THE STUDY CENTER
Bearing Fruit While We Wait
DEAR FRIENDS,
In mid-April, the Study Center hosted its third Living in the Light conference, centered on the theme, “Hold Fast What Is Good” (1 Thess. 5:21). Paul offers this exhortation near the close of his letter to the Thessalonians, a letter that also echoes many of the teachings and parables of Jesus, including the Parable of the Soils. For Paul, to “hold fast what is good” is to “hold fast the word” in a way that bears fruit (Luke 8:15) as we await the coming of the Lord.
Following this teaching on 1 Thessalonians, conference participants had the opportunity to hear from UVA faculty and Grounds ministers about how this calling is being lived out within the larger university community. Our keynote speaker, Christof Meyer, also shared reflections on the ways this theme has taken shape in his own life and vocation. Some conference participants also enjoyed “Coffee Chats” and the “Geology and Theology Hike” that afternoon. You’ll find a montage of photos later in this newsletter.
Many other examples of “holding fast what is good” appear throughout these pages as well: the Study Center’s longstanding partnership with three graduate fellowship groups; the classic works in our library that continue to root us deeply in the faith; and the quiet service, hospitality, and friendship that characterize our Intern Program. Our Board Chair, Marta McKinnon, who also offers pro bono professional counseling at the Study Center, reflects on the importance of loosening our grip on some things even as we more firmly take hold of God’s truth.
We also pause briefly to remember Jim Houston, a spiritual father to the Study Center, who recently died at the age of 103. His life bore lasting fruit through a lifelong attentiveness to the Word and a steady desire to live in the light of the Lord. May we all hold fast to the word and seek to bear fruit in our own lives just as he did. May he rest in Christ.
YOURS
IN OUR LORD,
Bill Wilder Executive Director
BILL WILDER Executive Director
FITZ GREEN Senior Director for Education & Programming
MARY ALLISON ANDERSON Foundations Week & Emmaus Fellows Manager
SAGE BESSERT Hospitality Manager
KATIE BLACK Director of Undergraduate Ministries
RICK CAMPANELLI Director of Graduate Ministries
STUART HORNSBY Director of Development & Parent and Alumni Relations
WILLIAM KUEBLER Ministry Intern
LYDIA MARLIN Communications & Project Manager
DREW MASTERSON Director of Undergraduate Ministries
LYDIA MATHAS Director of Operations
JAN MATHEWS Administrative Assistant
TRISH OWEN Librarian
DEBBIE RODRIGUEZ Director of Finance
CARRIE ROTH Ministry Intern
DANIELLE WILCOX Advisor for Strategy & Advancement
Phone: (434) 817-1050 Email: info@studycenter.net Website: www.studycenter.net EIN: 51-0192618
Cover photography by Brittany Fan
Notes from the Library
Recommendations and reflections from the Study Center library
BY TRISH OWEN
There is a beautiful, spacious library at the Study Center—out of sight unless you come upstairs to discover it. As well as lovely study spaces, a quiet Reading Room for focused study, and two conference rooms, we offer a collection of 14,000 books available to anyone who registers as a patron.
The majority of these books have been collected and cataloged over the last fifteen to twenty years. Many come from private collectors and friends of the Study Center who wanted to donate to this substantial assembly of canonical Christian theological books. You can find books for scholarly theological research and biblical studies; commentaries and study guides for every book of the bible; books on Christian living, Christian history, Christian art, evangelism, biographies, and much more.
“The Study Center library in one word is light . Sunlight is always reflecting through the windows, light conversation is always infiltrating the rooms”
–ASHLEY CRYER ’27
We also buy newly published books that might be the latest by a known author or a speaker we invite, or the focus of a small group at the Study Center. Browse our collection online at https://catalog.studycenter.net.
We exist to serve undergraduate students, graduate students, religious studies students, Grounds ministers, local clergy, and the wider community. We love our “public readers,” and our staff (three amazing interns and myself) will always welcome you!
Trish’s Centuries of Books
The best books don’t grow old. Don’t forget these classics in the sea of those newly published and currently popular:
21st Century
THE PRODIGAL GOD: RECOVERING THE HEART OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
Timothy Keller / 2008
20 th Century
2 VOLUME INTRODUCTION AND COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS
Derek Kidner / 1973
PILGRIM’S PROGRESS: A RETELLING Gary D. Schmidt / 1994 17 th Century (ALMOST)
A retelling of John Bunyan’s 1678 novel, The Pilgrims Progress
Our librarian, Trish, always ready to help students
Light, a faith and life conference at the Study Center. This year’s theme, “Hold Fast What Is Good” (1 Thess 5:21), invited us to consider what it means to remain rooted in truth amid the complexities of daily life. Through teaching sessions and panel discussions, we were encouraged to pursue holiness and remain rooted in the word—as children of the light who await our Lord’s return.
BY BRITTANY FAN
Grounds Ministers discuss ministry at UVA
PHOTOS
testifies to God’s work in his life
Listen to recordings and see more photos from the weekend
Bill shares a scripture study on 1 Thess 5:21
Christof
Interns, U Rock!
