A PUBLICATION OF THE CENTER FOR CHRISTIAN STUDY
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FALL 2020
T H E S T U DY C E N T E R
THIS ISSUE: -
Launching with Gratitude, page 3 Bill Wilder
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Community Building and Community Learning, pages 4–5 Katie Hightower
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Intellectually Rigorous and Relationally Warm, page 6 Ethan Hightower
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Timeline of the Fall Semester, page 7
STUDY CENTER STAFF BILL WILDER
Executive Director bill@studycenter.net
FITZ GREEN
Photography descriptions and credit:
Senior Director for Education & Programs fitz@studycenter.net
On the cover: Casey Anglin, Katie Brown, and Kaitlyn Carico walk into the Study Center (photo by Carly Vanness) Page 3: (from left to right) Nikki and Katie welcome an incoming student at Move-In Day Launch; students joining the Undergraduate Bible Study on Zoom and in person; students studying in the tent out front; a resident reading in the new floor chairs in the library stacks (photos by Carly Vanness) Page 4: Residents playing Bunco and Dutch Blitz (photos by Ethan and Katie Hightower); quote is from an anonymous end-of-year resident survey Page 5: (from left) A Resident selfie at the C.S. Lewis play in November 2019 (photo by Emma Studtmann); roommates Callie Freeman and Emma Studtmann (photo by Nathanael Diemer); quote is from an anonymous end-of-year resident survey; the residential program graphic was designed by Katie Carr with photos by Brittany Fan
RICK CAMPANELLI
Director of Graduate Ministries rick@studycenter.net
NIKKI FLANNERY
Director of Development and Parent & Alumni Relations nikki@studycenter.net
RACHAEL GREEN
Page 6: (from top) Ethan Hightower and Jeff Simpson catching up in the Front Room (photo by Carly Vanness); Grounds ministers and professors gather to welcome students at Move-In Day Lunch 2019 (photo by Brittany Fan)
Librarian rachael@studycenter.net
Page 7: (chronologically) Foundations Week participants outside the Foundations Week house; intern Jonathan Cummins prepares to welcome students into the building; intern Eyrn Meyer greets an incoming student at Move-In Day Launch; the first Lunch Club meets in the new hybrid and physically distanced format (photos by Carly Vanness)
BRET HEDDLESTON
On the back: Politics and the Common Life graphic provided by Anselm House
Sign up to join our email list at studycenter.net/keep-in-touch. WWW.STUDYCENTER.NET The Study Center newsletter is published for our friends and supporters. University Christian Ministries, Inc. (d/b/a Center for Christian Study) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation EIN 51-0192618.
Prayer Requests: •
Pray for the staff of all the Grounds ministries and churches serving students at UVA as we seek to love students, gather them safely, and encourage them with the Word of God.
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Pray for our building to continue to be a “home away from home” and a hospitable and warm environment for students this semester. Praise God for a team of interns who care about this ministry and work to keep it going.
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Praise God for the community that has been built in the Elzinga Residential Scholars Program this year despite these difficult circumstances! Pray that God would continue to watch over these students and that, as the UVA housing search has already begun for next year, he would bring students who will benefit from and contribute to this community for next year’s program.
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Pray for our graduate fellowships to provide community and Christ-centered learning during this often isolating time.
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Pray for wisdom for the University leadership as they continue to lead during a difficult semester.
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Pray that everyone who comes through the doors of our building or engages with our content online will know that the Lord is sovereign and at work.
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Facilities Assistant bret@studycenter.net
ETHAN HIGHTOWER
Director of Undergraduate Ministries for Men ethan@studycenter.net
KATIE HIGHTOWER
Director of Undergraduate Ministries for Women katie@studycenter.net
STUART HORNSBY Campaign Manager stuart@studycenter.net
JAN MATHEWS
Administrative Assistant jan@studycenter.net
DEBBIE RODRIGUEZ Director of Finance debbie@studycenter.net
CARLY VANNESS
Director of Programs and Communications carly@studycenter.net
WHO WE ARE We are a non-profit education and outreach ministry serving the University of Virginia and Charlottesville since 1976. We seek to serve Jesus Christ by fostering the serious consideration in the university environment of a biblical worldview, and by encouraging and facilitating wise discussion of the Truth in light of the challenges of contemporary culture.
