Senior Cru - Thursday 7:30pm Worsham Theater

Senior Cru is Thursday night 7:30pm in Worsham Theater. Come help us honor our Seniors!

And in case you didn't hear, the cutest little girl in whole wide world was born last Friday to Donny and Kim. Amelia Louise Friederichsen (Millie) was born on April 20. She weighed in at a cool 10lbs 3oz and 21 inches. For all you guys who don't have a clue about baby size...she was big.

Tangible Ways to Help

This just came in from our Regional Team. There is no expectation or obligation to give. Our first priority is still to pray. This is simply an outlet for those who want to give in a tangible manner.

Many have asked for tangible ways to help minister to students at VA Tech. Of course, the biggest way is via prayer. We have already seen prayers answered and continue to pray that God is and will be glorified through this horrible tragedy.

Another way to help is financial. An account has been set-up at our CCC HQs where you can send a donation. The staff team at Virginia Tech will be able to use these funds in the days and weeks ahead to help minister to students, faculty and the community of Blacksburg. No obligation of course, but a few people have asked if anything is needed. Of course, CCC is still determining how to best respond to the needs of those involved, but as plans are made in the weeks ahead, any donations received into this account will go towards helping to meet those needs. Thank you for your prayers and support!

How to contribute to the VT ministry by check:
Make check payable to “Campus Crusade for Christ”
Include note on memo line with this account number: 2798287
Mail to: Campus Crusade for Christ
VT Tragedy Ministry Response, desig 2798287
100 Lake Hart Drive, 24-00
Orlando, FL 32832

How to contribute to the VT ministry by credit card online:
Go to www.campuscrusadeforchrist.com – click on “Giving Opportunities” in the right-hand column
In the text box, put the account number – 2798287 – and click “Go”
Then click on “give a gift” and follow instructions

Local Coverage of UKCRU's Prayer Vigil of VT

Here some links to the local coverage of our prayer vigil for Virginia Tech.
A special thanks to all who helped make this happen. A very special thanks to Russell and Adam for their tireless work on Tuesday.

Kentucky Kernel article
Lexington Herald-Leader article
WKYT27 Lexington CBS affiliate - article
WKYT27 Lexington CBS affiliate - video
WLEX18 Lexington NBC affiliate - article
WAVE3 Louisville NBC affiliate - article
WHAS11 Louisville - article

VT Cru Update

I'm posting a link to Campus Crusade's Update page for those of you interested in what is going on with our Cru movement Va Tech.

You can click here for it.

Virginia Tech's Cru movement was hit very hard by this tragedy. Four of their students were killed. The freshman girl who lived next door to the first two victims is involved. She was the first person to see any of the victims on that sad day. Another student was in a classroom where everyone was killed or injured except for him. Their ministry is mourning in a way that I cannot understand.

In addition to an abbreviated normal meeting, we will have a special time of prayer tonight. We will be joining with literally thousands from around the globe by praying. Invite your Christian friends to come to Taylor Ed tonight at 7:30. There is a facebook group that Crusade has started called "Call to Prayer Thursday!" I encourage you to join it and leave a note. This will be send to the Va Tech CRU as a sign of encouragement from their Christian brothers and sisters from around the globe.

I will try to post some links to local news stories related to Va Tech and our Prayer Vigil soon.

Virginia Tech CRU Tragedy Update

This came today from Virginia Tech's Campus Crusade.
17.Apr.2007, 10:39 p.m. EST
By _______, staff member at Virginia Tech
We thought we’d send another update from Blacksburg--today has been much more quiet than yesterday, with the focus being on the convocation that took place at 2 p.m. where President Bush and the Virginia Governor spoke, and then also finding out who are actually amongst those killed yesterday.
An official list still has not been completely released, but by word of mouth and through other sources, here is how our students were touched by this tragedy:
4 students who were involved with Cru at Virginia Tech were killed in the classroom shootings.
The student who found the 2 bodies in the dorm room shooting was a student involved with Cru .
We have a student who was one of only 2 to be able to walk out of his classroom without being shot. As you can imagine, he is very shaken up after witnessing what he did.
We are trying to gather our students together in groups to help them talk this out, pray, cry, anything that will help them process what they are going through.
Classes have been cancelled here for the entire week, so some students may head home, but some may stay in order to be with friends who are going through this common experience.

