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The Amherst Project connects you UMass Chi Alpha, American Friends, and the Freedom Cafe.
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Check out some footage from the semester. Feel free to show this in your church or pass it around!

The following are some "scenes from the semester" and excerpts from
our new staff's first newsletters! 

 
Shane and Treva Adams
Directors
413-282-7177
Dan and Beth Johnson
Freedom Cafe | XA Staff
617-669-9818
Our American Picnic was another success. You can see footage in the video above. Around 60 attended with around 1/2 from outside the U.S. 
Jay Ellison
*New Associate Staff

As we began to settle into our first month we witnessed God’s hand at work. Our first week was jam-packed! We handed out popsicles and Chi Alpha cards during a very hot activities fair, held an open-mic worship circle around the fire, threw a welcome party, and played… human foosball!! New and returning students got a chance to learn about who we are and our purpose to know God and help each other connect to Him. The next few weeks we began our weekly Bible study/worship nights and international lunches (or stir-frydays). Each Wednesday I have the privilege to co-lead our musical worship, and every Friday students gather at the house for a zesty international meal…

Real Community
Each week brings a new profile of students, some of which are beginning to allow us deeper insight into some of their personal battles.To encourage our students to share more we have begun our weekly men’s and women’s groups, for which I and my co-missionary, Olivia, assist our senior staff to organize and run. Finally, on Saturday, September 24 th we hosted our 5 th annual American Picnic where
nearly 30 international students joined us for a day of food, culture, and fun. These students got the chance to learn about Chi Alpha, and we are working on pairing them with an American Friend who will help connect them with the community and the Church.
Olivia Neveu
*New Associate Staff

American Friends:
Our American Friends Picnic...  is our outreach to the international student population- a chance for us to welcome them to our country! We will play a round of mini golf and enjoy a picnic meal with them. The idea is to connect locals with internationals: so if you (or anyone you know is) interested in getting partnered with an international student for the year (invite them over for a home cooked meal, meet up with them for coffee, help them settle in, invite them over for Thanksgiving etc.) please let me know! Even if you are unsure about whether or not you would like to be matched with a student for the year, we would still love to have you at the Picnic! You can also sign up to be paired via www.amherstproject.com/americanfriends

Freedom Café:
We have been blessed and are growing! First Baptist Church of Amherst has given us a space (much bigger than the one we previously had!) so we are moving the café permanently to that location and will no longer be using the location on N. Pleasant Street for the café. The old café space will be cleaned up and remodeled so that we can use that space for ministry (prayer meetings, small group gatherings etc.) For the fall semester, the café will be doing catering and educational events only. We hope to have a soft re-opening in November and a grand re-opening at the start of the second semester.
Above are pics from the American Picnic, parties at the Chi Alpha House,
Stir Fryday international meals (weekly), and our human foosball court. 

We've seen internationals dive into our community
and the unchurched checking into the teachings of Jesus.
 
One student told me she had never been
to a worship service or church in her life
and came to our weekly worship/teaching gathering. 

As you can see, we are missing Dan at our staff lunch in this pic. He and Jay are trying to finish their fundraising. Thanks to all of you who support us in prayer and finances. Please consider the following needs.
Current Needs: (estimates)

$5,000 Freedom Cafe permits, construction, and furnishings.
$3,000 Chi Alpha House needs (rent, bills, upkeep)
$2,000 Outreach & American Friends program.

Click below to give or text an amount to: 413-200-3042. 
Donate
Copyright © 2016 The Amherst Project, All rights reserved.


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