PRAYER NEEDS

University of Chicago

Full-Time

Ready, Set, Pray!

Kierkegaard once said, "Prayer does not change God, but changes him who prays." I would disagree. And that's why I'd like you pray for me/us at the U of C.

   The list grows –

1. Pray for our weekly devotional on campus (Thur. @ 5)– not only that students would come, but also that those coming would invite friends. Pray for unity, growth, stability, and momentum.

2. Pray for Jeff, the student who is making plans to stay on next year as an intern; pray also for the other student who I've yet to ask.

3. Pray that our core would become solid before the end of the school year, in June, so we have a solid foundation laid for next year.

4. Pray for my summer planning. I'll be doing some traveling and speaking, but also getting ready for the fall.

5. In response to that student's comment – that everyone he knows is either Catholic or atheists – pray that some of those atheists would actually come to faith.

6. Pray for me, too, for patience and for "vision." I'm now in "the thick of things," and it's not easy. Pray that I not get discouraged.

7. This Friday, the head InterVarsity campus pastor will be speaking in the campus-wide ecumenical Good Friday service at Rockefeller Chapel; pray that he would speak the very words of God, as it were.

8. Pray for our up-coming "outreach" on campus, that in planning and implementing we would have wisdom and insight, creativity and favor.

"Got life?"

I swear, if I weren't a Christian I'd believe I have psychic powers. Yesterday morning I was getting ready for my day and was hoping I'd get a chance to call one of my students. But I knew that it was too early and he'd still be sleeping. My morning and early afternoon were booked, so I said this simple prayer, basically asking God to allow our paths to cross. It was even more specific than that, if I recall -- like, "God, I pray we'd bumped into each other on the Quad."

True to form, that's what happened! I literally was talking to another student on the Quad during the picnic -- thousands were attending -- looked up and saw this student passing by, twenty feet away.

That's my fall so far: in the mundane, I've seen glimpses of the Divine at work. It's been pretty cool.

Classes started yesterday. And I just wanted to send out a quick update to let folks know how things are going so far and to ask for your prayer. (In October, I'll send out a full newsletter.)

This fall, we're starting the year with a theme: "got life?" Focusing on John 10:10, we'll be emphasizing the fullness of life. On a campus fascinated with all things gothic and gargoyles, I thought this most appropriate. We'll be weaving it into outreach efforts as well as into our cell (small group) ministry. Just for fun, our freebie give-away items at the Student Activities Fair were small cartons of cereal. (If the connection's not immediately apparent, I can explain.) I loved some of the reactions; all were positive.

I've made a number of contacts, and have even received help from the InterVarsity group, as well as the Vineyard church in Hyde Park. Talk about great working relationships -- I was actually invited to attend InterVarsity's back-to-school picnic for first-year students, where I made some additional contacts. (All with the staff's blessing.) And the Vineyard college pastor, just last night, handed me their list of contacts, for me to follow up. That was pretty sweet!

Tomorrow is our kick-off meeting. And that's actually the primary reason for this e-mail. I just wanted to ask all of you, if you could, to say a prayer to two for tomorrow's meeting. I'll be praying, of course. But I could use the help. For any of you who are familiar with campus ministry, you know that the beginning of the school year is absolutely key. I can prepare all I want, make all the contacts I can; however, nothing can substitute for... you know... God.

Many Blessings!

Ed Gitre
Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship
Serving the University of Chicago

P.S. In my newsletter, I'll let you know what the results were.

Contact & Support Information

6851 S. Bennett Ave., Chicago, IL 60649; h.773-684-2738, c. 773-960-4644; egitre@uchicago.edu

If you'd like to financially support Ed,

1. make checks payable to "Chi Alpha" with "Ed Gitre, Acct #2613990" on the memo line and
2. mail them to Assemblies of God, Division of Home Missions, 1445 Boonville Ave., Springfield, MO 65802-1894.