dsm college age ministry

This Fall & Winter

ugotredfox — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:45:46 +0000

So this Fall & Winter there is a lot of good stuff going on. I thought I’d summarize below what’s happening and you can click around to read more details. We’ve got opportunities for you to connect, grow, and serve as you feel God has called you. Hopefully you’ll find something to engage with that will be helpful to you in your spiritual growth and help you connect with others just to plain old have a good time. Take a look around and let me know if there is anything I can do for you.

Thank you, Eric Ferrell

Connect

Whirlyball- Thanksgiving Eve

Game Night- November 27th

Grow

Watershed Bible Study- Sunday nights

Many other bible study opportunities- Wednesday nights

Serve

Nuevo Laredo Mission Trip- First Meeting November 29th

Outreach BBQ & Christmas Party at East Bethlehem- December 12th

Homeless BBQ Updates

ugotredfox — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:39:10 +0000

As many of you are aware of, over the last 18 months we have been grilling food and developing friendships with the homeless in Detroit through our Homeless BBQ ministry. This has been a ministry that we’ve felt privileged to be a part of and I know one that many of you have enjoyed. The last time we ran the Homeless BBQ in July a safety issue came up where we no longer feel comfortable participating in this event.

Since serving the poor is and will continue to be a priority for us, I have prayerfully consider alternate opportunities. This past month our friends at East Bethlehem Church in Detroit came to us with a desire to reach out to their neighborhood with our help. (Some of you may remember that we participate at their Easter fair in the spring. ) I believe the BBQ Outreach would provide them a very informal opportunity to get to know those in the surrounding neighborhoods better and connect them to a local church. Our friends at East Bethlehem are hoping make this a regular event and I believe this is a good fit for us.

We are going to do our first Outreach BBQ at East Bethlehem on Saturday September 19th. We will meet at FLC near the Student Center at noon and carpool from here. We do not want to burden East Bethlehem with having to provide any food for the bbq. This is a privilege we are blessed with being able to take care of and I ask each of you, to bring a dish to pass and I will take care of the main meats & condiments.

So, please put Sept. 19th in your calendar for our next bbq. Facebook event coming soon.

Thank you,

Eric Ferrell

“College Life” – July 12th

ugotredfox — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:56:23 +0000

Sunday night, July 12th, Room #16

A guided discussion/Q&A around what “college life” is really like. There will be a panel of current & former students who attend or have attended anywhere from a major university to a community college, local university, or a christian college. They, along with a panel of parents of college students, will be addressing very common questions & concerns centered around this phase of life and the struggles that go along with that. See below for sample questions.

- What is dorm life really like?

- Why do they make me live in the dorms my first year?

- How are academics different…really?

- How much should I be expect my faith to be challenged by professors & other students?

- What should I expect when I first get to campus?

- How do I meet new people?

- When should I have my major figured out by?

- How can I continue to grow in my faith when I’m away?

- How do I get connected to a church?

- What are campus ministries like?

- What are the challenges of working while going to school?

- What are the challenges of staying home and going to school?

- What factors did you use to select your school?

- What are the pros & cons to a Christian school?

- What type of pressures will be put on me as a Christian to party?

- What are the benefits & downfalls of being a part of “greek life”?

- How difficult is it for you as a parent to let your children go?

- What are your biggest concerns as a parent when your children leave for school?

I hope you’ll consider joining us

Volleyball on Sunday nights

ugotredfox — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:56:49 +0000

Just a reminder that we are playing volleyball throughout the summer on Sunday nights on the front lawn at FLC. We play starting at 5pm, wrap up just before Watershed at 7pm, then usually play again after our bible study together. Hope to see you out there!

Accepting White Water Rafting & Kayaking/Camping Registrations

ugotredfox — Tue, 26 May 2009 19:49:06 +0000

Welcome to Summer ’09. I am now accepting registrations/deposits for our July White Water Rafting trip in West Virginia and our August Kayaking/Camping trip up north in Oscoda. You can view trip details here. I don’t mean to brag, but they are going to be awesome! You and friends are welcome to join. First come, first serve. You can drop off your deposits on Sunday mornings at church, Sunday nights at Watershed, or Wednesday nights at the coffee shop.

Bye bye now,

Eric

Summer flyers are all out!!

ugotredfox — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:52:50 +0000

Click above on either Connect, Grow, or Serve to get more information about this upcoming years summer activities

See the Contact page to contact me with any questions or comments

Amazing spring & summer ahead!!

ugotredfox — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:54:22 +0000

I’ve recently finished putting together the finishing touches on our upcoming spring & summer schedule for the college-age ministry. If I do say so myself, it’s awesome. Everything from our two different bible studies a week…to “welcome home” & “easter “parties…to ultimate frisbee…to new orleans…to white water rafting…to kayaking…to homeless bbq’s…to volleyball and the list goes on and on. I can’t tell you how excited I am for this spring & summer! I pray that this ministry will be a blessing to your life this spring & summer. I hope that you not only have some fun, but also that you learn more about our God through connecting, growing, & serving. All events/trips/studies…etc are open to you and all your friends. Take a look around and let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Eric Ferrell

