When I pitched this name to the equippers at our meeting, it was mostly a joke. In the past, when canvas groups have began a regular dorm hang-out night, called it "Eight to Late", but "wheneven" isn't even a real word. Maybe they were only humoring me (probably) but they went for it. And, since I write the emails, we have officially begun a weekly night in the dorms that we affectionately call, "Seven to Wheneven."
As my generic picture of MU students will show you, studying is an essential to college life. Something I've learned since I've been a campus missionary is that ministering to students does not equal just inviting them to church but that you have to meet them where they are. As Aimee and I began the year we knew that getting into the dorms on a regular basis had to be something that our group made a priority. In the past, our canvas group has struggled with dorm outreach, so in an effort to change this, we encouraged following up with freshmen who filled out an interest survey and initiated a regular time of getting in the dorms.
Seven to Wheneven is a new thing and thus is still developing an identity. It's a strange mix of a study night and a hang out night. Some nights have been almost stuffy as a dozen people stare at laptops and feel the pressure of the first round of tests. Other nights have been super relaxed as we turn on Monday Night Football, pass out some day-old pastries that Aimee took home from her coffee shop job and enjoy each other's company. We're learning and trying to find the balance of what the night will look like each week. Our purpose is for it to be a common gathering that meets the needs of the students we are reaching out to in the dorms: a regular time for study and fellowship. We'll get there.
So pray for us. Pray that when the unexpected hall meeting shows up we are okay with moving to another close-by study lounge. Pray that we aren't so involved with our laptops and notebooks that we forget to build relationships. Pray that we make it something inevitable. Pray that we continue to get out of our comfort zones as we do our best to reach out to these students. I know God will show us the fruit of our efforts but we must always labor in prayer together.
God bless,
Chris
