InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Newark, NJ

2nd Annual Fundraising Reception - Tuesday March 23

2010-02-16T12:37:00.000-08:00

International Student Outreach - Scrabble Night

2010-02-08T12:23:00.000-08:00

Erica is a first year student at Rutgers Newark that organized the Living Scrabble Game Night. Her work was excellent as she orchastrated every detail of the Living Scrabble Game as well as invited new people in the fellowship to serve. She is currently a small group leader in Talbot Hall at Rutgers-Newark! Let's praise the Lord for Erica's leadership and service on campus!

Students in a lively round of Scattegories.

Sharon and Nishanth Thomas have been serving as volunteers with the ministry of IV-Newark this year. Nishanth co-leads a small group every Monday night at 9 p.m. in Cypress Hall (predominatly Freshmen dorm) with Nathan Harmes, a sophomore at NJIT. Sharon is present at our events helping meet new students and connecting them with the ministry.

Free Graduate Theological Courses in Newark, NJ!!

2010-02-08T12:04:00.000-08:00

I invite you to consider investing your time and energy to participate in these courses offered for friends of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Classes right in Newark, NJ. Click on flyer and print! Don't miss this opportunity!

New Student Outreach

2010-02-08T11:51:00.000-08:00

New Student Outreach is a concentrated time at the beginning of each semester to well, reach out to new students. Our hope is to meet, greet and learn about the spiritual status of as many students as we can. By doing this we are able to invite them to join the InterVarsity family where they can learn more of God and his son Jesus. We have met over 150 students and are now helping those students connect with our small group ministry.

Students enjoying a meal as they hear 11th Hour Band, live Indian band leads in worship and musical selections.

Our Church Tour every semester continues to help new students connect with IVCF and build a strong connection between campus and the local church. Here is group of students on Jan. 24 at our first church tour of the semester. We are thankful to Vroom St church and Pastor Bill Sweeting for hosting the students so generously!

Some of our students enjoying a time of celebration after our WELCOME BACK JAM.

God Calls Students...

2009-12-20T19:09:00.000-08:00

These six students have answered God's call to serve their campus. It's easy to check in and out of college life - just going to class and having a consumer mentality. But, these students believe that God loves their campus and all who are a part of it.

We have begun planning for next semester. Please pray for these students as they trust the Lord with their lives and commit to live out their faith and develop their leadership skills while they are in college in Newark! Three of these students will be at Urbana 2009!

Highlights for the January 2009:
January 19, 2010 - Intercessory Prayer Night for IV-Newark, 7 p.m.
January 25, 2010 - Worship and Praise Night, 8 p.m.
January 29, 2010 - ADONAI AREA WIDE Worship Night, 7 p.m.

TWO CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR IV-NEWARK!

2009-12-20T18:56:00.000-08:00

The Lord has truly been providing for the ministry and we praise the Lord for his faithfulness. As we approach the end of the year, IV-Newark was awarded a special financial gift from The Goodwill Rescue Mission in Newark. The staff team collected a year end offering. Thank you!

'
Moises and I were presented a year end offering for the ministry via Director Rev. Jim Benton of the Goodwill Rescue Mission.

IV-Newark was also given an OFFICE. Yes, a space to call our own just three blocks from the NJIT campus. We are so thankful to Pastor Joe Carter from The New Hope Baptist Church who has gifted the ministry so generously. This space will enable us to have a place to train and fellowship with students. We are working on furnishing the office and getting it ready before the start of the Spring Semester!

IV-Newark's new office at the New Hope Baptist Church, 106 Sussex Avenue, Newark, NJ

Snapshots of New Students... WOW!

2009-12-02T19:27:00.000-08:00

Allow me to introduce some of our new additions God has brought to InterVarsity Newark this semester! God has been growing our chapters in a special and dynamic way. Thank you for your prayers and support as we continue to reach more students.

Dan, International NJIT student from China is studying Construction Mgmt (Grad Program). He is learning about Christianity and is enjoying spending time with IV students. Dan came to our Thankgiving Potluck and then came to our weekly worship gathering with another friend.

Doyin, Senior at Rutgers attended The Big Event with us and is growing in her relationship with the Lord. Doyin is beginning her applications to Med School next Summer.

Ben, on Guitar, is a student at Rutgers Newark and is a New Christian. He is sharing his musical talents by joining the worship team to praise the Lord.

Alexandra is an International Student from China working on her Computer Science degree at NJIT (Grad Program). She was able to find a local church through IV and also has been faithful to an on-campus small group.

Anson, transfer student to NJIT, is a new student who has quickly become a part of the IV Family.

Thanksgiving Dinner for Homeless Men & Women of Newark!

2009-12-02T19:19:00.000-08:00

InterVarsity Newark student began to spend at least 2 hours on Thanksgiving Eve to prepare a feast for homeless men and women in Newark. It was great to see students give of their time and love for others. My personal joy was to see them serve as a team! InterVarsity Newark is committed to exposing our students to the needs of the city but also to help them grow in their love for God and his purposes.

Jennifer & Joseph lead in song with Anthony (on Sax) and Emmanuel (on piano) lead in a team worship team representing each school in Newark, NJ.

Here are some of the student that stood to the end to serve the meal and clean up.

Students were not only able to serve the meal, but were able to sit with these men and women and learn their life stories.

Mrs. Tingson, Senior Pastor's Wife, has been a great partner to lead our students each year in the meal preparation. She makes some mean collard greens! Thank you Peddie!

Growth at NJIT

2009-11-24T13:03:00.000-08:00

We are enjoying the growth and diversity of InterVarsity at NJIT. We currently have 24! students involved with the ministry at NJIT. This is the largest it's been in SIX YEARS. God has been faithful to bring missional students who have a growing heart for the campus! Keep praying for us to see students come to Christ at NJIT. Aren't they beautiful?!

Thanksgiving Potluck - 2nd Annual

2009-11-24T12:56:00.001-08:00

Our second annual Thankgiving potluck was a real success. We were able to gather in worship, fun, relationship building and a great meal. The students were so excited to see how God has grown our student ministry in Newark. It is November and we are still welcoming new students at our events. Don't miss it next year!

Students Praying at the Potluck

Marilyn, RU Student, exercises her administrative gifts to serve the ministry.

THANK YOU AGAPE TEAM!
Agape Worship Center in Rahway provide catering services of food and partnership for InterVarsity Students to enjoy a Thanksgiving Meal. Because of their unique and generous partnership, students were able to strengthen their relationships with one another.

One Hour Spiritual Retreat!

2009-11-18T05:45:00.000-08:00

This time in the semester is like staring down at a tornado. The whirlwind of final papers, lab reports, group presentations and study groups is blowing hard. This is a high stress season on campus and students can lose hope and focus about their academic pursuits.

But on Monday, a handful of students were able to pause and invite God into their lives through a Prayer Labyrinth hosted at Peddie Church in Downtown Newark. Students walked into the candle-lit room wondering how they could connect with God knowing their minds were full of to-do lists. But on that Monday morning they began to walk the Prayer Labyrinth and pray through John 15 reminding them of Christ's love and care for them. The students left refreshed.

We are hoping to implement more One Hour Spiritual Retreats for our students next semester. Keep praying for our students and the campus during this season!

Helping Students Remember GOD IS PRESENT!

2009-11-12T13:38:00.000-08:00

Annual Thanksgiving Potluck. Join US!!!

2009-11-03T19:13:00.000-08:00

the BIG event was HUGE!

2009-11-03T18:30:00.000-08:00

The BIG Event was terrific! We were able to celebrate two students, Abby and Ben, coming to faith in Jesus! Students leaders were reminded of their purpose on campus to see lives transformed, the campuses renewed and become world changers. Students were able to receive training in how to study Scripture, evangelism, prayer, Christian leadership, mentorship and discipleship.

As I meet with students they express that being at the Big Event was a "taste of the Kingdom." It was refreshing to be in a Christian community where the love of Christ was so present. As they return, just two days have gone by, they feel the tension of our broken world. But, they also feel the call by Christ to follow him and invite others to know the Lord. Please keep the students in prayer as they live out all they learned. Application is the hardest step!