How You Can Pray
We would ask that you would pray that students don’t isolate themselves. In times like this, it is a natural thing to try to do, but it is not helpful for them in the long run.

Please pray that they talk things through with their friends. Pray also for our staff--they are doing pretty well given the circumstances, but they are tired emotionally and physically.

Pray also for wisdom with dealing with the media--they are swarming any student who saw anything, and it may not be the best for students to get put in the spotlight right now.

Lastly, pray for our kids and the other children of Blacksburg. They were out of school today and will be tomorrow, and there were several professors who were parents who were killed or injured.

Virginia Tech Prayer Vigil

"Look among the nations, and see;

wonder and be astounded.

For I am doing a work in your days

that you would not believe if told."

Habbakuk 1:5 (ESV)

Where is God in the midst of tragedy? I'm not going to pretend to say I have all the answers to a question like that. I do know that events like what happened at Virginia Tech do fall outside of God's power. Tragedy is no reason to jettison our belief in God. In fact, if there is no God...then there is only a material world. Injustice and suffering are just natural events. It would only be the survival of the fittest...yet, we all feel as if these things should not happen. Suffering cannot be a reason for abandoning God. Suffering is a problem for those who believe in God and those who do not. You cannot, however, be intellectually honest in ditching God because of tragedy.

This is how Habbakuk felt. He was questioning God in face of a difficult time. He questioned God's commitment to His people. He questioned God's faithfulness. And God responded, "Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told." From Creation, God has been at work unfolding a plan that will redeem His people from the grip of sin and death. This plan is for His glory. And everything in this plan points to his Redeemer, Jesus Christ. It points specifically to Jesus Christ and the suffering, injustice and tragedy of the cross.

God not only knows that we suffer. God knows what it means to suffer. John Stott wrote, "I could never believe in a God if it were not for the Cross. In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who is immune to it?" God understands the pain of this world. He knows what it is like to suffer. When we wrestle with the question of "WHY" we can know that God understands.

As the Lord spoke to Habbakuk, the prophet's heart began to change. Habbakuk began to see that God was a work on something bigger than his present suffering. This didn't invalidate or remove his pain. It merely gave some perspective. The suffering still hurts. There is still injustice. Habbakuk, like us, still longs for iniquity, injustice, tragedy and suffering to be gone. But now he has some greater perspective. Habbakuk closes his book with these words:

Though the fig tree should not blossom,

nor fruit be on the vines,

the produce of the olive fail

and the fields yield not food,

the flock be cut off from the fold

and there be no herd in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the LORD;

I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

God, the Lord, is my strength;

he makes my feet like the deer's;

he makes me tread on my high places.

Amen

Prayer Vigil TONIGHT at the Memorial Hall Amphitheater

Please join us tonight, Tuesday, April 17, at 8:15 p.m. at the Memorial Hall Amphitheater for a prayer vigil to pray for the students, families, and others affected by the Virginia Tech shootings yesterday. All are invited. We hope to see as many of you as can possibly attend.

Bible Study for Week of 4.16.07

Here are the Bible Studies for next week.

If you want to do the Bible Study based on Acts 17, it is posted below.
An Unknown God
An Unknown God - Leader's Guide

I you would like to do the last Bible Study in the series, it is posted below.
God's Powerful Presence
God's Powerful Presence - Leader's Guide

Also, the End of the Year Picnic is April 21st 12-5 at the Crouse's Farm.
Click here for Mapquest Directions.

Senior CRU is April 26th 7:30pm at Worsham Theater. Come and honor all our graduating Seniors.

Bible Study for Week of 4.9.07

You can either do the Bible Study from last week's post or do something something totally on your own. Have fun with it.

Update from our Easter Outreach:

We made 1500+ exposures to our ministry
Through our Easter Egg Hunt the Gospel was clearly communicated 128 times.
A special thanks for everytone who participated. Join me in thanking the Lord for what he has done and looking forward to how he will use this!

