FOCUS National Conference

4,000 College Students/Young Adults
December 30 - January 3
Orlando, Florida
UMD Goal: 100 Students

Special Guests:
Mathew Kelly- Author/Speaker
Father Benedict Groeschel- Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (FFR)
Matt Maher- Music Artist
Matthew West- Music Artist
Tim Hawkins - Comedian
and more...



Change a life... Sponsor a Student
Contact Kate: kfehrenbach@focusonline.org

http://www.focusconference.org/

On Your Mark... Get Set...

There is no better way to compare Outreach Season (the past three weeks) than with a sprint race. Building the sweet anticipation of being on campus is exactly like the nerves you feel as you reach your starting position. As adrenaline in your blood builds, you try to suppress it, however it packs down so tightly that upon gunfire, you explode off the starting line like a rocket in flight. Days are packed with prayer, on-campus evangelization, and (my favorite) one-on-one coffee dates with students. A story and prayer request to share from outreach season:

Rachel
I attended a freshman talk (don't ask how i managed this one..) during welcome week titled, "Unpacking Your Faith at College." You can imagine as at any university there was some hostility when the guest speaker walked the students through philosophical reasoning as to whether God exists or not... One student in particular responded to the group stating that,

despite her strong belief in Jesus Christ, she could not be more ashamed and disinterested in the hypocrisy of Christianity.

Naturally, curiosity killed this Kate, and I made my way back to her row at the dismissal of the session. In a short conversation I learned this stunning, young woman desired to know a deeper Truth and had countless questions. It was as though she was lined up at the start line, waiting for the gun to go off. With one invitation, she attended an opening outreach event - followed by another, followed by mass, followed by a Theology of the Body conference, got plugged into a small group bible study... and every day, coming back for more...

I love the sprint, don't get me wrong, but I am happy to see these successful three weeks soon come to a close. After a few days of rest, we will begin the marathon that is "build season", the educating and lifting up of students to make the decision to live their lives for our Lord.

Meet the Cleavers!

The University of Minnesota Duluth FOCUS Missionary team!

Lucy - team director, second year at UMD
Kate - (Me), first year at UMD
Kari - missionary/grad student, second year at UMD
Phil - (joined by wife, Suzee, and son, Joseph), first year at UMD
Declan - second year at UMD


*your prayers for these Bulldogs are greatly appreciated

Can you hear me now?

Like the Verizon Network, the Horizon Network, is a team of individuals committed to the best service for their customer. Lucky for us, the service we provide is grace and the customer is the soul.

Let's venture together (I'll be the dude in the glasses, you be the one in the hardhat) on University of Minnesota Duluth's campus through stories, pictures, and testimonies. Join me by providing your comments, insight, encouragement, and witnesses as we provide clearer reception for students to hear what the Lord is calling them to...

Can you hear me now?