Greetings Friends of UKirk MTSU,
As a new school year approaches we’re thrilled to kick off a new monthly email/blog series to keep you informed about the exciting work happening at UKirk, your partner in ministry on the MTSU campus. We believe that strong partnerships between the church and campus are essential for reaching students with the love of Christ. Our goal with these updates is to share stories, highlight needs, and inspire you to be a part of what God is doing at UKirk.
What's happening at UKirk?
UKirk is gearing up for an exciting new school year at MTSU! Our student leadership team has spent the summer reflecting on last year’s successes and challenges. We're excited to bring back popular events like our Welcome Weekend Brunch, which drew over 30 students last year. Outdoor adventures like UKayak on the Elk River and UCamp at Edgar Evins State Park will also return this fall in updated forms. Each of these events highlights a little bit of what UKirk is about; From showing students hospitality and welcome, to helping them form meaningful connections while also getting a break from the grind of school, to offering them chances to experience God in a variety of different settings.
Big events are not the only thing we are looking forward to this year! During the semester, the usual highlight of my week is spending time with students during our weekly program activities.
Monday Lunch: We kick off each week with our Free Monday Lunch at the UKirk house, providing students with a nourishing simple meal and hopefully good conversation. This meal is not only an intentional time during the school day to invite students into a space created for them, the UKirk House, but is strategically placed on a day when other student orgs aren't offering free meals in a small effort to impact food insecurity on our campus.
Coffee on Campus: On Tuesdays, we head to campus for our long-time staple, Coffee on Campus. This is an effort to meet students where they are and have a presence on campus. You can usually find us enjoying a beautiful morning conversing and sipping coffee on the quad near Walker Library.
UKirk Thursday Nights: Of course, the highlight of our week is UKirk Thursday Nights, where we gather for dinner and devotion, and periodically seasonally themed events; pumpkin painting, Thanksgiving dinner with our board of directors, and our Christmas Party/December Grad celebration to name a few.
How can you be involved?
There are many ways to support UKirk and make a difference in the lives of MTSU students.
Financial Support: Your financial contributions directly impact our programs, staff, and facilities. These resources enable us to create a welcoming environment, and offer meaningful programming. (https://www.ukirkmtsu.com/support)
Every Monday, we spend approximately $40 to offer bread, sandwich meat, a couple of fresh fruits, and more for students to enjoy during Monday Lunch at UKirk.
Tuesday's we go on campus and for $30-40 we buy Dunkin Donuts coffee for students.
Provide a Meal: One way to get involved is by providing Thursday night meals for our students. We are so grateful for all of our church partners who have shown love to students through this simple act of providing a meal over the years. Here are several ways you can do that!
Coordinate with church members to provide a meal!
Order a Meal for UKirk!
Send a $100-120 donation marked for "Thursday Night Meals" and our staff will handle ordering/buying food!
Promote UKirk: Help us spread the word about UKirk within your church community. Consider sharing this monthly update in your church newsletter or digitally with your congregation. We also encourage you to invite our campus minister to speak at your church about UKirk.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership!
Rev. Micah Watson
UKirk MTSU
615-692-2742
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