Our Newark group in a funny pose!

Marie preaches at the first night of The Big Event. It was great honor to serve in this capacity.

Fun times with Rutgers Newark student leaders and first year students!

The Family that Serves Together.... Stays Together. Marie's mom was able to come and serve by caring for Josiah and Micah. Moe was able to lead a men's group at the Living for Jesus track.

Joseph, a Senior at Rutgers Newark and Small Group leader received evangelism training and helped with Worship.

Student in morning prayer by the Lake.

REVIVE: I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

2009-10-28T09:49:00.000-07:00

What is REVIVE?

REVIVE is... FUN!!!

- Here's Farrah from Rutgers playing our Cotton Ball Race blindfolded. Students needed to carry a cotton ball from one side of the room to the other Blindfolded. Our theme for the night was JESUS: I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD!

REVIVE IS a time to PROCLAIM the Word of God!

Vera, a student at NJIT and Pastor Christian Castro from CCP in Newark declare the Word of the Lord to students from John 8.

REVIVE IS a time to celebrate TRANSFORMATION!

-Marie interviews Charles from Rutgers so students can learn about how God has changed his life's priorities since May 2009 at Basiliea. Charles recommitted his life to the Lord and is growing beautifully as a son of God!

Revive is our monthly gathering for students to come worship, fellowship and hear the Word of the Lord. We are seeing God bring 65-70 students to our REVIVE gatherings each month. Student take part in creating, leading, inviting and executing the night. Please keep the ministry in your prayers!

NEXT REVIVE: Thursday Nov. 19 at North Reformed Church in Newark, NJ. 7 p.m. Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner! Don't miss it!

REVIVE: I AM THE LIGHT

2009-10-21T07:45:00.000-07:00

Join us for a time of celebration and declaration of Jesus' claim: I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.

Rutgers Robeson Campus Center, 350 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Newark, NJ Room 255-257

REVIVE: I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE

2009-09-29T13:06:00.000-07:00

Students are learning about the Claims of Jesus this semester: I AM THE LIGHT; I AM THE ALPHA AND OMEGA, I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD.... On Sept. 24 we gathered as Newark community to communicate about Jesus: I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE.

Our iTouch give-a-way was great. Mike (left), a freshmen at NJIT, not only won the itouch but is also beginning to attend a Small Group on his dorm floor. Coco (middle) is RU IVCF President. Emmanuel (right) is the NJIT IVCF President.

It's exciting to see students come out to worship, hear the Word of God and respond to the message. Student leaders had at the opportunity to pray in partners for their peers after the message. We are thankful for how God is growing faith among our students.

Students in Worship

God draws them...

Do you see this crowd? We had over 70 students participate for a night event. Please keep us in your prayers as the ministry in Newark continues to grow. We are focusing all our energy, prayers and strength to connect new students to our 12 small group Bible Study groups.

We invite you to our next REVIVE event: Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009 8 p.m. at Rutgers-Robeson

Helping Students Get to Church

2009-09-29T13:00:00.000-07:00

InterVarsity is committed to help students find a local church family where they can grow, contribute and be cared for while they are in school. We just finished three weeks of church tours that exposed students to different traditions and opportunities to worship. We are thankful for their love for campus ministry and college students.

Here we are week 2 of the Tour visiting CCP: Christian Community Presbyterian. We are thankful for their partnership at so many levels.

What's Next In Newark???

2009-09-18T09:52:00.000-07:00

(Click on Image to Enlarge & Print)

Join us for our first REVIVE: Newark Fellowship on Sept. 24, 2009. God has provided a worship band, the largest room at NJIT's Campus Center, a Free iTouch to give away, good food AND the opportunity to personally invite 300+ new students to gather with us. We are praying for over 125 students to attend this worship gathering. Pray, but also join us!

Also pray especially for me as I will be the speaker of the night and will be teaching on Jesus' declaration "I AM the Bread of Life".

XXL: Examining the Soil of Your Heart!

2009-09-18T09:23:00.000-07:00

Newark NJ students gathered with our Northern NJ chapters for a night of worship called XXL. What can I say? God was so present to meet students in a special way through worship, fun fellowship and a strong call to love those of the campus. Students were invited to be real about the soil of their hearts and to not be lured by how the world's desire to snatch the seed from their lives. We saw many students coming up for prayer during the altar call to make commitments to live out their faith on campus!

Some Students Being Silly: Newark!

Our student ministry in Northern NJ is growing in great way and we pray that more and more students will enter the Kingdom of God as our current students live out their faith in public and bold ways. Keep us in prayer as we desire to pass the 200 mark of students in our fellowships in Newark, NJ by May 2010!

Fun Times!

Newark Students looking Good!

Reaching Students...

2009-09-09T19:15:00.000-07:00

On Saturday Sept 5th, The New Hope Baptist Church and Evangel Church hosted a time for students to connect with one another. First year students and international students gathered with current IVCF members for a time of fun, food and developing new relationships. Beyond the water balloon fight and hamburgers, God was present to remind students of his love.

It was here that we met Alexandra, an International Graduate Student from China who became a Christian a few years ago in England as an undergraduate. Now, she is in Newark and has found a community which to belong. We are helping Alexandra find a local church and inviting her to join an InterVarsity Small Group. InterVarsity exists on campus to help students and faculty grow in their love for God, His word, His people and His purposes. Although students may come from different platforms in their faith, or no faith at all, InterVarsity remains present to point to Jesus as the Savior of the World. Please keep us in your prayers.

We have reach 330 students so far!

Student Leaders Prepare to Welcome their peers!

2009-08-31T11:24:00.000-07:00

Last week we were able to train 27 students and volunteers in Small Group leadership and how to care for new incoming students. We are working hard to reach 1,000 new students on campus. As of this morning we have invited 289 students to our on campus Christian community. Please keep us in prayer in these next few days as we host dorm visits, a Welcome BBQ on Saturday and launch our Small Group Ministry! A great a highlight of the night was to see student leaders encouraging one another to serve for the Kingdom of God on campus!

(student leaders role playing as they train other students on how to do effective follow-up)

(Marie leads students and volunteers in Bible Study)

From Cassette to CD's to MP3's

2009-08-20T08:06:00.000-07:00

Today's incoming freshmen seem a far cry from my days of college (1997-2001) when beepers were the craze and CD players were making their mark. Today's freshmen come, seemingly, in uniform with white ear buds and a desire to make the world better. Time Magazine described this generation, Gen Y, by stating "they just want to spend their time in meaningful and useful ways, no matter where they are."

We are finding this to be true as Freshmen Orientations have begun on the campuses in Newark, NJ. As I begin my sixth year on campus, I am seeing more students getting involved with organizations and becoming more involved in the campus community. Yesterday 45 student organizations came out to greet incoming freshmen at RU-Newark. InterVarsity was also present and accounted for to meet and greet students. We had students flocking to our table because of the word "Christian". That was easy! But as we interacted with other students, who were nominal or non-Christian, we were able to share about our activities and values. Many of these students wanted to learn more and signed up to get on our Facebook group and get more info from us.

ONE STUDENT, Gabe, touched my heart. He came to the table, I introduced myself and asked "What brought you to our table?" He said "The guy over there just talked to me about the group so I wanted to sign up." It's that simple, someone communicated and a student responded. Gabe, will be living in the dorms this semester and we look forward to building a relationship with him that will draw him to Jesus. This generation wants to be involved in things that matter! We are excited to be on campus this season so we can invite incoming students to consider what matters most, living an abundant life with Christ.

Keep us in prayer as we aim to reach 1,000 students this Fall semester. We have already interacted with close to 200 new students.

Church Partnerships Strengthen Our Campus Ministry!!!

2009-06-09T06:34:00.000-07:00

Alumni and Students have begun reaching out to Freshmen at NJIT these last two weeks to make them aware that a Christian group is present to help them stay connected and/or consider God more deeply.

Here is alumnus Nishanth and chapter President Emmanuel showing off our new Screen Printed table cloths donated by Evangel Church. We are so thankful for churches who help equip us to serve the campus more fully. It's not simply a table cloth, but an invitation for the campus to know that a Body of Believers is present and active! Thank you so much!

