One clear sign that something is good and wonderful is that we want more of it. This could be a delicious meal we love to regularly make, or a dear friend we often want to spend time with. It could also be an impactful weekend at a conference that you're eager to come back to again.
That's exactly what a student shared after Fall Conference this year:
"The worship was absolutely amazing and the speakers were incredible. I'm definitely coming back next year!"
After 42 hours of teaching in Genesis, multiple topical breakout sessions, a missions fair, small group discussions, fellowship over meals, extended worship music, and a late night hangout with a cereal bar, this student wanted more! And this is just the story of 1 of the over 500 students in attendance! We have already heard stories from many of our campuses about what students learned during the weekend, and how it's continuing to impact them this semester. Here are a few more quotes and photos from the weekend: |
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"[The Main Sessions in Genesis] taught me how genuinely cool God is. He seemed so distant and untouchable before but now I realize that he is truly loving and central and I am so thankful that I get to be invited to His party." |
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"For my first and last fall conference, it was such a blessing to spend it with my friends from multiple campuses. I loved every bit of it, and I enjoyed the variety of breakout sessions!! The worship was amazing, and the progression of each of the main session messages were well-structured." |
"All of the other conferences I went to growing up were so hype that I couldn't engage with the substance. This was incredible in that it was grounded, exciting, and impactful all in one. I especially loved the music choices - so many music opportunities for young adults are just contemporary songs without substance." |
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"As my first fall conference, it was such a wonderful experience. I got to learn more about God, strengthen my faith, and make new connections." |
"I think that if there is anyone who is on the fence about attending Fall Conference, whether they are a Christian or not, they should definitely go...you will not regret taking a weekend off from the stresses of work, school, and social life. It is truly an unmatched weekend retreat." |
"[The teaching in Genesis 1-3 revealed to me that] viewing God as a personal creator who is personally invested in all aspects of my life means that it is foolish and impossible to ignore him." |
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Asher did great at the conference! He loved seeing all the people and hanging out with Dad most of the weekend while Mom helped with all the Event Planning details. It was a lot of long days for Asher, but he found ways to get naps in. :) |
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TJ had the opportunity to lead a small group with some students from Elizabethtown College, which was really encouraging because we had no presence at Etown when he first joined DiscipleMakers. Not only is it great to see the growth in our ministry in number of campuses, but also in the ways these students were engaging with the Scriptures and the teaching from the weekend. |
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In our last newsletter, we shared about St. James College* and our pioneering efforts there. Since then, we've hit some roadblocks with administration processes regarding our staff's presence on campus, but are overall encouraged by seeing the Lord at work in the students!
The student leaders have really taken ownership of the study and have been doing a great job facing their fears and leading. At their our last official bible study of the semester this past week, 30 students came! A few of those were brand new faces and they got to hear the gospel and Jesus's call to make disciples.
Please pray that many would come to the Christmas Party our staff are hosting on December 3rd - that it would be a great time of building relationships with these students that would carry over into the spring semester! Particularly that new freshmen would be more connected to the group.
* Name changed since we are not yet publicly recognized as a student group. |
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Prayers & Praises Praise God for Fall Conference and the impact the Scriptures had on students during this weekend event. Pray that students would continue to Pray for St. James College* that we would find favor with the administration and that students would grow in their faith through this Bible study.
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Thank you for your continued prayers and support. We are constantly in awe of God's work on the college campus and delight to share it with you. If there are any ways that we can pray for you, please let us know!
In Christ, TJ & Kate Renninger (& Asher) |
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Asher has been such a joy, especially as he's getting older and more interactive. He's explored lots of new things recently like trying solid foods, playing at the park, and trying to join the worship team at church with mom & dad.
In October, we were all a part of TJ's brother's wedding - groomsman, bridesmaid, and ring "bear"-er! |
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Contact Us: TJ & Kate Renninger 548 Easterly Parkway State College, PA 16801 717.673.2359 | 610.401.7441 |
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