Year One Complete &
A Special Update!
Anne Michal and I wanted to give y'all a quick update now that our first year of the RUF internship is complete and let y'all know about Fall plans.
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Zoom Bible Studies
One way we have kept in touch with students is through Zoom. COVID-19 halted in-person ministry, but we are thankful for technologies like Zoom that have allowed us to continue meeting online. We were able to still do hymn study on Monday nights, as well as Girls' Bible study, Freshmen Bible study, and Prayer Meeting on Tuesdays.
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Hymn Study on Monday nights
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Snail Mail
I (Anne Michal) sent some of the freshmen girls I got to know throughout the year some flower seeds in snail mail. For some students, it can feel like taking a step back living with parents again and being separated from their college community. My prayer is that the growing flowers will be a visual reminder for the girls that God is still at work, even while living at home, and that the Holy Spirit is still growing them in the Lord.
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Anne Michal sending a letter and gardening seeds to a student.
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Virtual Large Groups
Since we were unable to meet in person for the remainder of the semester, we held Large Groups over Facebook Live. Our campus minister, Elliott Everitt, led us in worship and preached from the book of Habbakuk. It was such an encouragement to see many students hop on Facebook to hear from God's Word.
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Elliott leading worship for Virtual Large Group
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Special Update on the Fall
Our campus minister at Mississippi State received a call from a church in Macon, Georgia, and will no longer be with us in the Fall. We are sad to see him and his family go but are excited for them and the opportunity we have to continue ministry at Mississippi State.
RUF National is searching for a Campus Minister but informed us that we will not have one for the Fall and possibly Spring semester(s) of the 2020-2021 school year. With this in mind, Anne Michal and I will have an expanded role at Mississippi State, as we will be in charge of day-to-day operations and the only full-time staff members for RUF.
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Giving Tuesday
As we look ahead to year two of the internship, we are thinking about where we would like to be financially at the beginning of next fall. Thanks to you, our generous donors, we already have over 50% pledged for year two! Praise God!
Today is Giving Tuesday and we would ask you to prayerfully consider giving a one time gift to help us be fully funded. Your gifts will help us to be able to spend the summer planning for what the fall will look like and getting into contact with incoming freshmen so we can hit the ground running.
To give, go to givetoruf.org and type in our names. The website will give you instructions on how to complete your gift. Thank you again for supporting what the Lord is doing at Mississippi State RUF!
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God is at Work
It is undoubtedly true that the ministry has looked and continues to look very different because of COVID-19. It has definitely been an adjustment. However, we have grown deeper in our understanding that God is at work, regardless of circumstance.
We have heard so many stories from students about how the Lord is providing and comforting them. We have seen how the Lord has used us to be an encouragement to students at Mississippi State, and we have been encouraged by y'all. All of this is possible because God is working, even in this situation. We have experienced this truth and we hope y'all have as well.
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"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will surely do it." (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)
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