The beginning of the school year is busy for any Campus Ministry.
This is the time when students are figuring out how they want to
spend their free time. One-fifth of the student population is first
year students, who are adapting to a new environment and being exposed
to more than they ever have before.

Fall is the best time to be promoting our ministry.
Students have not yet been bogged down by papers, midterms, or
other activities. This is a great time to start building relationships
and getting new students involved. One of the ways Campus Crusade
accomplishes this, is through a weekend getaway called Fall Retreat.

Last year, Ryan and I went to NIU’s Fall Retreat, while Ryan was still
in school. This was my first retreat with Campus Crusade, as well as an
introduction to what campus ministry looks like. I had the opportunity
to stay in the girl’s side of the cabin with all the students.
It was awesome to be able to spend time with the girls and get to know
more of the students in general.

During the weekend, we had a lot of time just to hang out, talk, and play games. We also had organized events and activities. However, the best part of Fall Retreat was the speaker. We had the campus director from another campus come and speak to us about God’s love for His people. All of us went home challenged to love the lost as God does, as well as encouraged by the relationships that had grown and the new ones that had formed.

This year, the Indiana Catalytic team had its first state wide Fall Retreat from October 8th
through the 10th. It is a time to open God’s Word together, be trained in ministry skills,
and build relationships among the students and the staff. The Catalytic team saw 135 students
from 7 of the 16 campuses attend this year’s Fall Retreat. The students at this year’s retreat
were challenged to examine just who Jesus Christ is and his role in their lives.

Please pray for these students, as they have returned to their campuses, that they will have the opportunity to use the new ministry skills they have learned to reach the lost for Christ.

I heard an illustration of our lives in relation to Christ… The moon has no light source of its
own, but its light source is a reflection from the sun. No one can stare directly at the sun or
they would go blind, but they can stare as long as they want at the moon and examine it very
closely. The only knowledge the dark world sees of the sun is the reflection from the moon.
As Christians, we are like the moon. We reflect the Son’s light into a dark world. As we have
formed new relationships with many of you, we have seen God’s love through your actions and
prayers. You enable us to be an effective reflection of the Son to college students and for
that we thank you.

In HIM,

Please Pray

> That God would continue to lead us to meet the individuals who he has raised up to be a part of our ministry.

> Praise God that we have enough support to cover our monthly health insurance costs.

> That God would continue to open new ministries throughout the state of Indiana.