A Week of Growth: Basileia 2009

2009-05-27T10:52:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much for everyone that prayed for the 25 students that traveled to Basileia. The students have been excited to share about their learnings from leadership development classes, small group training and how to study Scripture more deeply. Here are a few words from Ken, a sophomore at NJIT who attended the Small Group Leaders Training, and from Marilyn, incoming Large Group Coordinator at Rutgers who attended Servant Leadership Training.

"Basileia is one of the most exciting chapters in somebody s spiritual growth. You have the possibility to really experience God, to listen to Him and to have a sense of what Christianity is all about. No one goes to Basileia and regrets it. This week was something else! Everybody was happy. We lived, prayed, played, worshipped as if we were in a different world. We experienced what the Christian life is supposed to be. That's an experience will never forget. Thanks for making me a part of this wonderful community." - Ken, NJIT Sophomore

"So ever since people told me how great Basileia is, I was looking forward to it... so I arrived and I'm all excited and hyper, despite the bad weather. But since day one, the food, the worship services (the speaker was flawless, God spoke to me in every sermon), the track learning were great! The InterVarsity Staff were awesome and so encouraging. They gave us great planning ideas. I loved everything about the SL training. Our Chapter Time was so overwhelming (in a great way) especially our last one, se sintio el Espiritu Santo [we felt the Holy Spirit] as we prayed for all the Northern NJ campuses. Then let's not mention the retreat of silence and the quiet times. God is so good and He revealed Himself to us in such beautiful ways. The free times were fantastic as well. I made lots of friends and reunited with an old friend. I got closer with my Newark folks and ahh I just can't wait for Basileia again next year!! My love for IVCF definitely grew, yupp InterVarsity rocks my socks :D" - Marilyn, Junior at Rutgers-Newark

I am so thankful for your partnership (volunteering, praying and sharing resources) in the Newark, NJ schools. Together we are seeing students and faculty transformed, the Newark campuses renewed and world changers developed. Please keep the new students leaders in your prayers as summer planning and New Student Outreach begins on June 1st.

With much love,
Marie Rodriguez
Program Director
IVCF-Newark

Family Update + Prayer Partnership Needed!

2009-05-19T07:04:00.000-07:00

Greetings Everyone...
Many have asked how our family has been doing so I wanted to share some recent pictures. Here is Josiah sharing some time with Mamma and Papa.

I am also at the end of my pregnancy. My doctor says I should be delivering by the end of the week. (Memorial Day Weekend) I ask for your prayers as I endure labor and delivery. I look forward to sharing some pictures of our new addition with you.

As I enter maternity leave, I ask you to adopt our ministry in your prayers in the following specific ways:

New leadership teams will be meeting on June 13, July 25, and August 15th to create and finalize plans for the new year of ministry. Please pray for great boldness and courage in their planning. I have organized an IVCF Alumnus to coach them through these meetings.
Summer Outreaches: Every Monday beginning June 1st-July 6 and August 17, 19, 25, 27. Please pray we are able to acquire 350+ contacts for us to follow-up and invite to participate in InterVarsity in the Fall.
First Day of classes is Monday August 31st. Students will be working on internships, summer jobs, summer classes, reconnecting with home churches and enjoying time with family. Please keep them in your prayers as they enjoy the summer and grow in their walk with the Lord. (The prior weekend is also move-in days on campus.)
Financial Goals: We are still needing $5,000 to be donated by June 30th, 2009. Would you please pray God will touch the hearts of many so we can add new partners to help sustain the ministry?
Please pray for Marie and family while on maternity leave until Mid-August.

Thank you so much for your partnership. Many blessings to you!
-Marie

Packed Bags, Open Hearts - 25 Students Voyage to BASILEIA

2009-05-15T05:59:00.000-07:00

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN SO MANY WAYS!

It has been an amazing journey to see students transformed this year by the Love of Christ Jesus. Students boldly shared their faith, worked endless hours to host Christian programming on campus, built cross-cultural relationships with those inside and outside IVCF and served selflessly in the City of Newark through community outreach.

God has been with us and continues to stand with us as 25 Newark students take a 6 hour road trip to Basileia in Saranac Lake, NY on Saturday, May 16. Students will engage in training for leadership development, Bible Study skills, prayer ministry and how to engage God's world upon graduation in their area of study.

Would you please pray for these students that have seen God provide for them so generously and so powerfully. Please pray each with grow and mature in their faith as they begin the journey of leaders and servants on campus through InterVarsity-Newark.

Here are the students names: (Basileia, May 16-21, 2009, www.ivcfnynj.org)
Vanessa, Daisha, Jennifer, Marilyn, Bobbie, Coco, Abigail, Rodney, Emika, Charles, Germine, Quacy, Jeanetta, Quame, Chantel, Imesia, Ronald, Satava, Isaac, Emmanuel, Ken, Isreal, Natasha, Sarah, Danielle

Love,
Marie

Praying for God's Peace On Campus!

2009-05-07T14:19:00.000-07:00

NEWARK PRAYER WALK: Yesterday, IVCF Newark students and friends, gathered to pray for God's peace to be present on the Newark campuses. We prayed for safety, freedom from suicide and depression, opportunities to reach new groups and so much more. It was good to see students and friends gather to bless the campus. Please continue to pray for students as they take the next seven days to take finals exams and serve one another on campus. Also pray for faculty as they work hard to end the semester and get grading done.

WATCH VIDEO:

(Students in worship at the end of our prayer walk in front of the campus center.)

IVCF: STUDENT ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR

2009-05-07T12:36:00.000-07:00

Rutgers University in Newark hosted a leadership awards night this past Monday. We had applied, along with all organization on campus to be considered for a few awards for the work done this year. We entered the room of student leaders from across the campus and celebrated with everyone as we ended another academic year.

As the presentations began, we were amazed and thankful to see the Kingdom Work receive award and acclaim from campus administration. We received the following awards:

3 Emerging Leaders Awards
2 Legacy Awards
Most Successful Fundraising Program (30 Hour Famine)
Outstanding Diversity Program (Social Justice Cafe)
Urban Community Service Program (Monthly Homeless Ministry)
and STUDENT ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR!

Celebrate with us as God's work on campus is shining brightly as InterVarsity develops Servant Leaders, filled with love, compassion and focus, that the world needs.

Celebrating Christ On Campus!!!

2009-04-29T20:11:00.001-07:00

This time of year is a bitter sweet time as we celebrate many things as a campus ministry:
1. 60% growth of our chapter membership
2. honoring students who are graduating and moving on to be world changers in a variety of industries and markets.
3. the work of student leaders who have served so many students on their campus.
4. welcoming new leaders for the 2009-10 school year!

But we also are sad to see so many great students go. We'd love to keep them, but their time with InterVarsity as an undergrad student has ended. Now, as InterVarsity alumni they have the joy to pray and stay connected to our continuous ministry in Newark. Praise the Lord!

Here are students gathering in worship at our last large group.

Way of the Cross - Downtown Newark Procession

2009-04-13T05:34:00.000-07:00

For the last 25 years the churches of the Downtown Newark area have been gathering in an interdenominational Good Friday Procession to reflect on the last seven sayings of Jesus as He hung on the cross. It was good to stop at each station and walk among the City of Newark as we heard affirmations of our faith through sayings like "Sunday's Coming" and "What makes Good Friday so good?"

A handful of IV-Newark students were able to participate in the walk and experience the City of Newark in a new way! As we walked along Broad Street, with a diverse group of Christian witnesses, we were able to see a city that is in great need of Christ's love and presence. Please continue to pray for InterVarsity in Newark, NJ.

InterVarsity Newark's Last Worship Night of the Semester

2009-04-07T12:25:00.000-07:00

InterVarsity-Newark invites EVERYONE to celebrate Easter with us at our last REVIVE gathering of the semester. Come and enjoy great food, meet new people and hear about the truth of Easter.

Rutgers Robeson Campus Center
Thursday, April 9th @ 8 p.m.
Third Floor Lounge

350 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
Newark, NJ

Good Friday Celebration - April 10, 2009

2009-03-31T11:48:00.000-07:00

Join us for a Good Friday InterDenominational Procession!
Click on image to print flyer and share with others!

