Orientation for New Staff: Let's Talk Design

This year at Orientation for New Staff (ONS) my co-worker Laura and I gave a talk about designing ministry updates and prayer letters. I've never spoken in front of that many people before (almost 150!), so I was nervous, but lots of staff came up to thank us later. They said we were clear and concise and they were blown away by a few tips we gave about photos (tip: have the people in your photos looking towards your content--readers will look that way too.) The words "design ninjas" and "rockstar" might have been tossed around too. We were pleased to help and happy that it gave us connections with staff later. Now, when they call the design room for help, they will already know who they are talking to; there will be more trust from the start. More trust will make better projects, all for the glory of God. Here we are speaking on stage at ONS:

Laura introduces a staff prayer letter we are going to 'makeover.'

I ask if anyone wants to see the redesign...

"It looks pretty good, huh?"

InterVarsity Staff Class of 2012!

Orientation for New Staff has been last and this week, and the new staff are making themselves known. Here's an infographic to introduce you to them:

Who Will You Be Goes to Camp

This year's New Student Outreach about identity is ready to be used on campus, but it won't be used if staff and students don't know about it! So...we sent it to camp. Chapter Focus Week, that is, where staff and student leaders gear up for their next year of ministry. Staff who champion evangelism in each region (or most regions) brought the Who Will You Be panels to the retreat centers for students to see first-hand and decide to run them (or not run them) on campus next year. Above is Terry Fischer, third from right, with other staff showing off the T-Shirts at InterVarsity's Cedar Campus.

The Everyday: Native American Ministry Fundraising Case

So, I'm very excited that I just (within the hour) received a call from Megan and Willie Kirschke that  they presented the fundraising case I designed for them to a donor who pledged to give a $1,000 dollars a month. A couple days of my time along with their hard work raised $12,000 for their yearly budget! They can now  minister full-time with Native students at Fort Lewis College, Co., and have benefits for their family, praise God!

When Megan called  two months ago asking for help with their fundraising presentation, I was excited. My family friends the Rendalls, who have "known me before I was born", helped pioneer InterVarsity's Native Student Ministries in the past decade. It's a new student group to reach, so there aren't many materials to use. And, just the day before Megan's call, I had signed up to join a potluck and worship time with a Native American church from Minnesota. Though my project schedule was full, the time seemed right--even overdue.

In the long view, ministry to Native American students is long overdue. The suicide rate among Native Americans 18-25 is the highest in the country. Tribes suffer rampant depression and alcoholism, and reservations lack not just jobs, but electricity and plumbing. The third world isn't overseas-- it's in our own backyard. Even well-meaning missions of the past have often torn families apart and stripped them of their traditions. They've shared the bad news of human nature instead of the good news of Jesus Christ.

Native nations need young leaders with physical, mental, emotional and spiritual strength to light the way, and InterVarsity can help raise them up. Indigenous students who make it to the college campus will be the leaders in their communities. InterVarsity can teach them to lead in Godly way. And did you know Native American missionaries shared Jesus with the Mongolian church--now one the the fastest growing christian churches in the world? Christ-following Native Americans have an important witness to the world that God loves people from every tribe, language, and nation, and we must empower them to live it!

So, I'm overjoyed we've raised $12,000 for the Kirschkes and the students at Fort Lewis. This is how your giving multiplies many times as I use my skills to help staff! Thank you so much! Praise God with us!

A Ft. Lewis College student celebrates his frybread-making contest win, with his prize IVP book One Church, Many Tribes.