bonding

The Washington University Class of 2011 will begin moving into the residence halls tomorrow morning. It's an exciting time of the year! It's also probably the busiest time of the year for InterVarsity staff and student leaders. Our goal is to be the most hospitable welcome wagon we can possibly be.

I read an article on Sunday that described what incarnational ministry looks like in a campus context. Did you know that some of the most significant bonding that humans experience happens in the first 24 hours after birth? Likewise, the first few days on campus provide a significant opportunity for building friendships with new students. One of my co-workers who serves with the Asian Christian Fellowship at Wash U is actually spending a couple of nights sleeping over in her students' residence hall in order to model what this kind of outreach means. For the next three weeks we will be adapting to the schedules of the new freshmen: late nights and an endless amount of energy to meet new people.

The students of One Voice Christian Fellowship - that's the name of our InterVarsity chapter - want to use these crucial days to love sacrificially by giving of their time and energy at a time in the school year that is also busy for them academically and socially. Join us in praying that God would honor these sacrifices and that He would mold us into a community that is marked by our hospitality.