Celebrating Christ on Campus!!! March 26, 2009

2009-03-27T09:52:00.000-07:00

We are so thankful for God's faithfulness in reminding us that campus ministry through InterVarsity in Newark is not limited to one person or even one generation. Campus ministry exists because of the efforts of current students, alumni, parents, local pastors and community leaders who have said that investing in campus ministry is important and necessary!

(Marie shares her heart for the vision in Newark, NJ)

We celebrated Christ's presence on our campuses in Newark, NJ. A presence that is strong and inviting to see lives of many transformed by the love and power of Jesus Christ. Enjoy some snap shots from the evening as many labored together to see God's work continue in Newark, NJ.

(Student leaders serving as Greeters)

We received a $7000 matching grant that was fully matched for the work in Newark through this event. Our overall goal is $30,000 for this fiscal year. We are still working to raise an additional $12,000 to meet that goal by June 2009. Thank you for all those that have committed to be partners in the ministry and for those that have given generously year after year!

Thank you so much!
Love,
Marie Rodriguez

Celebrating Christ on Campus, This Thursday March 26th

2009-03-23T10:41:00.000-07:00

I would like to extend an invitation to all who have a heart for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in Newark, NJ to share an evening with us this Thursday, March 26, 2009. Please feel free to click on the invitation and make copies to invite others. To learn how to get to NJIT's Campus visit: www.njit.edu

Hope to see you there!

Crossing Invisible Borders... REACHING GREEKS!

2009-03-04T12:34:00.000-08:00

Sororities and Fraternities tend to be very exclusive groups were many can not enter unless tested and accepted first. They tend to create invisible borders called "Greek Community".

Hollywood and the media glamorize the University as one of parties, fraternities & sororities gone wild ... etc. But, for those of us who serve on the campus, we know that God is very present, involved and concerned for the lives of college students.

InterVarsity Students in Newark, NJ hosted an event in honor of Women's History Month called Mirror Mirror on March 3rd with a goal to share about God's love for women. We dealt with images of the fashion world that bombard women's self-esteems daily as well as heard from a friend of the ministry who shared we need to learn to be CONTENT, THANKFUL AND WORSHIPFUL to the Lord to find our true value.

Our greatest success was being able to partner with two sororities on campus - Lambda Tau Omega, Inc. and Kappa Psi Epsilon. We initiating more opportunities to partner with the Greeks on campus. It was a delight to see their commitment to hospitality and community service. It was great to begin to build relationships with these women. Please pray for InterVarsity as we take strides to cross invisible borders on our campuses for the sake of the Gospel.

Last month, we were also able to invite some brothers from a prominent Fraternity on campus to serve alongside us in a community service project in Elizabeth.

"To the [Greeks] I became like a [Greek] ... I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the Gospel..."

Making the Epidemic of Hunger Real!!!

2009-02-27T06:24:00.000-08:00

As students gathered to break the 30 hour fast together, they were sobered by the reality of lives they helped to save through their combined efforts on the campuses of Newark, NJ.

For the last three weeks, they T-shirts to be donated, sponsored tables, shook coin-filled milk bottles for donations, received teaching on the poor and how to practice simplicity and enjoyed being among a community of believers that takes action.

Every 5-7 seconds a child dies of hunger, AIDS or poverty in our world. To understand that fully, we each lit a candle and took turns blowing it out at the 5 second mark. Each light diminished meant a child died. It was a hard reality to live through. (watch video)

Monies are still coming in, but last night as we gathered we raised over $1,550. Praise God for students. This money will help to feed four children for one year instead of dying from hunger! Praise the Lord! Thank you for your prayers and partnership!

InterVarsity's presence on campus helps students to have opportunities to meet God in new ways as they connect their beliefs and behavior.

30 Hour Famine Begins - Collecting Coins

2009-02-26T10:42:00.000-08:00

InterVarsity students in Newark, NJ set up tables at Rutgers and NJIT to collect coins (and dollars) for World Vision as they begin their 30 hour fast. On each school, students were suprised by the generosity of many of those on the campus, but also by lack of interest of many others.

Continue to pray for students as more tables are hosted on campus to raise money and awareness of the fact that 26,000 children die daily of hunger, AIDS and poverty. Pray also that they continue stand for Justice in a world where many can choose to stay uninvolved in helping the poor.

IVCF Newark Prayer Walk

2009-02-24T12:03:00.000-08:00

InterVarsity invites you to join us for a prayer walk during our 30 hour famine on Thursday, Feb. 26. Students will gather in front of the Rutgers Robeson Campus Center on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd at 8:45 a.m. for a 45 minute prayer walk.

The focus of the walk will be for the physically and spiritually poor in the City of Newark and on our campuses. Join us in prayer! The day will continue with bringing snack bags to those in the Emergency Room at St. Michael's Hospital and then a night worship service at a local church in Newark.

Identifying with the Poor...

2009-02-20T07:24:00.000-08:00

Pastor Jim Benton joined us at Rutgers Weekly worship gathering to encourage students to love the poor because God loves the poor. He shared not only his experiences overseas through Compassion International, but also challenged us through the Word to get involved to make a difference in this world. (watch this video as Pastor Jim prays for the students.)

After the meeting, we saw more students committing to be a part of the 30 hour famine. Please continue to pray for InterVarsity on the Newark, NJ campuses.

Students Lead Worship

2009-02-19T10:38:00.000-08:00

REVIVE: Feb. 2009
IVCF-Newark hosts a monthly worship gathering called REVIVE where students from all three campuses can come and worship!

We are thankful that for the last two months we have seen over 60 students come out to this event where the Gospel is proclaimed. At each event we have seen students touched by the power of the Word of God and come up for prayer and to recommit their pursuit to follow Christ!

Our next REVIVE is March 5th. Please continue to pray as students step out in faith to invite their peers to hear the Gospel message.

WILL STARVE FOR FOOD!

2009-02-05T09:06:00.000-08:00

InterVarsity Newark Students will engage in a 30 hour famine from Feb. 25th at 2 p.m. thru Feb. 26th at 6 p.m. Their focus will be to raise money and awareness for the 26,000 children that die each day from preventable poverty and hunger.

Each student will raise $30-$60. They will also sponsor a shoe drive on campus and host a prayer meeting for the poor. We will end our fast at North Reformed Church in Newark bringing over shoes and sharing about our experiences.

Please pray for the efforts of our on campus Christian community. If you would like to donate towards our cause, please contact Marie.

New & UpComing Leadership

2009-01-23T07:44:00.000-08:00

Leadership is a wonderful experience to grow and learn and put into practice the things we believe.

Tofumni is a new and upcoming leaders serving with our weekly worship gatherings at NJIT this semester. We're glad President Obama was able to come to her inauguration to start with InterVarsity leadership in Spring 09!

Celebrating the First Week of Spring 2009!!!

2009-01-23T07:11:00.000-08:00

We are thankful for the students (current and new) that joined us for our first worship night of the semester. Our guest pastor shared about the life of David in his time of isolation and feeling separate from God. But, there was the promise of God being present during the dark and lonely time.

A call to come to front for prayer was made and about 10 students came for encouragement. IVCF student leaders where able to pray and bless these students. It was a great time to see student leaders maturing through Christian experience and serving one another!

A New Semester Begins: Student Leaders Pray

2009-01-20T11:16:00.000-08:00

Jesus entered the world to show us God. InterVarsity enters the campus to show people Jesus.

As millions of students gather back to campuses across the country, 35,000 Newark, NJ students are walking onto classrooms, campus center and inauguration festivities today!

InterVarsity continues to remain to committed to see God's kingdom alive on university campuses across this country. Please join me in praying as we host events, small groups, large groups, community service projects and times of prayer to invite people to see the KING of the transformative Kingdom of God!!

Martin Luther King Jr. Service

2009-01-20T09:44:00.000-08:00

It has been an honor to be a part of a diverse community of believers that is the Downtown Newark Clergy Association. We are a group of men and women, diverse theologically, culturally, in gender and age, who are committed to see God's Kingdom come in Newark, NJ. We gathered with members of our congregations and ministries to celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr. It was a wonderful time of celebration and worship.

