FunnelCakes, Fazolis and Why You Won't Want To Miss National Student Conference in 2014!

Last week, a group of us made the trek to Evansville, IN for the annual National Student Conference.  The theme of the 5 day event was "Conspire" and the main teachings were given by none other than our good friend (and former staff) John Wentz. Needless to say, the week was pretty remarkable.  In fact, to try to fit it into a blog post would be ridiculous, so instead, I'll just provide a few snippets of what, if you're a student, you'll surely want to plan on experiencing for yourself this next year(August 2nd-6th, 2014)!  You won't want to miss it!
Anyway, a few highlights:


The FunnelCake Conspiracy:

Every night during the main session, John would help us unpack what it looked like to "Conspire."  His point was that each of us has a calling to be a community that reaches the world for Christ. This starts with us having compassion for others. So we started the week by writing notes of encouragement on these paper plates(where funnelcakes are normally held) and placing them in different places around the university either for a specific person or for anyone to just pick up.  It was amazing how everyone was focused on being a blessing to each other.

Time together:

There's nothing I love more than getting away with the people I love most.  NSC was such an awesome time of community with some of my favorite people, complete with Fazolis, movies, putt putt and awful, horrible(ok they weren't that bad...) camp songs in the car courtesy of our friend Nathan who had just finished up a week of camp.  The "shark" song will not leave my head... 

Dreaming:

Each NSC we take time to dream about what it could look like for us to take this message of Jesus and share it on our campus when we return.  I treasure this time of "conspiring" together BEFORE the chaos of the semester hits. This year was no exception.  We prayed BIG prayers and are expecting God to do great things in and through the CSF community!  We can't wait!  If you're new to the ministry and are checking us out for the first time on here, we hope you'll come and join us!  Expect a post soon on all the things going on during first week.  Until then, expect to see us in these blue shirts at freshmen move-ins, ready to help you get your stuff moved in...

see you soon!

-David

The Most Important Time Of Year... Complete With Jello and Ice Cream!

The first weeks of school are the most important for any college organization, especially a campus ministry. This is the time when students get plugged into the crowd they will hang out with for the rest of their college career.  This Fall, Christian Student Fellowship wants to do everything we can to make sure students have the opportunity to be a part of a group that will help them on their journey back to God.  Will you help us with that?

Welcome week and the few weeks following it are exciting, energetic, exhausting and super fun times.  Our alumni remember getting jello smashed in their face and meeting people over the world's largest ice cream sundae.  It is exciting to see people wearing our free t-shirts when we stop by the cafeteria and hearing freshmen say "I remember you guys, you moved my stuff into the dorm."  We love all the opportunities to connect with new students but it can be a financially straining time for our ministry.  We are asking that our alumni remember how much you loved the beginning of the new school year and give back to help new students experience that same thing.   Churches and individuals, would you please join us in remembering the urgency of this time of year.   As John 4:35 says, "Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest."  We are anxious and excited to start building the relationships that God has planned for us to help students find their way back to Him. 

Our goal is to raise $1,250 by the time the semester starts on August 26.  This will help buy everything from jello olympic t-shirts to popsicle giveaways to rally towels for students to tie dye.   
















If you wish to donate there is a donate button to the right of this post.  You can also mail donations to Christian Student Fellowship, 325 S Walnut St, Rochester, IL 62563.   Thank you for you love, prayer,  and support! 

What CSF'ers are doing this summer...

Allison (right) and Lyssa (left) are both
serving overseas this summer

What are CSF'ers doing this summer?  Here's a blog post from Allison Duncan, Senior education major who is spending her summer in Kenya with New Mission Systems International....

"Our education team returned from our backpacking trip today.  So glorious.  You can practically smell God in the open plains.  Man oh man.  It’s crazy to walk right next to wildebeasts, zebras, gazelles, the whole bundle. The upside of walking, instead of driving into a village, is that you actually get to talk to people you meet on the way.  We walked with a whole group of kids coming home from school.  It was one of those moments where I would have been okay with time stopping.
50 cups of chai later…we had the opportunity to sleep in a manyatta the other night.  It was quite the adventure. Our Kenyan national, Jackson, said to not be afriad if we cry.  I was unsure until I walked in and realized he was talking about the smoke.  The Maasai build their fires inside of their homes, so I was pretty much crying all night.  But I wouldn’t trade that night for the world.  The hospitality of the people has been incredible.  Super incredible.  God is teaching me so much about people.  Community.  Who I want to be.
We were able to show Jesus Film in one of the most remote villages last night!  It was incredible to see the people respond to the film and be able to bring it to them.  Even if it only plants the seed, our goal is to relay that Jesus actually walked on this earth.
I also got to experience sour milk and goat meat for the first time.  One of the elders in the community of Maji Moto slaughtered a goat for us to roast over a bonfire.  Let’s just say I’m not a huge fan of goat meat…Sour milk is pretty much a delicacy here too.  It’s sort of like a mix between cottage cheese and yogurt but looks like milk with chunks in it.  It is rude to not finish anything that is given to you, gagging or not.  Mind over matter.  Jesus over comfort.
But seriously, there is nowhere else I’d rather be right now.  It’s weird how normal this feels, just being here and talking to people and seeing their smiles.  I love it, and even though it’s only the middle of June, I can’t imagine going home.  So pretty much, Jesus is wrecking my life.  In the best way possible."

"Come and See" how the students at UIS responded to Jesus' love during this year's
Rez Week (Resurrection Week).  [Click here]

Join us this Friday at the EDGE in the UIS Butler Housing Commons at 6pm.
The theme this semester is...

Come learn what that means and how being uncomfortable is actually a very good thing.

Fall Retreat

Our annual Fall Retreat at Little Galilee Christian Camp was the 14th-16th of September.  CSF alum, Karl Halverson, was our main speaker and challenged the students to strip everything away from our faith and to focus on the teachings, words, and life of jesus. Cheese balls, campfires, and baptisms made for a weekend of challenge and growth!  Below is a personal testimony from Emily Taylor about her first fall retreat and her baptism!

      "The Fall Retreat to me was extremely uplifting and an experience I will never forget! I made the decision to get baptized and accept Jesus into my life completely. Before the retreat I was on the border to fully commit or to just be a small part of the group. After going to the Edge the weekend before the retreat, I could hear God telling me to go! I felt like He was pushing me to make this choice in my life, so I put all the distractions aside and did it. This has really got me so excited about growing in God because of all the memories and friendships I made that weekend. Not only the relationship I created with God, but also the amazing people around me that I know are there for the same reason. It is just so wonderful to have this opportunity through CSF and the Fall Retreat to connect with God!" -Emily Taylor

Caitlin Osborn also was baptized at fall retreat!  We are so excited about the growth from these two ladies and their obedience to God!