around-the-region/Local-Church-Feeds-Hungry-with-40000-Meals-227606641.html

It's almost absurd to ask what FPC might tangibly receive based on our investment in Kids Against Hunger.  Our "bottom line" is that the Kingdom goes forth.  150 people experienced the powerful work of the Holy Spirit on a beautiful fall afternoon, and 40,000 meals will be shipped across the world.  The intended return for the children and families who enjoy those meals is truly priceless.  A church of "no intended return" is a great place to be.

Thanks to all of you who participated today.  You can learn more about Kids Against Hunger at: kidsagainsthunger.org.

Solo Dei gloria,

Travis

PS - I'm watching Game 2 of the ALCS right now, and Max Sherzer of the Detriot Tigers is making the Boston Red Sox look absolutely silly.  Gotta love October baseball!

Art of Marriage Event

Hi Friends,

Are you and your spouse free November 1st and 2nd??

If so, join Stephen and I for a mini marriage retreat. 

We'll be going through the Art of Marriage video series, put on by the ministry, Family Life Today. These videos combine dramatic stories, real-life testimonies, expert interviews, humorous vignettes and other teaching methods to lay out God's design for marriage in a fresh, engaging way. There will also be opportunities to go through exercises from the workbook, designed to help you draw closer to your spouse and apply the principles taught in each video session. 

Our prayer is that we'd leave feeling encouraged and refreshed in our marriages!

Here's the Details:

When: Friday, November 1st, 7- 9:30pm, Dessert will be provided & Saturday, November 2nd, 9am-4pm, Lunch will be provided 

Where: Dick & Mary Ohman's Home

706 Estates Blvd. Grand Junction  

Cost: 35$ per couple, cost covers two workbooks.

*RSVP: Let me know if you can come by October 17th. (I need to order workbooks no later than the 17th). Space is limited so reserve your spot soon.

Rebecca Anthony (970)640-0385

*At this point, childcare is not available. I will be praying those with kiddos can find babysitters. Think of it as two date nights out! Feel free to pass this email on to anyone you think might want to come.

If you visit www.TheArtofMarriage.com they have a promotional video about this event.

Happy Fall and hope to see you soon,

Rebecca Anthony (640-0385)

Re-Post: Spiritualizing Our Weaknesses

I came across a post recently from the blog hosted by ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians.  The author clearly articulates some unspoken divisions in any church, and then does a good job of re-framing the conversation.  It's short and definitely worth reading.

http://eco-pres.org/blog/spiritualizing-our-weaknesses/

Love to hear your thoughts.

Travis

Jonathan Edwards Sermon from Sunday, Regaining Mobility

This past Sunday, I mentioned a sermon from a 1700's era pastor named Jonathan Edwards.  It's lengthy, but it's definitely worth reading.  Below you'll find a link to the sermon online, and if you send me an email, I'll send you a PDF of the sermon.  Also, we'll have a few paper copies available at the church office.

http://www.biblebb.com/files/edwards/charity.htm

My sermon should be posted in the next few days.  Here's a link to our sermon page, and I'd encourage you to check out Tom's sermon from Sept. 22.

http://firstpresgj.org/index.php?nid=137198&s=rs

On a separate note, thanks for your continued prayers for recovery and healing for me.  My face has almost completely healed up, and you have to look pretty closely to see any marks or scars.  Yesterday, I went to the gym and ran a mile!  It feels like a miracle to be able to get my legs moving again at a somewhat-decent pace.  When I told one of my neighbors that I'd started running again, he quipped, "Well, that must look hilarious."  :)  Range of motion on my knee is still a bit limited (I can get down on the floor to play with my son, for example, but only with some awkward movement), but it really does feel better every day.  I have a follow-up with my doctor next week, and I'll be sure to post an update afterwards.

Solo Dei gloria,

Travis