This partnership was a great symbol to our InterVarsity students present that the Body of Christ is diverse, beautiful and able to unite.

An InterFaith Martin Luther King Jr. Service

2009-01-15T06:52:00.001-08:00

Please join the collaborative efforts of the churches in Downtown Newark, Goodwill Rescue Mission and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship-Newark in a time of celebrating and commemorating the life of Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

(click image for large view and printing)

Service begins at 12 p.m. at North Reformed Church, 510 Broad Street, Newark, NJ. Street parking available. Please plan ahead. See you there!

Serving Teens in Newark, NJ

2009-01-15T06:31:00.001-08:00

Staying home in front of the TV on a cold Friday night in January sounds great. But IVCF students made the choice to spend time with some great young teenagers from the City of Newark at World Impact Ministries.

IV students played basketball, participated in a teaching on the Sermon on the Mount, talked life and played cards with these young teens. It was a great night! Students are hoping to continue visiting World Impact ministries throughout the semester.

Special Message from Marie: Year End Giving Opportunity

2008-12-15T05:56:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends... funding InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in Newark, NJ means you are supporting:
1. A relevant and growing Christian community on the campuses.
2. the training of Christian college students in keys areas for longterm Christian growth (evangelism, scripture study, prayer and leadership)
3. Campus-Wide Christian programs and events that bring awareness to the Gospel and Truth of Jesus Christ.

I invite you to make a special contribution to the ministry of InterVarsity this December to help us reach our goal of $17,500 for our third quarter of ministry costs and programming. Thank you for your consideration and partnership in prayer.

To give on-line via Credit Card visit: www.ivcf.org/donate ... Or simply click the image above. You can then give towards a particular school or for the overall work of IVCF in Newark, give towards "Marie Rodriguez".

Merry Christmas!
Marie Rodriguez
Program Director
IVCF-Newark

Praise Jesus Everyone!

2008-12-07T18:14:00.000-08:00

Every week students gather with with Rutgers-Newark's choir for rehearsals. This week it was wonderful to sit at St. Mary's church in Newark, NJ and watch six InterVarsity students, along with the choir, sing about the glory of God. The Rutgers choir has been in existence for over 60 years and invites students to sing sacred Christian music at their concerts. I am thankful to see Rutgers students singing of God's glory, but I am even more excited that InterVarsity students are present to connect the meaning of that beautiful music with the lives of those who are singing. The rocks do cry out!

Thanksgiving Homeless Ministry

2008-11-27T07:05:00.001-08:00

We are thankful every year to partner with Peddie Church on Broad Street in Newark as they serve the homeless men, women and families of Downtown Newark. Please keep these men and women in your prayers.
This year was a little different and heart wrenching as homeless families with small children joined us. I am glad we were able to provide them a meal and a gift but the need is so great in Downtown Newark. May our hearts grow with compassion and tenderness for the poor among us.

Some students from the Red Cross student organization joined InterVarsity Students in serving the Friends of Jesus.

2008-11-26T05:54:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner!

2008-11-26T05:12:00.000-08:00

Good food. Good worship. Good company. It was a great night of celebration at our first ever Thanksgiving Potluck dinner. We enjoyed different cultural cusine alongside some American holiday favorites. No one left hungry! Even my little boy Josiah enjoyed himself in worship with the students and friends of the ministry.

Everyone in worship!

Double fun was that we were able to celebrate with a good amount of alumni from the ministry. I am thankful for IVCF's lasting impact on the lives of students and alumni! Don't miss it next year!

Pastor Randy, Sr. Pastor of North Reformed church hosted the event.

Sondy and Matt share their talents with us!

Alumni Connection!

2008-11-24T13:36:00.000-08:00

Mark DiQuattro was a student at Rutgers-Newark from 1972-1976 and he was also the InterVarsity Chapter President one of those years. As he came back to campus he modeled for students that the Christian Faith is not washed out over the years. The imperishable seed of his faith in Jesus was planted early on in his life, nurtured while in college and continues to bloom today. He spoke to students on the parable of the field workers in Matthew 20 helping students understand economic principles from Scripture. He spoke deeply to our Political Science and Pre-law majors. I am thankful for Mr. DiQuattro's leadership in IVCF during his college years and his continued investment in this life work of college ministry in Newark now as an alumnus.

Anu is our current IVCF Chapter President at RU-Newark and Mr. DiQuattro served in that same role in 1976.

What's Love Gotta Do With it?

2008-11-16T05:58:00.000-08:00

Dinner from Ferry Street, a little violin, a funny skit and the Gospel means you got a seeker meeting! We enjoyed our first seeker meeting at Rutgers Newark. We are hoping to create more events where our friends can come to a night of dinner and hear Gospel presentation. It was great to see students involved in skits, serving meals, introducing their friends to others in the fellowship and enjoying good food. This past Thursday, we enjoyed hearing about the Love of God through our ministry friend Ryan Faison from Christ Church. Our overall theme for the night was "What's Love Got To Do With It?" Beyond Tina Turner, God is everything is about love! The 40+ students there were able to leave with that message!

Who's Interested In Serving?

2008-11-16T05:43:00.000-08:00

We invited students to consider serving in the ministry to partner with God so we can see the renewal of our campus. We had 28 students come to learn about what it means to be a Missional Christian and their opportunities to serve as a part of one of the following teams: Small Groups, evangelism/justice, prayer ministry, Weekly Seeker Meeting. Students from all three schools came to learn about serving in the Kingdom of God as College Students! Please keep these students in your prayers as they reorganize schedules and evaluate their other commitments.

THE REALLY BIG EVENT!!!

2008-11-11T11:25:00.000-08:00

23 students from the Newark schools arrived at Lake Champion, NY for a weekend of training in prayer, scripture study, evangelism, and in the basics of how to live for Jesus. We had a great time to connect new students to the ministry and to see so much desire grow in their hearts to take their walk with Jesus much more seriously.

The next Wednesday Sherla and Jeanetta shared about their experiences at The Big Event. Sherla became the woman at the well in John 4 as she said she "drank of the living water" during a time of scripture study. Jeanetta shared that she was living a life didn't honor the Lord and made a decision to recommit herself to Jesus at The Big Event!! We are celebrating!

Professor Speaks at InterVarsity

2008-10-30T08:56:00.000-07:00

Dr. Morrison has been a professor at Rutgers-Newark since 1975 serving the students through his passion of Biology and the sciences. He teaches a course called Science and Religion that has become one of the most popular among students.

Dr. Morrison joined us at our Large Group this week to share how Science can't explain God's existence. He stated that Science wants to take God out of the equation, but you can't because "God is either everywhere or he is no where." So because science can't determine God is no where, but some where, they can't say he's not everywhere. God is omnipresent. Amazing.

Dr. Morrison kindly allowed me to interview him about his journey in the academic world in front of close to 50 students from InterVarsity. He shared his love for God and his love for learning.

Our vision is to see students and faculty transformed. We are thankful to see faculty worshipping alongside us in the University.

Social Justice Cafe

2008-10-29T06:40:00.000-07:00

The Social Justice Cafe was a great time to build awareness about human trafficking. It was great to introduce students to the work of International Justice Mission. We had a couple of grad students attend as well. Students from InterVarsity and Rutgaz Poets performed their writings on injustice. It was good to see students think with a bigger picture in mind. Many confessed that night that they were just learning of this serious issue.

Thank you for your prayers. I was able to share about the God of Justice that we serve and his call for us to be in the work of justice in partnership with Him. God was faithful. We will continue to work to bring matters of justice at the center of our ministry with college students.

Builiding Lasting Relationships...

2008-10-23T07:01:00.000-07:00

NJIT hosted a game night to continue to build relationships with all our new members. It turned out to be a double surprise as four Graduate students from the Benny Prasad concert joined us as well. It was wonderful to keep building relationships with our new friends. Please pray as we have another game night in November and will be helping International students to spend Thanksgiving with local families. We are hoping to connect 15 International Students with Christian families this Thanksgiving holiday.

Upcoming Outreach!!!