Bible Study for Week of 4.2.07

Here ya go...

Paul's Strategy II
Paul's Strategy II - Leader's Guide

As usual, the login is "ukcru" and password is "gocats".

You can choose to either do this Bible Study this week or next.
We will be meeting at CSF this week on Thursday night for combined Easter Worship service.

Easter Outreach

When: Wednesday April 4th, 2007
This outreach has two different parts and we would love for you to be involved in as much as you can!
Part 1: Easter Surveys and Passing out flyers for the Easter Egg Hunt and Easter Service
Meet in the Library at 11:15am where we will equip you with the resources that you need, pray for the outreach, and get everyone on the same page.
From there we will disperse to different areas of the campus, we are going to try and hit the 11:50am rush.
If you can’t make it to the library, you can meet up with us somewhere on campus.
This part of the out reach is going to last until about 2:30pm. At this time we will meet in the library to collect the extra materials and get ready for the egg hunt.

Part 2: Easter Egg Hunt
Meet at the library at 2:30pm. There will be a hunt that goes on in South, Central, and North Campus. The actual Easter Egg Hunt will begin at 4:30pm. But we need your help to hide the eggs. We are going to need a lot of help since there are three locations.
At each location, someone has the chance to win an Ipod shuffle, so invite your friends. We will also have someone sharing their testimony and the gospel.
If you can’t make it at 2:30, you can still help just head to one of the areas. We will be outside somewhere.
If you have any questions about the Egg hunt contact Lynnessa at 859-816-3729.

Meet the New Campus Director

It's official! We have a new Campus Director.

John and Geralyn Strange have accepted the position of Campus Director for UK.

They have spent the last several years on staff at Clemson University. John is a graduate of that school down south in Knoxville...but Geralyn is a graduate of the University of Kentucky.


They will be visiting the campus soon and will move to Lexington sometime this summer.


Please join me in welcoming them!

Bible Study for the Week of 03.26.07

Hope everyone's sunburn has transitioned from peeling to tan and back to lily white. I know mine has.
We are going to pick back up with our study on Acts this week. We're going to begin to look at Paul's impact on reaching the world with the Gospel. We'll be looking at Acts 13.
Paul's Strategy I
Paul's Strategy I - Leader's Guide
Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J.I. Packer
I'll see ya'll at Taylor Ed. rm 158 on Thursday!

Bible Study for Week of 03.19.07

Hey everybody! I had a great time at Daytona! I hope you did too!
I've posted an optional Bible Study for this week below. If you want to do this, then have at it. If you'd rather spend some time hanging out or doing something else, then please do it.
We'll start back up with Acts next week. I'll be leading the next study at a1:8 this week.
I'm looking forward to seeing everyone on Thursday.

Here's the optional Bible Study:

Follow Me
Follow Me - Leader's Guide
Run to Win by Howard Hendricks

Updated Bible Study for 03.05.07

Sorry for the delay but the links are working now.

Here is this week's Bible Study... as usual the login is "ukcru" and the password is "gocats"

Unlimited Patience
Unlimited Patience - Leader's Guide
Are the Biblical Documents Reliable? by Jimmy Williams - this is an interesting article that is mostly unrelated to the Bible Study. However, after watching the Discovery Channel on the "Lost Tomb of Jesus" has prompted me to include this. I hope it helps answer some questions. If you watched the "documentary" last night and have questions, I recommend reading Ben Witherington's blog post on it. He clearly debunks a lot of the half truths associated with it. His first sentence really puts everything in perspective.

On a side note, since when has making a movie about an early 20th century steam ship made one an expert on Biblical Archaeology? I think it is highly reasonable to think that a cable channel that puts out shows like Stunt Junkies, Dirty Jobs (one of my favorites), and American Chopper is probably one of the most reliable sources for Biblical Archaeology.

Spring Break Scholarship Info

If you have talked with Donny about a scholarship and he mentioned that you need to send out 5 support letters...then this is the post for you.

I have linked to the sample support letter here. It is in MS Word format. If you don't have that, then you really ought to get join the 21st century.
You will need to edit it and change all the personal info. Trust me, if you don't, you'll feel really silly.