BY MAGGIE FERGUSON
OFTEN, things at the Study Center just get done: coffee brewed, library books checked back in, events set up or taken down. The efforts of the eighteen students who perform these tasks usually go unseen—early in the morning, late at night, or tucked away in the kitchen. Most days, if we do our job well, you may not even realize we were there—and that’s part of the goal.
The Internship Program has long offered upperclass students the opportunity to serve the Study Center and their peers day in and day out through a paid internship. Over the course of the year,
What Are You Holding Onto?
BY MARTA MCKINNON
interns also meet weekly for Monday night dinners, building fellowship and learning alongside each other.
In my second year as an intern, we started a tradition whose meaning extends far beyond its silly exterior. Each week a token of recognition is passed from one intern to the next in the form of a small rock with a letter ‘U’ written in Sharpie on one side: the beloved “U rock.” Tradition holds that the giver recognizes the ways the recipient has served that week or semester, giving voice to what may otherwise go unacknowledged. Through many different hands and many different rocks,
the heart of the intern program can be seen in this simple act of honoring service done faithfully each day.
The intern spirit of celebration extends far outside 128 Chancellor Street too. Whether by supporting musical cointerns at a worship night, rejoicing at the baptism of another, or gathering to send a third out into the mission field, these interns are among the most encouraging people I know. I am grateful for my three years as an intern—for the friendships I’ve built, the ways I’ve grown through serving alongside others, and the radical hospitality I’ve learned to embrace.
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” —Psalm 20:7
It’s easy to hold onto things that feel like security: control, approval, success, or certainty about the future. At first they seem helpful, but over time they can begin to hold onto us, shaping our identity.
The Psalms bring this into the light—showing people who are honest about their fears and willing to consider where they place their trust. What we discover is simple but challenging: holding onto anything in place of God is unstable. Loosening our grip—whether it’s a relationship, a plan, or even an identity—can feel scary and uncertain.
In many ways, the counseling process mirrors the rhythm we see in the Psalms. It begins by honestly examining what we may be clinging to—naming fears, patterns, and misplaced sources of security. Over time, like the psalmists, we are invited to more firmly take hold of God’s truth, to remember who God is and what he promises. What we hold onto matters—and even more, who we trust to hold us.
Maggie (far left) and interns pose with the “U Rock”
Graduate Ministry at UVA
The Study Center currently partners with three graduate ministry groups: Graduate Christian Fellowship, Law Christian Fellowship, and Darden Christian Fellowship. Some of these partnerships go back to the 1970s. In addition to the gospel-centered ministry of each, we have been encouraged by the growth of “all-grad” gatherings that bring students together across disciplines. This spring the Study Center hosted an evening of fellowship and games led by graduate students, as well as an “all-grad” hike.
With more than 8,000 graduate students at the University of Virginia, we’re mindful of the opportunity before us. Please join us in praying for discernment as we seek to reach more graduate students with the gospel and Christ-centered discipleship.
Rick Campanelli (far right) praying over graduating law students at the final LCF bible study of the year. Rick has served as the director of Darden and Law Christian Fellowships since 2016.
Kevin Offner (center) and Fitz Green (right) with students at an all-grad gathering. Both Kevin (on staff with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship) and Fitz meet weekly with graduate students, providing mentorship and building community.
Remembering Jim Houston
With gratitude we remember Jim Houston, who passed away on March 15, 2026, at age 103. An inspiration and intellectual father of the Study Center, he exemplified a vision for a Christian faith that engages every aspect of university life. In 1970 Jim left Oxford, where he knew C.S. Lewis, to found Regent College in Vancouver. He visited Charlottesville many times over the years, deeply influencing the Study Center’s vision. One memorable visit came during an early Study Center board meeting in 1982, when he discussed courses in the morning and prayed at Bob and Denise Cochran’s wedding that afternoon (see image). Jim’s legacy continues to shape the Study Center today.
DAVID RIMER
Jim Houston (left) at Bob Cochran’s wedding. Bob Cochran (right) was discipled at the Study Center's first-ever Law Christian Fellowship group while he was a student and currently serves as a board member at the Study Center.
Center for Christian Study
128 Chancellor Street
Charlottesville, VA 22903 www.studycenter.net
Address service requested
Get Connected
FOUNDATIONS WEEK
August 17-20
Foundations Week invites incoming first-year students into Christian community at UVA. For more information, scan the QR code or visit www.studycenter.net/foundations-week
MOVE-IN DAY LUNCH
August 21
Move-In Day Lunch is an opportunity for first years and their families to connect with Christian community at UVA. For more information, scan the QR code or visit www.studycenter.net/movein-day-lunch
FIRST DAY OF CLASS (FDOC) SNACKS
August 25
FDOC Snacks is a new Study Center tradition celebrating the First Day of Class with a free meal. For more information, scan the QR code or visit www.studycenter.net/fdoc-snacks
Join Us to Expand the Gospel at UVA
We are grateful to God for how he is using our expanded home and staff to engage with thousands of students for the sake of the gospel. Hundreds of alumni, parents, and friends are making this ministry possible through their generous provision.
With our fiscal year ending on June 30, would you help us fully fund our growing Annual Fund budget? We are excited about reaching more and more students with the gospel at UVA.
Students at Spring Exam Snacks
March Madness at the Study Center