Nuevo Laredo Mission Trip ’09- review

ugotredfox — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:18:48 +0000

Well everybody, we are back and un-wound from our annual mission trip to Mexico. This year, as you may have heard, we did not go to our usual location of Juarez, but instead we went to Nuevo Laredo. This was bitter sweet for many of us who have had our hearts in Juarez for 8+ years. On one hand, we were working with a new church and community and we’re excited about that. On the other hand, we had friends and family that we were gonna miss this year that we wouldn’t be seeing. One of the most difficult things for me as the leader of the trip was not being able to answer everyone’s questions about how things were going to go this year. Anytime you start a new relationship with another church on the mission field, there is a learning curve involved in getting to know each other and how that relationship is going to play out over the course of a week on the mission field together. To say the least, it worked out great. The Lutheran church/organization (http://www.lalm-elcm.org/default.htm) that we worked with was more than accommodating of us and had all kinds of help that they needed. We were more than happy to contribute in any way that God’s equipped us.

This year, as my team came together, I could tell something special was in the works. From the leaders I had with me down to the individual students I had serving alongside me all we, everyone was spectacular. To define spectacular, I mean, willing to set aside their own agenda and just give God all the room he needed to work through them to accomplish His mission that week. Having a group like I did this year was nothing short of amazing. We built a home for a pastor and his family, put a drop ceiling in one of their churches sanctuary’s, and ran two weeklong vbs programs in different areas near the main church. It was truly humbling to serve God that week and I was reminded yet again that I can do the same thing back home as well. Between Mexico, New Orleans, Detroit, Troy, & all the other places Faith’s college-age ministry serves, there are plenty of lives that God wants to use us to promote His change. The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few (Matthew 9:36-38).

In addition to that, we had a theme we worked through all week titled RENEW. Ephesians 4:17-24 reminds us “to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self”. We learned that this is a process that God wants to walk us through regularly and that though it may be difficult, it is not only worth it, but necessary. God truly wants to transform us by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2) and then use us to feed his Lambs (John 21:15). This is necessary for spiritual maturity and for sharing the gospel with others.

After leading this trip, I was reminded that God can use ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. What a blessing it is to simply be a part of something bigger.

Eric Ferrell

K-zoo

ugotredfox — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 03:32:50 +0000

So today Donna, Ethan, & I left for the west side of the state to visit some friends at Western Mich University. Day started out eventful with a 1 hour attempt to have the at&t folks transfer my data from my recent broken phone to an old used one that still worked. To no avail!! Waste of time basically. So if you call me or txt me and I don’t know who you are right away it’s because I don’t have your number anymore. And I refuse to create a facebook group like “eric’s phone’s broke and needs your numbers” like everyone and their mother does when they lose or break their phone.

Wait a minute…this was supposed to be about my visit to k-zoo

So on our way out we drove through blizzard like conditions kind of like on the deadliest catch, lol. Anyway it was a nice afternoon visiting with Emma and KJ over here at WMU. Visited for a while and then went out to dinner together where we could eat peanuts and throw them on the ground. I love that! We’re in Grand Rapids right now and looking forward to seeing some more friends over here at Calvin and GVSU. Man there’s a lot of churches around here. More than gas stations. Sounds like more snow is coming so please pray for safe driving for us cause this is just the beginning of the trip.

My “challenge” for the week from our discussion at Watershed this past Sunday night was that we’d each spend time trying to block out everything for a while each day. Trying to spend quality time talking to and listening to God. I mean real time, really listening. It’s hard to do I know, but my prayer is that we can all set aside that time more intentionally this week than we normally do. Feel free to join us in that “challenge” this week and stop by this Sunday night as we continue to discuss things like “Does God Speak To Us?
7pm, Student Center.

Later, Eric

“Walking with God” Talk to Him. Hear from Him. Really

ugotredfox — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:13:12 +0000

One of the more common questions I hear is “does God still speak to people?”. I’ve said it myself, I think people experience God in different ways, some of which is audible and some of which is not. But we all desire for that direct line of communication that’s not so “open to interpretation”. I mean, we were created by Him & for Him the scriptures tell us in Colossians 1:16. If I’m called to Love Him & Love others (Luke 10:27) I wanna make sure I’m doing that to the best of my ability right?

“So how am I doing God?” you might ask? I’m dying to know. I know I’m supposed to follow you (Matthew 16:24-25). But where are you going in my life? Sometimes you’re silent. I don’t always feel your presence. I don’t always feel like you answer me. I’ve got this book you tell me to read. I know I’m supposed to spend time with you in prayer, but sometimes you feel so un-reachable.

I’m currently reading a book by John Eldredge, author of “Wild at Heart” and “Captivating”, called “Walking with God” Talk to Him. Hear from Him. Really. I’d like to take us through parts of it as it directs us through the scriptures with topics such as “Does God Still Speak?”, “Learning to Listen”, “God?”, etc… and hopefully provide some clarity in this area for those of you struggling with this. We’re doing this on Sunday nights at Watershed in our Student Center, 7pm. If you’re schedules open, come on by and join us.

Feel free to share comments on this post. Chances are you’re not the only one thinking and wondering what’s on your mind. It may be helpful to others to hear some of your thoughts and insight on this topic…so post away!

I’m new at this, but my understanding is that you can “subscribe to this feed” if you want where I’ll share more thoughts and scripture regarding this and other topics.

Eric