“StudentConnect” is a new service developed by LCMS Campus Ministry to help college students connect with a campus ministry.
With StudentConnect, students use an online form to provide information that a campus pastor or ministry worker uses to personally contact the student.
“StudentConnect has the potential to help a student establish a relationship with a campus ministry even before he or she arrives on campus,” says Jon Jensen, executive director of LCMS Campus Ministry. “We’re excited about that — what a great way to get a head start on building community.”
Any student, family member, pastor, or youth ministry leader can go to the LCMS Campus Ministry Web site and complete the StudentConnect form. The information is provided confidentially to a campus ministry worker, who then contacts the student.
“We want to help congregations continue to be active in ministry to their member students who go away to college,” Jensen said. “We know that many already stay in touch through greeting cards, prayer circles, care packages, personal contacts from home pastors, even webcasts of their worship services. This is still another resource — a way for congregations to partner with ministry professionals who are on the ground in campus communities and who care deeply about the spiritual growth of their member students.”
Students whose schools are not served by a campus ministry can use StudentConnect to find or start a Lutheran Student Fellowship group or start a campus ministry.
“Students can actually play a vital role in making StudentConnect a valuable tool,” says Jensen. “If you’re a student, you can tell the pastor or youth worker at your home congregation about it and explain how it can serve as an important ministry link to all of your church’s student members away at college.
“The better we’re all connected, the stronger we are together.”
For more information or to fill out an online form, visit www.lcmscampusministry.org and click on “LCMA StudentConnect.”
Posted Sept. 2, 2009
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