Snippets of Last Year

It's been a while since I updated you on what's happening on the campuses of New Jersey with Cru, so here are some short snippets from my monthly prayer letter. If you ever wanted to sign up to receive these letters via email, click here.

November

YOU'RE INVITED
The month of November was full of invitations for students. The Jersey Metro staff team invited students to Jersey Cru (pictured above) where students heard invitations to our winter conference called “RADIATE”, and to Summer Mission with Cru.

 Every year, we invite students to these conferences to give them opportunities to grow in their faith with other students in similar life stages and college circumstances. One of these students, Kassy Martinez (pictured left), is an emcee at our statewide meeting who’s been involved in the ministry at Kean University for three years. Last year, both emcees were our student representatives for RADIATE encouraging other students to attend the 4-day conference in DC. 

For the last two summers, Jeffery has participated and some form of summer mission but Kassy confessed she’s avoided it. Before an audience of her peers, Kassy confessed her selfishness and fear that prevented her from living on mission for God during her summers. At that moment, she declared that before graduation in May, she would apply for a summer mission trip with Cru. She’s not yet sure if she will go to the Dominican Republic or our stateside partnership – Hampton Beach, NH so please continue to keep her in your prayers as she prepares to raise the funds necessary to go. 

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December

Luis & Chris-John at Fall Retreat in October 

As our new staff, Joel Aponte, continues to raise his support away from campus activities, I’ve had the privilege of stepping in to coach the NJIT Cru ministry.  The New Jersey Institute of Technology is full of aspiring engineers who enjoy math, science & strategic planning.

Several of these fun & intelligent young men lead the movement of 10 students. Please pray for Chris-John, Luis, Nick & Tyler as they help lead their campus to Christ. March 2^nd, they will have an outreach called Pizza & God. 

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January

All throughout Scripture, God promises to be with his people. From the pillar of cloud in Exodus, to the Great Commission in Matthew, God assures his people over and over again that he will be with them wherever they go.

WITH US

This year, speakers at our winter conference (RADIATE) taught on this life-giving truth, and the implications it has for us today. 1,228 students from New York to Virginia packed into a DC hotel for four days to learn more about the great God we serve. Almost 100 students from New Jersey took this opportunity to grow in their faith and in community with other college students.

 

622 students signed this pledge: "Lord Jesus, I submit to you and in the power of your Spirit, I will...go where you want me to go, do what you want me to do, say what you want me to say, and give what you want me to give." Of those who signed the pledge, 29 trusted Christ as their Savior, 110 committed to spending at least a year of their life in full-time vocational ministry and 283 committed to going on a Summer Mission with Cru! 

Last letter, I told you about Kassy  (pictured right of me) who made a pledge before 200 of her peers at Jersey Cru to go on a Summer Mission Trip. I’m happy to report that she has just been accepted to the two-week missions trip to the Dominican Republic! Please pray for her and the other Jersey students who will begin raising the financial support necessary to go this summer!

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Picture story! :)

I've not posted in a long time... But here's the short, picture version of why:

This Friday is our second Jersey Cru of the semester! Last month we had nearly 200 students!

Kean is really working on reaching out to their campus this week. (Quest week is a statewide student/staff effort to take the initiative to share the Gospel with students, faculty and staff on the 30/60 campuses we are on.)

Kean Cru doesn't just give out free pizza! We really want people to come talk about God. So we are providing home-made empanadas! :)

Fall Retreat was terrific! Students truly encountered Jesus Christ!

11 women represented KeanCru at this years Fall Retreat. Harvey (right) is joined by 2 NJCU men pictured above.

Discipleship was beautiful by the beach @ Harvey Cedars Bible Conference.

Although a D3 University, Kean Cru even represented at the tailgate festival this year and cheered on Liscet (2nd from right) as she represented Christ, running for home-coming queen!)

Just cuz we were at homecoming, doesn't mean we weren't going to make an effort to start spiritual conversations! Underneath the castle the students built, they laid sand with "Soularium" cards dug in them. :)

Last Thursday, in an effort to reach students who may not have attended the homecoming concert, Kean Cru played short films produced by the Global Shortfilm Network to promote spiritual conversation.

Before that, Kean Cru had a difficult time booking a room to have Bible Study in, so we did a few community building events like bowling! Here are some of our senior women involved in the ministry. (From left to right: Liscet, Sindy, Jahtasia, Sharon)

It was a fun time for everyone!

Even a silly time for newbies to get to know and love us! :)

Student Evangelism

Chill and Chat
Some of you have heard about "Pizza and God", and outreach our campuses have to strategically reach students who might never attend a Bible Study but love FREE FOOD! :o) Kean University's Campus Crusade for Christ, located in Union, NJ reaches out to their hungry campus by inviting their peers to "Chill N Chat". This consists of fress pizza over conversation about God in their University Center. Upon entering , each student receives a note care where they can write any question they may have about God. The idea is to get college students to think about God and begin to discuss their opinions of Him in a comfortable environment.

Jude (pictured right), the student president of Cru at Kean, writes about last month's event: "Chill N Chat", aka 'Pizza and God', was a lot different at Kean this year than from previous years. We had a great turn out; People from many different backgrounds and walks of faith came out. We discussed questions such as: 'What is absolute truth?' and 'Who is God, for real?'. These questions were discussed among believers, non believers and even antagonists. Although we all had different views, one individual who is facing the question of which path she should follow, Islam or Christianity, decided to speak freely about her situation. 'It's been a struggle' she said, 'and I don't know how to approach it.' However, this young lady was encouraged to pray and ask God to reveal truth and bring clarity. All the pizza was gone, and when time was up, many of them wanted to stay, but we had to leave because someone needed the room. But praise God, the hunger and thirts of wanting to know the truth was pounding on their hearts when they left."

(Taken from the Nov. prayer letter)