Happy Memorial Day weekend!
I hope that it's sun filled with lot's of fun, cook outs, and great time with family.
I apologize for the delay in postings, I've been busy with quite a few things.
The last full week in April was when Pitt finished up for the school year, almost a month ago. During that week I got to meet with a couple students, have coffee and donuts which are always great and just talk. That week we had our final CSF where we had a Super Smash Bros. Brawl party. Greg brought his Wii, I brought my game and come controllers, and we had a really good time. We had food, drinks, gifts for the graduating seniors and I passed out some random toys to all the students just to have something to give them. I actually got a shirt as well that everyone signed for me. So it took almost a year, but I finally got a Pitt shirt!
The weeks following that I got busy with my school work. I spent about 2 weeks working on a paper for my ethics class with a really interesting topic, Ethical foundations across cultures in human nature. Unfortunately I didn't get to do as much research as I would have liked, but it was still a good paper.
The first weekend in May I went on a tri-state trip, going from Pittsburgh to Columbus to help my brother move. Then from Columbus down to Kentucky/West Virginia so I could do some work on my paper, visit a church that is currently supporting me, and also visit friends and Rachael (girlfriend). While I was in Columbus/Grove City I got to meet with the minister of my home church, Stan, and we got to have breakfast together and some really good conversation. We set a date of July 26th where I'll get to preach at Buckeye and I'm hoping to have a meeting afterwards with some of the congregation to talk about support for my ministry.
Speaking of ministry, next month I have an interview with CSFPA to take over a campus ministry in Altoona, PA. The school that is there is a Penn State branch, so a 2 year school with some 4 year degrees. I know for me this will be challenging but I'm excited to have a campus of my own to work with. During the past couple weeks I drove out to Altoona to meet the students, see how they do things, meet with our Director Buzz, the current campus minister there, and the church that the ministry will be partnered with. Given my summer plans are going to be a bit hectic, I'm not entirely sure when I'll be moving out there, but by August for sure.
This past weekend (May 14th-17th) the camp that we're associated with had their college retreat which Greg leads every year. I ended up going down as well as the main speaker. The focus of the week was From Enemies to Heirs. I started off by looking at Psalm 15, and how it is friends that come up the hill and into God's house. But looking through Romans 1-7 we see that we are not friends of God, but instead enemies. Then we looked at what it's like being children of God, how there's excitement for his return and our union, and we find in him a place of refuge and safety. We looked at how God is the ultimate Father, and how we're adopted into his family yet loved as if we were his own. And being children of God makes us heirs with Christ (Rom. 8) and we talked about what that means, which led to some great discussion. From there we turned to Galatians 5 and how as Children of God we are to live according to the Spirit, not the flesh. We read and discussed what it means to live according to the flesh and what the Fruit of the Spirit really means.
Some of the activities we did that weekend were a bit of a service project where the students helped fix up the pool (I had to make a Walmart run then so I missed out). We got to play paintball on Friday, and I still have a couple bruises. On Saturday we were hoping to shoot guns, but then rain kept coming and going, but eventually it cleared up and we got to have some fun with guns. And no one got hurt! That night we had some free time so we ended up playing minute to win it games and afterwards played some old school super smash bros. on the Nintendo 64. Reigning champ! Went undefeated! Then finally Sunday we had breakfast then gathered around the table for a time of communion. From there we all parted ways to head home. That weekend we had about 9 students from different churches and schools all come. Some came for just a night, others the whole weekend, and some just for a few hours. Either way we had a good turn out and I think a difference was made in the students.
Then come this weekend I get to clean the house and relax mostly. Tomorrow I get to go out on the town and see the sights, for the first time since being here. Tuesday 8 of us are going to a pirates game because, why not?
As for other things that are going on, this week I'll be working on a news letter to send out, so be on the look out for it late this week or early next. Also be expecting calls about continuing support!
To give you a heads up, with me having my own ministry and with your support you will receive a monthly news letter, written every last Monday (except holidays). Every Monday will be a weekly blog talking about the previous week on this blog. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday will be a devotional blog on my other blog, themandrews.blogspot.com, for encouragement and to help you in your walk with God. And throughout the year there will be phone calls to catch up, discuss prayer needs and whatever else we want to talk about! And (hopefully) there will be a yearly visit. This one is still in the works.
If you're still reading this far, Thanks! I hope you have a great weekend and shortened work week. If you would like a news letter and aren't currently supporting me, please send me an email (mandrews909@gmail.com) with your email address and/or home address with which you would prefer. As always, for those supporting me, thank your for your continual support both spiritually and financially. I pray that God blesses you for your help and I look forward to getting in contact with everyone!