Send the letter (signed in ink) to 5 people you feel would be encouraged to be a part of your spiritual development. Don't forget to included a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope in the letter. All checks need to be made payable to Campus Crusade for Christ.

You will need to let Donny know what your status is on Thursday (i.e. Letters sent, number of responses, money in, etc...). You can also let me know what comes in after Spring Break.

As soon as a letter comes back with support checks, WRITE A THANK YOU NOTE. If you forget to write a thank you note, I will put sand in the liner of your swimtrunks.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Donny 859-492-6419, or donny.friederichsen@uscm.org.

Thanks

Bible Study for Week of 02.26.07

Hey Everyone! I hope the past week has been a good one. Last week was kind of an off week for Bible Studies. I hope you had some good connection time doing something. I know some of the girls got together and watched "American Idol" together. I'm totally voting for Chris Sligh. Others got together and did some more spiritual things, like play Guitar Hero.

This week's Bible Study is a really good one. We'll begin to look at Divine Appointments by studying Philip's encounter with an Ethiopian Eunuch. If you don't know what a eunuch is, call your mom and ask her. I'd like to hear how the conversation goes.

Opportunities Abound

Opportunities Abound - Leader's Guide

Evangelistic Strategies - by Eric Swanson

the login is "ukcru" and the password is "gocats"

I'll see ya at a1:8

Spring Break $195 Deadline TODAY, Feb. 15

Hey friends! Just wanted to remind you that the Spring Break $195 deadline is today. You can register at CRU tonight. Click here for the preliminary schedule for Spring Break. I am excited that so many of you will be at SPRING BREAK! Kim

Sorry for the Delay

The Main server the hosts the Cru.comm Bible Studies has been down all week. Please be in prayer for this problem.
They have given me a temporary fix.
So, better late than never...right?

Powerful Persecution
Powerful Persecution - Leader's Guide
Persecution in the Early Church by Rick Wade

Lord willing, we'll have this fixed for next week.

I don't think it will ask for a login and password. If it does the login is "ukcru" and the password is "gocats".

Have a great week and I'll see ya on Wed. for our outreaches.

a1:8

Congrats to Brittany Gerth! She won $50 bucks off Spring Break for winning the "Namethatmeeting" contest. She helped us come up with the name a1:8 (a one eight). It is in reference to Acts 1:8.
So, now you have a name for it. Thanks to all who submitted ideas. There were really great ones and it was a tough choice.

If you'd like to name our, as yet unnamed, daughter, feel free to submit your ideas (with explanations) to namethatmeeting@gmail.com. We make no promises that we'll use it or give any discount for Spring Break.

We want to give you a heads up on something you will see in the media in the next few days.

On Sunday, February 4, millions of sports enthusiasts around the world will tune in to watch the ultimate game in professional football as Tony Dungy's Indianapolis Colts face Lovie Smith's Chicago Bears.

Athletes in Action, the sports ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, has teamed up with both head coaches and several players to create an opportunity for them to use this historic stage to talk about their common faith in Jesus Christ.

Full-Page Newspaper Ad and BeyondTheUltimate.org Web Site

On Friday, February 2, Campus Crusade has placed a full-page advertisement in the USA Today Super Bowl special section. The ad features both head coaches and points readers to a special Web site, www.BeyondTheUltimate.org.

The Web site features articles and streaming video from players and coaches who share their stories and talk about their faith in Jesus Christ. Additional articles and a clear presentation of the gospel create multiple opportunities for site visitors to learn how they can begin a relationship with God and receive God's love and forgiveness.

A sample of the ad appears on the bottom of this e-mail. You may also view the ad online.

How You Can Participate

• Encourage everyone you know to visit the Web site www.BeyondTheUltimate.org



• Post a copy of the USA Today ad on your church bulletin board



• Bring a copy of the ad to your Super Bowl party



• Forward this e-mail to others to let them know about this opportunity



• Pray for many people to experience God's love and forgiveness

Thanks for partnering with us!

Bible Study for Week of 02.05.07

Here's the Bible Study for next week.

Powerful Prayer

Powerful Prayer - Leader's Guide

Prayer: Rebelling Against the Status Quo - David Wells

The Login is "ukcru" and the password is "gocats".