CONTACT US Phone: (434) 817-1050 Email: info@studycenter.net Website: www.studycenter.net Find us on social media: @studycenterUVA
Launching with Gratitude by Bill Wilder Executive Director Dear friends, I am writing to you a week after we welcomed first-year students and their families to the Study Center. We’ve had a lot of Move-In Day events here over the years, but this year’s format was definitely a first. The Move-In Day “Lunch” became Move-In Day “Launch," since packing people, food, and programs into a confined space and time wasn’t an option this year. Instead, over the course of four days, we chose to welcome individual families at our registration tents outside, provide to-go snacks, and give everyone a personalized tour of the Study Center. We also wanted students and parents to hear from Ken Elzinga and meet staff and other Grounds ministers like they would have in years past, so we put together some (truly inspiring and entertaining) online videos with each of those elements. If you haven’t seen those already, you really should! Visit vimeo.com/studycenteruva to watch them all. Of course, classes began (and our building opened) several weeks ago, so students have already begun moving into our indoor and outdoor spaces here. It’s so good to have them back. Among other things, that means they’re taking their online courses here. I’m learning to check and see if students are “in class” before I try to say hello or strike up a conversation! Other changes around the building this semester are more obvious. In accordance with UVA guidelines, we’re making sure that there’s plenty of distance between designated study spaces, free masks available for students to wear inside, and a tent outside (in addition to our deck space) where we’ve set up extra seating. We also have a new welcome station at the front door with friendly interns who greet students and orient them to the new ways of doing things. Even with all the challenges and changes, we love having students around. A truth about the Study Center has been brought home to us over the past six months: we are fundamentally a ministry of presence. We’ve certainly learned some great lessons about making our content
and programming accessible to more people (mostly via Zoom) and that will continue, particularly in these pandemic times. We’re also committed to the safety of students and staff in the building and are working hard to keep everyone healthy and well. Still, we’re celebrating the goodness of having the building open, some staff around, and students heading back in this direction. To the extent that we can, we’ll continue working to make this an open and welcoming place for students to come to. That relational dimension of the Study Center, together with our ongoing commitment to biblical truth, comes clear in this edition of The Study Center. To begin with, our men’s undergrad ministries director, Ethan Hightower, shares how Grounds ministry leader Jeff Simpson ended up leading Cru at the University of Virginia. One thing that attracted Jeff to ministry at UVA was the Study Center’s reputation as a place that was “intellectually rigorous and relationally warm.” That’s a very Study Center combination that also comes out in the piece written by Katie Hightower, who directs our undergrad women’s ministries. Katie provides a glimpse of the residential program with its commitment to in-depth biblical study, good food, and Bunco and Dutch Blitz. Intellectually rigorous and relationally (and competitively) warm! It occurs to me that this newsletter thus highlights three of our core values at the Study Center: Christian study (intellectually rigorous), hospitality and care (relationally warm), and serving the larger Christian community in unity with other Grounds ministers (such as Jeff Simpson and Cru). All of those things, of course, are ways in which we seek to see students “not conformed to this world but transformed by the renewal of their minds” in this most formative time of their lives (Romans 12:2). Would you pray for that kind of transformation and renewal for students at UVA in these challenging times – and for the Study Center and other Grounds ministries as we seek that for them? In the meantime, have a listen to Ken’s talks, check out the Grounds ministry and staff introduction videos online, and enjoy the rest of this newsletter. I think you’ll be encouraged!
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Community Building and Community Learning: A Year in the Residential Program by Katie Hightower Director of Undergraduate Ministries for Women The Thursday before spring break 2020, our residents revolted. It was the nicest and most respectful revolt possible, but we think of it as a revolt for dramatic effect. We were eating dinner in the Study Center’s Main Meeting Room before our weekly Bible study like we did every Thursday, but this evening there was expectation in the air. Spring break had taken its sweet time arriving, and everyone– myself included–could taste the freedom. We were all a bit restless, so when one resident whispered the suggestion, it spread like wildfire. Suddenly I found myself facing a table of sweet, eager faces, as someone boldly voiced the desire of their collective heart, “Katie, do you think we could have a game night instead of having class?”
