A small group of students from GVSU, MSU and GRCC were able to meet with Shane before his public appearance to talk about life at the Simple Way, restorative justice, and how, in light of all the difficult and sad situations in the world, to keep hope alive.

We had a full sanctuary to hear Shane speak on “Reconciliation: Tearing Down the Walls”.

True North partnered with the Spiritual Life and Learning Committee of Westminster Presbyterian Church to bring Shane to Grand Rapids. Thanks to Westminster for being a great collaborative partner! And thanks to my colleagues in campus ministry for coming and bringing your students. And thanks to Shane Claiborne for the great talk.

SCIENCE vs. CHRISTIANITY?

Feb. 1: Science, Faith and the Universe

Feb. 8: Facts and Faith

Feb. 15: Creation vs. Evolution?

Feb. 22: Christian Environmentalism?

Feb. 29: Are we more than our Brains?

This series begins February 1  from 3-4:30 p.m.,  On the GRCC campus, Room 20 (inside Student Life) SC

Beginning in January, along  the GRCC Christian Fellowship will host  group discussions of  ”The True Story of the Whole World” which will encourage you to see the grand narrative of God’s story as told in the Bible and how to find your place in God’s true story for the whole world.

In February we’ll host, along with the GRCC Christian Fellowship, a science and Christianity discussion group at GRCC,

At Kendall, there’s a student art show the Kendall Christian Fellowship is organizing. There are several churches on board to show student art and hear from student artists about their art and faith. If you are a Kendall student, it’s not too late to submit your art!

Nancy will be visiting an MBA class for conversation about Christian business ethics and speaking at Westminster Presbyterian Church about campus ministry, why it matters and what True North is about.

Check  back here or on our Facebook page for details!

August 12 10 am-3pm  Nancy will be at the Raider Rally at GRCC with the GRCC Christian Fellowship.  Stop by and say hello. More importantly find out how you can be involved with our Caring for Creation Conference at GRCC Sept 28-29. We need folks to do all sorts of things, large and small. Our keynote speaker is Calvin DeWitt from the University of Wisconsin.

September 6 Nancy will be at Campus Life Night at GVSU. Find out what’s happening with True North on the Pew Campus!

Sept 28-29  Caring for Creation Conference

                               at GRCC, open to all students.

Our Keynote speaker is Calvin DeWitt from the University of Wisconsin.

Calvin DeWitt represents one of the best, most thoughtful evangelical Christian perspectives on environmental ethics. This perspective emphasizes the primacy of scripture as formative for Christian environmental ethics. Yet, DeWitt is also a serious environmental scientist, with a unique ability to bridge the gap between religion and science. DeWitt’s emphasis on the physical and chemical provisions of life exemplify his commitment to a vibrant science and religion dialogue that includes both biblical wisdom and also the discoveries of modern science.

from Counterbalance.net

 

We are planning lectures, nature walks, service project, and Bible study. We want student involvement in planning this event. We need folks to do “big picture” planning and also we need people to help with the details. If you are interested, we’ll have something you can do that fits your abilities and time commitments. Contact Nancy 616 821-0351, nancy@truenorthonline.org or on Facebook to talk about how you can be involved.

Image via Wikipedia

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.  Many churches will have services on Wednesday. If your church does not or you are unable to attend services at your home church, you are welcome to worship with Westminster Presbyterian Church (47 Jefferson Ave, Grand Rapids)  at 7 pm.

Often during Lent people participate in special practices. Often these practices center around personal and community prayer.

Here are several links to on line Lenten resources.

Daily Readings for Lent

Words Matter Lenten Devotions

Tread Lightly for Lent

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Lenten Resources

Sacred Space On line devotions

d365.org  on line devotions

devotions from the United Methodist Church

Our Lent at Read the Spirit

Here are local Lenten opportunities at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Students are welcome!   True North ministry coordinator, Nancy Janisch, will be co leading both the Wednesday night and Sunday morning discussions of  Against the Tide.

Westminster also has weekly meditation services each Wednesday in Lent at 7 pm. These are followed at 7:30 pm by Wednesday evening education opportunities. There are multiple classes you may attend. One series of classes is “The Language of Forgiveness”. These classes explore a variety of ways of speaking and thinking about forgiveness using music, art, faith practices and personal forgiveness. (Each of these classes is an independent offering, come to one, two or all of them). There is a three week class, “Considering Paul” which “will look at some of the new scholarship” about Paul and his letters. There will also be two book discussions. on March 16 and 23 No Future Without Forgiveness by Desmond Tutu and March 30 and April 6, 13,20 Against the Tide: Love in a Time of Petty Dreams and Persisting Enmities by Miroslav Volf.

Also during Lent, Westminster is hosting an art exhibition around the themes of forgiveness and reconciliation. You may view the art anytime the church building is open.

Finally, April 29, Miroslav Volf, Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School and Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture will speak at 7 pm. on “Adventure of Forgiveness”. This talk is free and open to the public.

In the evening at 7:30 he will give a public lecture, Second Line: The Art of Social Justice
In this lecture Steve will discuss the unique funerary tradition of New Orleans.  Through the  story of the “Dirge and the Second Line” amongst other historical moments he will demonstrate how he symbolically embed those stories in the visual arts to educate, challenge, and openly grapple with societies moral and ethical dilemmas.

The evening lecture is free and open to the public.

 faith, life, coffee

Friday September 10 @ 8 pm  meet at the Bitter End   or

Saturday September 11 @ 9 am   meet at Ferris Nut and Coffee’s Riverfront Cafe

no agenda, just conversation