Summer break has begun. The campus is pretty much empty of students and faculty. There IS busy-ness on campus, but it is from the High School Girl's State Track Meet and Guy's State Track Meet. There will be more camps to come all summer long, so the campus will be buzzing with activity.

Summer provides a different pace for us in campus ministry. We still have plenty of work to do, but, rather than being the frantic "gotta-get-it-done-because-the-deadline-is-here" type of activity...it is more the "planning-for-the-next-school-year" type of absorption in preparation. Regardless, I think all of us on staff enjoy the shifting of gears that the summer schedule provides.

One of my favorite activities of the summer is our annual Campus Ministers' Retreat, held at McCormick's Creek State Park near Spencer, Indiana. Next week a hundred or so campus ministers from across the nation will gather for four days of rest, worship, learning, reminiscing, and sharing the vision for our unique niche in ministry. I look forward to getting together with some of the guys and gals who have been in campus ministry for decades. We have weathered storms together. We have raised our own children in campus ministry. We have shared many of the same struggles, and many of the same types of blessings. We share a solidarity that only comes from occupying the same corner of God's kingdom.

I also look forward to seeing the new faces--"newbies" in campus ministry all full of hope and excitement. It energizes me-- no, THEY energize me. And their presence shows me that the future of our unique ministry experience is in good hands.

So, think of us, and pray for us next week (June 1-4) as we gather to recuperate, regenerate, and re-focus.

Have a great summer,

We are at the end of the year and this is always a bit of a sad time around Campus House. We spend nine months being part of the students lives on a day to day basis. Whether one of the students come into to my office to talk about something important, or we stop while walking across campus for a conversation in the library, or we head out for a midnight steak ‘n shake run, a lot of life-sharing happens in those months between August and May. And so it is a bit sad to realize that though I may hear from them a couple times over the summer, I won’t have that day to day involvement in their lives, that day to day opportunity to watch them grow in their faith.

But, it’s a happy time too. This time of year the staff begin (after a short period of brain dump) looking forward to next year. The lessons series we will focus on, the study we may do, and the leaders we will get to work with. To anticipate with excitement the coming of a ‘new’ year of reaching out to people on Eastern’s campus.

It’s also a time to begin to get to know and integrate our new interns into the work and ministry opportunities here at Campus House. I know I’m looking forward to the fresh ideas that Augie, Naomi, and Seth will bring to our ministry this year.

So, yes, sad in some respects....Happy at the same time, and just another of the many facets of being a campus minister.