2008-10-15T05:23:00.000-07:00

(click on image to print flyer)

Join us in person and in prayer for our upcoming event on campus. InterVarsity has taken the lead to gather over 5 organizations together on campus to share about the issues of human trafficking in our world. Through our annual Social Justice Cafe we will be hearing from students' artistic expression in poetry, spoken word and song to response to this grave injustice. We will also be sharing about our God who loves Justice and is attentive to the oppressed.

Please keep us in prayer as we continue to build relationships with other organizations on campus and inform the campus about this injustice. Today, Wed Oct. 15 and next Wed. Oct. 23 we will be gathering signatures to petition our NJ senators to make this issue a priority in their legislation. Thank you for your prayers.

Lives Touched With the Gospel...

2008-09-24T19:21:00.000-07:00

Benny Prasad arrived at NJIT to an already buzzing campus. Some came into the room before the event and asked "will he really be here?" Yes, we said. The Atrium was filled to capacity as Benny shared his Christian story and fabulous music with many students at NJIT. We stopped counting at 180 people in the room. Our attendance was predominantly Indian (International) graduate students. About 20 of those students asked to be a part of a bible study in the next few weeks. We are thankful to the Lord for this successful event, but we are even more excited about meeting new friends with whom we can share about Jesus with.

We thank God for:
1. All who attended.
2. Amazing NJIT administration who partnered with InterVarsity.
3. Our faculty advisor that made sure we had good Indian food at the event.
4. All those that decided to be a part of a bible study post-event.
5. Our partnership with Sanskar, the largest Indian organization at NJIT.
6. The stretching of our faith as God answered prayers of students and IVCF-Newark partners.

Benny takes a picture with some IVCF students who were able to stay after the event. (I got to touch the guitar.)

Sanskar perform cultural Indian dances from 7 different Indian states.

A picture of half of the atrium during the event. The other side was packed too. Praise the Lord!

XXL: A Night of Worship and Vision

2008-09-14T12:40:00.000-07:00

On Sept 12, 2008 IVCF in Northern NJ hosted our annual XXL event. We invite students to a local church where they can gather with students of different campuses for a time of worship, a time in Scripture and a time in community. This year students were invited to acknowledge the KING who is Jesus. The only person that should be sitting on the throne of their lives is Him. We are thankful for the many students that made a commitment to move into a deeper commitment with Jesus. We celebrated as one young woman gave her heart to Jesus that night too.

Corazon, a student at RU-Newark is being sharing her testimony at XXL via an interview.

NJIT students enjoying their time at XXL. We are seeing great growth at NJIT!

Taking Students to Church

2008-09-03T19:55:00.000-07:00

(Click on image and print flyer.)

We will be hosting our annual church tour again to help students connect with local churches. We invite friends and alumni of IVCF to participate in at least one church visit so you can spend time with current students and help us carpool. We'd love to have your partnership!

God Walks the Hallways

2008-09-03T19:36:00.000-07:00

Genesis 3:8-9 says "the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" And this is what I feel is happening on the campuses of Newark, NJ. Students have entered on the campus from all walks of life and experiences. Some are walking on faster paces, some on slower paces. But, God is asking all "where are you?". The student leaders and I have a sense that God is walking, looking for his creation and beckoning them to receive his love.

IVCF NJIT Students engaging freshmen.

As we've been meeting with freshman this week, we have found many who are in need of authentic Christian community, in need of the Truth of Jesus and in need of love and emotional support. And as we invite them to come to and participate they are not hestitating. Jesus is drawing people to be transformed, the renew the campus and to change the world. Praise be to God!

Please keep us in prayer as we continue to meet more and more freshman, but also work in teams to personally spend time with each one of them. Even today, as we met with freshmen one young woman asked "Can I invite some of my friends to come too? I know they'd be interested in this." And of course, we welcome them with God's loves.

Small Group Ministry - Answering Jesus' Call

2008-07-14T09:21:00.000-07:00

Our Faith Goal is to have 11 active small groups - and 22 small group leaders -- on the Newark campuses this year. We are thankful for Jesus' call to us in Mark 3 - Jesus invites us to:
1. Be with Him
2. Proclaim the Good News
3. Stand against Evil

We are answering this call by working with students to build an effective and impacting small group ministry on campus. We desire students attend small groups and find a family that declares the TRUTH of Jesus.

Current IVCF students and alumni gathered for a small group leaders training session on Saturday morning July 12. We taught on the components of a healthy small group, how to lead a small group bible study, how to build community and we prayed in depth about God helping us reach this faith goal.

In the video, Krystal, a student at RU leads us in a teaching on how to lead the bible study portion in our small groups and emphasizes the power of the Word of God. Krystal is our small group coordinator for this next academic year. Please keep us in prayer as we work hard to achieve this faith goal so lives can be transformed on the campuses in Newark, NJ!

117 Freshman Reached... So Far...

2008-06-30T07:46:00.000-07:00

IVCF students have been gathering to meet and mingle with incoming freshman on their campuses. Our New Student Outreach events are focused to let Christian students know that InterVarsity Christian Fellowship exists on campus so they don't have to live our their faith alone, but can grow deeper in it! But we also engage incoming freshman with conversations about truth and their expectations in their academic careers. Some come with set opinions, others haven't thought about God's role in their life... but we hope our time with them encourages them to pursue TRUTH in Jesus, not in a specific major alone. Please keep us in prayer as we have spoken and follow-up 117 incoming freshman, but there's a huge harvest field to keep working in.

Last week in Newark, NJ a young woman who was a high school grad was shot at her graduation party. The other young woman who shot her, and was fleeing from police, just turned herself in. This is such a tragic event in Newark, NJ, but it also reminds us of the importance to reach these young men and women with the Gospel. Please continue to pray for us as we continue to meet incoming freshman on our campuses. To learn more about the shooting, visit www.nj.com

"I am the GATE..."

2008-06-30T07:36:00.000-07:00

Our summer has begun with great momentum! Last week, as we gathered for our summer prayer walk and prayed through John 1:1-10 where Jesus calls himself the Gate. We prayed that Christ would come and walk strongly on our campuses so those that don't know him can walk into salvation through the Gate that is Christ. God has been calling me to pray that students on campus would move away from lostness & lukewarmness and into the TRUTH of Jesus the Christ.
Please join us at our next prayer walk on Wed evening July 16 at 6:30 p.m.. We will meet infront of the Rutgers-Robeson Campus Center -- 350 MLK Jr. Blvd., Newark, NJ.

Join Us For Prayer - click on picture and print flyer to invite others!

2008-06-12T12:23:00.001-07:00

Take a moment to think back on the content you've heard about college campuses across America in the last two years. From partying, to drug busts, to killings... the college campus is seen as a place that is unstable and full of pain. But, God is still at work. It is also a place where students build Christian communities that affirm their faith and academics. A place where students learn about the wonders of God. A place where students and faculty learn to live out their faith in real ways as they share life together.

We invite you to join us at our two upcoming prayer walks so we can bless the campus and pray that many will see the Kingdom of God and enter into it. Feel free to click on the picture and print the flyer to invite others. I look forward to seeing you there!

What's in a T-Shirt???

2008-06-05T07:55:00.000-07:00

On the first night of Basileia Stacy, our new Vice President at RU, shared her testimony about being with InterVarsity:

She joined the ministry as Sophomore because her Freshman year was quite full. But she made a decision to visit one of our Large Group meetings during the week. She loved it. Then we invited her to participate in our AIDS Awareness event. At a training we hosted to learn how to serve at the table, we handed Stacy a T-Shirt. Stacy put on her T-shirt and came to the event. She says that when she looked down the hallway and saw so many members of the fellowship all wearing their T-Shirt she realized she was part of something meaningful to the campus.

We thank God for Stacy's involvement and service to the ministry in Newark, NJ. It was a joy to see Stacy on stage thanking God for the friendships she's made in IV and her involvement. As she returned to her seat fellowship embraced her and shouted with joy in celebration!

Basiliea: Leadership Conference

2008-06-05T07:35:00.000-07:00

Basileia is a great time of learning and spending time with the Lord, but it is also a time when students get a glimpse of what a redeemed community looks like. Students have an opportunity to develop relationships in an environment that is Christ-centered and that promotes healthy relationships. The Newark students had a great time in studying Scripture and bonding.