Spring Break Registration

Click here for a .pdf of the Spring Break brochure. You can fill out the attached registration form and give your deposit to secure your spot. It's such a great deal. You won't be sorry that you did it (unless you get eaten by a shark...then you might regret it. Then again, if you get eaten by a shark, you'll probably be dead. Then you get to go to Jesus, which ain't half bad. Just think of it this way, for $195 you could see Jesus face to face).

You can also print up an informational flyer by clicking here. You can hand it out to classmates, dorm buddies, sorority sisters, people you pass on the way to class, that cute guy that always eats a spicy beef wrap on Tuesdays at 12:15 in Ovid's, that girl who sits at the computer in Core 3 on the fourth floor of the library and plays mindless internet games when she's supposed to be studying, that guy who sweats alot while he works out at the Johnson Center, that guy that obsesses over Jack Bauer of '24' (wait, that's me and I'm already going) or maybe one of your facebook friends (you've got like a gazillion of them).

Do you want $50 bucks off Spring Break?

We are looking for a new name for our weekly meeting. This is the meeting that will be in Taylor Ed. rm. 158.

It is a time of equipping for those who want to make an impact in the lives of others. It is not necessarily a time just for leaders. We need a name that communicates our passion for turning lost students into Christ-centered laborers.

We have decided to have a contest. Name the meeting and you win $50 off Spring Break. All submissions must be received via email by midnight on Thursday (2/1). Send submissions to namethatmeeting@gmail.com.

The staff team will evaluate and decide on Friday morning (2/2). You will be notified via email only if you won. All decisions of the staff team are final...don't whine if you didn't win. You may submit multiple suggestions. There is no limit. In the event that two people submit the same winning name, the entry that is received first will be declared the winner.



We really want a cool name and I really want to give someone fifty bucks for Spring Break.

($0.50 off Spring Break to the first email that can name the person in the picture above and say why I put it on the blog)

Bible Study for Week of 1.29.07

We are continuing to work through Acts. This week's lesson is posted below.
We'll be looking at Acts 4:1-22. Feel free to check it out before the equipping time on Thursday night.

A Powerful Witness
A Powerful Witness - Leader's Guide
The Current Intellectual State of Affairs in America by Tim Keller

As usual, the login is "ukcru" and the password is "gocats"

Also, be watching for an announcement about room changes for the weekly meeting. We'll let you know Thursday.
One more tidbit, please leave comments on this site. Preferrably about the meeting and the changes to CRU, but you can ramble on about anything if you really like...I do from time to time.

Lots o' Love!

If you want to download Rhett & Link's DVD Super Guide Sheet, click here.

Outline for the book of Acts

Click here for a pdf of the outline I used for the Book of Acts.

Bible Study for Week of 1.22.07

Here is this week's Bible Study.

Also, if you came to the meeting Thursday night please take a moment and leave a comment about how it went and what we could do better. I'd really appreciate it.

Also, if you didn't come, please come this week. I think that anyone, even if you aren't leading a Bible Study, would benefit from it.

The Power to Witness - Leader's Guide

The Power to Witness

How to Witness in the Spirit by Bill Bright

The login is "ukcru" and the password is "gocats".

All Leaders Meeting Details

WELCOME BACK!!!

Our first All Leaders Meeting of the semester will be tomorrow (Tuesday, Jan. 9) at 6:00 p.m. in the student center in Room 211. Pizza will be served, and it will last from 6-7:30 p.m.
PLEASE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ATTEND. We are excited about the semester ahead, and we want you to play a key role in what God has in store for us as a movement.

Encounter06

We had a great time at encounter06!
If you went, this is no news to you. If you didn't, you missed out. I hope Aunt Ethel's fruitcake surprise was worth missing the greatest couple of days of your life. (The surprise is that ain't really fruit in the cake).
The audio for the talks should be posted on the encounter06 website soon. I'd check back there in a few weeks. It'll be great to download them and listen later. And you can do that even if you couldn't pull away from Uncle Bernie's engrossing tales of how great his collection of 8-tracks used to be.