What was I to do but capitulate? We spent that evening playing Bunco, a dice-rolling game Ethan and I had introduced during one of our first Thursday nights together, and Dutch Blitz, a card game we played at our welcome retreat in August. It was an evening of laughter, shouting, competition, and community. I have thought back to that evening many times and thanked the Lord for his wisdom, providence, and generosity. During spring break a few days later, our students were sent home for the rest of the semester. I know that revolt was a true celebration of the community we all built in the Elzinga Residential Scholars Program last year. Since the early 2000s, the Study Center’s residential program has gathered students of different years and fellowships into an intentional community of living and learning together. In its current form, the men live in the basement of the Study Center, and the women live next door in the “Yellow House.” In addition to the bonding that naturally takes place when sharing PAG E 4 | T H E ST U DY C E N T E R FA L L 20 20
bathrooms, cooking in the same kitchen, and coming home to one another, the ERSP cultivates fellowship through weekly Thursday night dinners, activities, and study of the Word of God. Each resident also receives a Christian mentor to walk with them through whatever joys, challenges, or questions might arise through the year.
“The ERSP was one of the most rewarding parts of my college experience and allowed me to grow so much in faith and community.”
Each group of residents has a unique personality, and friendly competition emerged as a dominant trait last year. During our welcome retreat in August, we introduced the fastpaced card game Dutch Blitz to our residents, and “Anyone up for some Blitz?” was a recurring message in our group text for the rest of the year. One evening we divided residents into teams for a scavenger hunt around Grounds, and the outcome was ultimately decided by a tiebreaker push-up contest. We did Christmas charades that were surprisingly intense, and we competed for a hat shaped like a cow during our Bunco tournament. It’s not difficult to see why a spontaneous game night was a fitting conclusion to our in-person community!
Another trait of this group, like many UVA students, was adherence to tradition. One resident’s course schedule meant he came late to dinner each week. One Thursday, someone started clapping as he arrived, and soon everyone joined in. From then on, cheers and applause greeted him each week. The men in the basement
“This study helped me understand the trajectory of the Old Testament and how smaller stories reflect recurring themes and ultimately show how God’s love throughout eventually led to Jesus.” assigned chores each week by spinning a homemade chore wheel, and when it was someone’s turn to spin the wheel, he had to dress up in a suit to honor the occasion. Remembering these silly moments brings a smile to my face and joy to my heart. I hold these memories tightly when I consider the abrupt end to our semester and the moments we missed. The development of this close-knit community formed an essential foundation for our study of the Bible throughout the year. As the students grew to know and love one another more deeply, they felt more comfortable asking questions and sharing transparently during our Bible studies. Our curriculum last year focused on reading the Bible as a unified story of God’s work in the world. In the fall, we built a foundation in the Old Testament by highlighting themes, major events, and expectations set by the promises of God through the CASKET EMPTY curriculum. We then spent the spring reading the Gospel of Mark, constantly asking how the Old Testament helps us understand a story that is familiar to most Christians. The Old Testament brings so much depth to the person of Jesus and the expectations he fulfills. As one resident stated, “The narrative of salvation and redemption is told throughout the whole Bible, not exclusively in the resurrection.” Our community suffered real losses when students went home during spring break, but we were grateful to see each other’s faces on Zoom, laugh together, share prayer requests, and finish our Mark Bible study. We are grateful that eleven of those twenty residents are joining us for another year of community in the ERSP. We also welcome nine new residents into this family, making this our biggest group in many years! The realities of COVID-19 have called for significant adjustments this year to prioritize safety and adhere to University guidelines, but we continue to practice community building and community learning. We are grateful for technologies like Zoom that allow us to include members of our community who cannot be physically present with us this semester, and we see evidence of God’s faithfulness to our residents daily. It is truly a joy to be together, whether in person or from a distance.
In response to a survey question asking how last year’s residents would describe the ERSP to a friend, one student wrote, “Living in the ERSP is a great way to build deep and meaningful inter-fellowship friendships… I’ve been pushed to grow in my faith and in living out what it means to be a faithful neighbor and sacrificially-loving friend, and I love the improvements I’ve seen in my character in the past year.” We take heart in the knowledge that the Lord is faithful and is walking before, beside, and behind us. We trust that in his power, wisdom, grace, and goodness, he is transforming us more and more into the image of Christ and will build a beautiful community again this year!
Want to live and learn in intentional Christian community? Live at the Study Center through the ELZINGA RESIDENTIAL SCHOLARS PROGRAM! Community, consistency, and character formation—all rooted in the gospel.