As the leadership shared vision and plans for the next school year, the hearts and minds of the rest of the fellowship was of partnership. Fulling God's vision on campus is not solely the work of "leaders" but of the entire community. We are thankful for the bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood that Basileia promotes and that lead us to a year of serving the Lord on campus -- together!

God's Provision!

2008-05-20T06:38:00.000-07:00

The students called me to tell me that they were pulling into Basiliea. What a blessing! God provided transportation for the students! Thank you to each of you that provided scholarship so generously so students can come to camp. God has been working in amazing ways as students have been studying scripture in the book of Mark and preparing for next year. Please keep praying for us as God continues to meet students... we are here until the 22nd.

Basiliea: Round One

2008-05-16T18:48:00.000-07:00

Thirteen Newark students will be driving up this Saturday May 17 for week 2 of Basileia. Nine students will be Encountering Jesus with a study of the book of Mark in Manuscript form. Four students will be working directly with me for leadership training and planning for the next year of ministry. Please be praying for us as we enter Scripture and seek His wisdom for planning for next year. Above you can see students from Upstate NY enjoying a time of study in the book of Mark along the beach -- we were studying the Parable of the four soils and learning about the SECRET OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

Year End Celebration! God has been faithful!

2008-05-16T18:35:00.000-07:00

Praise God! We recently celebrated what God has done this year in ministry. It was great to see students testify about how the Jesus became more real to them this year through small group ministry, community building and serving as leaders. We also had quite a few alumni come back and share with us. It was a fun, fun night!!! Thank you for your support as we serve the campus!

Alumni sharing and celebrating with us!

Current students and alumni in Worship!

Some NJIT students - Merlin and Ryan (two from the left) are graduating!

Singing: Passion & Purpose

2008-05-01T08:11:00.001-07:00

Getting to the center of campus life, is not always easy. But having students part of their school choir helps them to live out their passions for singing and opportunities to get to know others.

Talent Sharing... Secrets came out!

2008-04-04T10:21:00.000-07:00

Host a talent night and everyone comes out the woodworks! We discovered amazing singers, dancers, poets, event organizers and musicians. Students invited their family and friends to experience the ministry on campus! Here's a snipet (some folks got crazy) of talent sharing and Kareoke! The next morning the campus was buzzing with excitement and asking for an encore event. Join us on May 1 for our end of the year Worship Celebration at 7:30 p.m.

Jesus Awareness Week!!!

2008-03-30T18:55:00.000-07:00

We are celebrating the completion of another Jesus Awareness Week. We discussed Jesus in Public Policy (Dr. Aubrey Gregory), hosted Passion of the Christ movie showing, a night prayer walk around campus with the Korean Christian ministry and shared our faith through a Lost and Found exhibit. Students were challenged at many levels to share their faith with those on campus. It was a glorious time. Praise God that the Gospel was proclaimed and continue to make an impact! Students are taking the next step to pray and invite their friends to come to know Christ before the end of the semester...

"From Guilt to Grace"

2008-03-17T18:20:00.000-07:00

Rob, a senior at Rutgers-Newark, shared the message with the friends of Jesus at our monthly Community Service project to the homelesss. His testimony served as a reminder that Jesus declares HIS GRACE is "tailor-fitted" for our circumstances. Many were reminded of God's love for our lives. Join us for our last community service project for the semester on April 9, 2008 at 7 p.m. (if you would like to help us prepare meals, please arrive by 6 p.m.)

Adonai.2008 Jesus Is Your Healer

2008-03-04T12:08:00.000-08:00

InterVarsity in Northern NJ hosts Adonai every Spring to gather students from all our schools (13+) for a night of celebration and training. This year our staff team worked hard to provide training to students by modeling an outreach event. We invited students to serve by organizing food and being on stage through spoken words, emcee-ing, working with audio/visual and being prayer ministers. It was great to see students serving one another and skills they can implement on campus. Ashley Byrd, our guest speaker, led us through Mark 5 where Jesus walked through the crowd to resurrect Jarius' daughter and along the way healed the woman with the issue of blood for 12 years. Students filled the altars for prayer as they confessed that they needed Jesus to heal them. Praise God! We deeply thank Pastor Zach and Bethany Church for their amazing partnership and use of their wonderful facilities. Gracias!

International Dinner

2008-03-04T11:44:00.000-08:00

Jesus knew what he was doing when he would invite himself over to people's homes. Food does wonders to blossom relationships. In Newark we celebrated our diversity by hosting an international dinner. We had Portugese Rice, Dutch cheese, Filipino Veggies, American BBQ Chicken, Italian Fettuccini and Puerto Rican Pina Coladas. It was great to see folks taste foods they would never really eat. We played some great games including serades, with an international twist (it was a riot). Here's a video of Matt, NJIT student, trying to act out "a Spanish matador who lost control of his bull." He was 8th or 9th in the line... so haven't quite figured out what he's doing...

We had a few of our friends come out and share in the laughs and food! We are inviting our friends to our weekly bible studies. Please pray they will accept the invitation and attend!

Yeah Jesse!!!

2008-02-26T09:57:00.000-08:00

Jesse is an RA on campus, a senior on his way to graduation, former worship coordinator for InterVarsity, faithful member of the ministry, worship leader at his church... and he still has time to share his passions with us. Jesse is an amazing musician with a heart for worship ministry!

Christian Influence ALL over campus!

2008-02-26T09:52:00.000-08:00

We are thankful that InterVarsity students don't stay on the sidelines of their campus life. Here is Clayton, a freshman who is also a security guard on campus. Also Stacy is part of the RU choir and served as our moderator for our music video discussion! Please keep our students in your prayers as we serve them together! By God's grace, world changers are being developed... the first world their impacting is their campus.

Does a music video preach?

2008-02-26T09:26:00.000-08:00

Yes, there are clear messages to our young people in the music they listen to and in the images connected in them in music videos. InterVarsity sponsored a music video discussion last week on campus to help students discover the real messages behind the lyrics and beats. Many admitted that they never really paid attention to the message because the "beats" were attractive. But after watching Ciara's "Like a Boy" video, students discovered the underlying message through lyrics and choreography was "revenge is ok, and even expected, if someone hurts you." There is no room for forgiveness in Ciara's song! We also saw Nickelback's "If everyone cared..." that painted a picture of a changed world if someone stood the risk of caring for others and the world around them. I encourage you to look up these songs and watch the videos. Above picture: students with lyrics in hand thinking through the messages preached to them in music videos. Below: The choreography in Ciara's video was impressive and strongly artistic. Sondy, a student, trying to copy the complicated moves. Nice try Sondy!

Prayer Gathering @ NJIT In Response to School Shootings: This Mon. Feb. 18 @ 12 noon

2008-02-15T07:31:00.001-08:00

My heart is filled with sorrow as the news was filled, once more, with images of a shooting on a college campus. The college campus is no longer considered a safe place to study and learn. It has become a volatile and unsafe place for many. The campus of Northern Illinois University does have an InterVarsity chapter and three IV staff workers. Please pray for these staff and IV Students as they help this campus process and mourn these tragic events.

This Monday, Feb. 18 from 12 - 12:45 p.m. we will host a prayer gathering at NJIT, Campus Center, Room 220 for the campus of Northern Illinois U and for our campuses in Newark and in our area. Would you come and partner with us in prayer? I encourage all to attend if you have off from work on Presidents' Day.

Let us pray passionately! May the students of our fellowships understand the need to be good listeners to their peers on campus, skilled to speak into difficult situations and able to discern when to act as they suspect danger.

Please visit CNN to watch and listen to a Northern Illinois U student's testimony:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/02/15/lemon.miller.shooting.interview.cnn

Thank you for your partnership in prayer!

Serving In Downtown Newark, NJ

2008-02-15T07:05:00.001-08:00

Newark IV students gathering in spite of the rain to serve the homeless men and women of Downtown Newark at Peddie Church. Monthly we gather to prepare and distribute brown bag meals and host a worship service for the Friends of Jesus. This past week Charmaine, sophomore at RU, led in worship and Marie spoke about Jesus being able to heal us in our humanness. At the closing of the message, I invited everyone to stand and say out loud the places they need Jesus to heal them. We heard "back pain, arthritis, diabetes, a sick daughter, finances ..." The room was filled with hope as we were reminded of God's healing power available to us in every situation. (here's a small snipet of our worship time)

This month, two students from another organization joined us. They chose not to be a part of the worship service, but stood the entire time to help us prepare sandwiches and distribute them at the end. We thank God for the relationships we are building with them and we hope they will consider JESUS soon!

Celebrate!

2008-01-28T15:09:00.001-08:00

The Rutgers Leadership team got to hang out with Josiah at our celebration dinner! I partner with these students to do God's work on campus. They are the illustration of the calling God has on my life. I love them so much! Please keep these students in your prayers. God is growing their faith and they are being transformed in Christ. Thank you to all those that invest in the ministry of InterVarsity @ Newark!!

InterVarsity Students Make-Up 27% of Campus RA's

2008-01-24T17:48:00.000-08:00

Eight out of the 29 Resident Advisors at RU-Newark are InterVarsity students. So, what difference could that make? InterVarsity's Vision on Campus: To see students and faculty transformed, campuses renewed and world changers developed. (Above is a picture of RU-Newark RA's. Yellow Stars = IVCF students)

Students & Faculty Transformed:
None of these eight RA's are undercover Christians (one is camera shy)... they are being transformed to live out Scripture by Word & Deed! They have been seizing opportunities to develop relationships with the unchurched and non-believers. You can see the fruit of their work as you walk through the halls of campus and see they are stopped and greeted by so many residents and administrators. Last semester, in response to seeing so much spiritual brokenness in the dorms, these RA's gathered to pray and study Scripture together every other Sunday night. They are leaning on the Lord!

Campus Renewed
We're seeing amazing leadership, that is admired by Housing Administration, produced. InterVarsity students are modeling how to deal with conflict and how to show sacrificial love to their residents and their superiors. The caliber of their work, which they do 'unto the Lord', raises the bar of how an RA should do their jobs. We also have two students that work at the Housing office that serve with administration. The campus is a better place because of the diligent work of these students.

World Changers Developed:
These students are on campus now, but they will be in so many different industries very soon where they can continue their live out their faith. Can you imagine how great that will be?

Please join us in prayer as we celebrate the influence God has given the ministry this semester and as we pray for these RA's as they live out their faith as college students.

Leadership Training & Planning Day

2008-01-20T15:03:00.001-08:00

InterVarsity student leaders gathered on Saturday, Jan. 19 for an all day training and planning day in Little Falls, NJ. Students were able to receive training on two main topics: "How to Grow your Chapter through Small Groups" and "Evangelism". We were able to teach on the dynamics of small group ministry from how to build lasting relationships to dealing with conflict as well as learning better ways to plan events and programs. Students quickly engaged with the material through Q&A sessions and time of planning afterwards. Students in the Northern NJ area are working smarter to build strong WITNESSING COMMUNITIES that reflect the love of Jesus on our campus. For most schools, classes begin this Tuesday. Please keep the ministry in prayer as we reenter a new semester filled with opportunities to share Christ on Campus! (If you're interested in learning more, ck out: http://www.intervarsity.org/campus/)

LaFe07 Conference

2008-01-10T08:38:00.000-08:00

For the last three years, I have been planning and praying for InterVarsity's National Latino Student conference. Four Newark Students, One Alumni and a friend attended the LaFe conference and were challenged to ARISE as God's children to engage the world. "

God-fearing, educated Latinos is what we need to see change happen in the Latino communities. There is also a strong presence of Latinos in the Newark Schools who need to be reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. LaFe helps to reach those students. If you're interested in helping us build a LaFe chapter in Newark, please connect with us.

AIDS Awareness: Broken Bread Meal

2008-01-10T08:18:00.001-08:00

In December 07, InterVarsity partnered with World Vision to bring a BROKEN BREAD MEAL to campus. A Broken Bread Meal is a corn meal porridge that's served to many to who suffer from AIDS and poverty in the world. A handful of students who attended Urbana last year where able to experience the depth of poverty in the World by participating in the Broken Bread Meal.

Students set up four tables in the campus center and invited passers-by and their friends to taste the porridge and to learn about poverty in the world. Some students dreaded the taste, some liked it, one of our own IV students said they used to eat it daily as they lived in a refugee camp before coming to the USA. Students passionately shared about AIDS statistics in the world and the brokenness that it has created.

We met a load of students who felt challenged as they learned about the dire reality of AIDS in the world. We met some who were callous to the pain in the world. We had a few opportunities to share about Jesus and his power to change the brokenness of the world. Please pray that God will continue to challenge InterVarsity to bring awareness of God's redeeming power to this broken world. (we're starting on the campus!)

Serving the Friends of Jesus!

2008-01-09T13:08:00.001-08:00

Each month, InterVarsity partners with Peddie Church (a local church in Newark) to serve the friends of Jesus. The friends of Jesus are disenfranchised men and women who are homeless in the Downtown Newark area. Students serve by preparing and serving the evening meal, providing worship and a message of hope to all those that attend.

At our Thanksgiving 2007 partnership, InterVarsity had over 50 students come out to serve. InterVarsity friends included fraternities, soriorities, cultural clubs, religious clubs and the like. We invited all the students to partake in the worship service, many did. It was a great time to introduce Christianity to those who would have never attended church before. This great partnership has burdened our student leaders to continue building relationships with non-Christians on campus. We have already begun planning for partnership opportunities.

Real Life Large Group Meeting...

2008-01-09T12:22:00.000-08:00

Classrooms become sanctuaries of worship because students choose to gather together to give praise to the True and Living God. Here is a snapshot of our worship gatherings on campus. Please keep us in prayer as we re-engage the campus as the Spring 08 semester begins.

In Heat Of Summer... God Moves!

2007-08-10T09:14:00.000-07:00

At 11:30 a.m. IV students began to set up our table with posters, sign-up forms, candy and pens to welcome the freshman that were about to walk through the Orientation to meet student organizations. The students had practiced smiling, body posture, how to shake hands, how to make good eye contact and how to explain what InterVarsity was on campus... but nervousness seems to always set in, especially for one of our students.

At the third orientation, outside in the summer sun, we each spoke to students with the goal to have a quality conversation that peaked spiritual interest. We didn’t just want a name and e-mail. As I spoke to one student and the chapter president to another, we began to see a small group of 3-4 students huddle together by our table. We looked over and saw one of our student leaders, who was very scared at our first two orientations, engaging the small group.

He began saying “InterVarsity is a Christian community that cares about the campus.” He told them about our homeless ministry projects and weekly meetings and then asked them “What’s your spiritual background?” The conversation kept going and each one of those freshman signed-up. The chapter president and I were amazed to see God work in this young man. This student is also taking the lead, with a team of others, to ensure each Freshman is personally contacted twice this summer and then face to face during NSO. I am thankful that the students are growing in their boldness for Christ. Let’s celebrate!

2007-2008: It's a New School Year

2007-08-10T08:57:00.000-07:00

In my June prayer letter I was excited to introduce you to our Campus Strategy as well as our goal to grow our fellowship to 10% of the student body within five years. The students, staff and volunteers are so excited to be a part of something God-big! This strategy will simply help us constantly make invitations to all those who visit our chapter and bring them from the side-lines to the front-line in their faith. Invitations like: Would you like to study about Jesus? Would you like to make Jesus the leader of your life? Would you like to be more involved with the chapter? Will you visit a small group in my dorm room? Would you consider leadership for next semester?

We have used this summer to train and disciple student leaders through a study on the book of Mark, reading and discussing “Jim & Casper Go to Church,” planning meetings and reaching over 80 new students at our five Freshman Orientation tables in the heat of summer. As the summer winds down, the students are planning out their school and work schedules, getting ready to move back to campus and gearing up for New Student Outreach, our most strategic way to connect with new students on campus. Let’s keep praying! Our vision is to see student and faculty transformed, campuses renewed and world changers developed.