PROGRAM COMPONENTS • Fall welcome retreat • Group dinners on Thursdays • CASKET EMPTY: God’s Plan of Redemption through History course (fall) • Community Bible study (spring) • House meetings of sharing and prayer • Mentorship with older Christian community member
CONTACT
Email ethan@studycenter.net or katie@studycenter.net if you have any questions. Visit studycenter.net/ERSP to learn more and fill out the interest form!
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Intellectually Rigorous and Relationally Warm by Ethan Hightower Director of Undergraduate Ministries for Men Before coming to UVA to be the Campus Director for Cru, Jeff Simpson moved to St. Louis to pursue his Master of Divinity at Covenant Theological Seminary. Jeff had recently graduated from the University of Maryland, where God had deepened his knowledge of the gospel. “In college,” he recalls, “I realized that the gospel wasn’t just good news for other people who weren’t Christians yet. The gospel was changing me as a Christian in real time.” Now he was ready to explore even deeper depths of theology, and Covenant became the soil in which God nurtured and pruned his faith in preparation for ministry. “Covenant taught me that people who do ministry need to be experiencing the gospel for themselves and need to embrace their own limitations and brokenness.” Jeff also benefited from the rich legacy that Francis Schaeffer and L’Abri left on Covenant Theological Seminary, a place that was both “intellectually rigorous and relationally warm.” Jeff soon learned about the Center for Christian Study – an institution also greatly influenced by Schaeffer and L’Abri – from his fellow classmates at Covenant. “Intellectually rigorous and relationally warm” kept popping up as characteristics in his classmates’ descriptions of the Study Center. It became clear that God was showing Jeff that the gospel is good news to Christians and non-Christians alike, and that creating spaces that are intellectually rigorous and relationally warm is an effective way to demonstrate those gospel truths.
Jeff graduated from seminary and planned for a job as campus director. The passion and preparation was there; he now only needed a place to serve. “I was offered two jobs,” Jeff says. “One in New York City as a part of Cru’s metro team and one as the campus director of Cru at UVA.” The New York job seemed like a great opportunity, but two things stood out to Jeff about the UVA position. “When I was offered the job at UVA, I was initially excited about it, not only because UVA is a great institution, but also because I knew about the Center for Christian Study. PAG E 6 | T H E ST U DY C E N T E R FA L L 20 20
Being at a place with a study center was very attractive to me, because I knew that there would be many opportunities to collaborate and get to know campus ministers.” So did the Study Center live up to that reputation? “The Study Center definitely lived up to the hype in more ways than one,” Jeff laughs. “When people ask how ministry at UVA is going, the Study Center is normally one of the first things I mention. I’ve really enjoyed and benefited from the relational connection that happens not just day to day but every third Monday in the Grounds Ministry Meetings, where the Christian community here can connect and pray together.” Jeff also mentioned the fall 2019 C.S. Lewis play starring Max McLean and the spring 2020 Veritas Forum webinar as examples of the type of events that all Grounds ministers would love to organize but don’t have the resources or time to pull off. “Because the Study Center organized those events, all we had to do was invite students to come.”
“I could tell pretty early on that this is a very unique and special place to do ministry.”
Cru is one of three ministries at UVA that rents an office in our building. Jeff reflected on how this location makes for a great “headquarters to have more confidential conversations with students that can’t happen in a coffee shop or the student union.” The Study Center is a hub for the Christian community at UVA, and being able to house these Grounds ministries here is a blessing. Jeff quickly sensed the supportive community among fellowships here at UVA. “Even though I’m the new guy, I feel very welcomed as a part of this team. I could tell pretty early on that this is a very unique and special place to do ministry.” I can say as a member of that team that it hasn’t been difficult to welcome Jeff. His love for the gospel is inspiring, and his partnership with us in the gospel has been refreshing as we strive to make both the Study Center and the larger Christian community at UVA intellectually rigorous and relationally warm.
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A Conversation about Faithful Political Engagement with Justin Giboney, Michael Wear, and Cherie Harder Is it possible to love one's neighbors through political action and advocacy? Can we cultivate a common life across lines of partisan affiliation? Join us as we explore a realistic but hopeful vision of Christian discipleship and witness in the midst of our fragmented and polarized political culture.
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