CSF Partner Letters

Director's Report - August 9, 2006

2006-08-10T17:03:00.000-07:00

Changing Lives, Nurturing Faith, and Equipping Leaders

When you support the ministry of CSF, you are helping us change lives. Thousands of people at our University (over 50,000) need the change that only Jesus can bring to their lives. Change that gives hope, conviction, purpose, redemption, forgiveness, meaning, direction, life, and joy! Thanks for helping us share him with so many.

When you support the ministry of CSF, you are helping us nurture faith. Many Christian students are facing the biggest challenges to faith they have ever encountered. Some are struggling with personal doubts and difficult life choices. All of them need to be loved, challenged, nurtured, and supported in their walk with Christ during this important time in their lives. Thanks for helping us be there for them.

When you support the ministry of CSF, you are helping us equip leaders. Our students are becoming the leaders of tomorrow. How different tomorrow’s world would be if its teachers, lawyers, doctors, scientists, artists, politicians, business execs, and other leaders lived with Christian character and values. Many of our students are also headed toward Christian leadership roles such as missionaries, social workers, counselors, church and para-church ministry leaders.

We thank you for your prayers offered and dollars given to support our ministry. If you are not already a regular contributor, please consider becoming one soon. As usual, we’ve had a little summer slump in our support, so any extra support you could give to help us catch up would be much appreciated. Keep us in your prayers. I’m confident that this is going to be the best year of ministry we’ve EVER had!
Yours in the Cause of Christ,

Dave Burkum
Director of Ministry & Development

Christian Student Fellowship
at the University of Minnesota
1337 Cleveland Ave N • St. Paul, MN 55108
651-592-2898 • heydave@csf.net

Ministry Highlights

We’re Ready for the New School Year
Classes for the 2006-07 academic year start up in September. Here’s just some of what’s in the works.
• Move-in Day / Kick-Off St. Paul
CSF student leaders help incoming students move in to Bailey Hall. Then CSF runs the biggest welcome event on the St. Paul campus. We’ll be meeting hundreds of new students.
• Three Together Meetings Each Week
This year we will be offering choices for weekly meetings (Wednesday nights, Thursday nights, and Friday afternoons). More choice means more opportunities for more students to plug in.
• International Outreach
Our outreach to international students will include weekly Welcome Lunches at the CSF Center, monthly International Family Nights, special events, an international Bible study, and more.

Can You Introduce a Student to CSF?
We would love to hear about University students you know. Send us their contact information and tell them about www.ChristianStudent.com too!

New Resource Website for CSF Support Partners
We’ve created a special resource website for our support partners. Go to www.CSFsupport.com for ideas, help, and information.
- Read updates from our staff
- Learn how you can pray, give, and volunteer
- Give online
- See testimonies from students and alumni
- Find new ways you can help our ministry

Director's Report - July 7, 2006

2006-07-07T12:55:00.000-07:00

You’re Part of Our Team!

I began my ministry with CSF in the Fall of 1992. When school starts in September, I will begin my fifteenth year of campus ministry.

Over the last decade and a half, I’ve seen God grow CSF from a Bible study with about six University students to a multifaceted ministry with six ministry staff. Our ministry team is doing great work, and by God’s grace, CSF’s scope and effectiveness is expanding.
Rebecca Lehmer has done so much to help us reach out to our campus. The kick-off events, campus activities, and outreach strategies she has developed are simply amazing. Thank you, God, for Rebecca!

Brad Dewing is helping our students grow. He plans and prepares the teaching curriculum for our weekly Together Group meetings, our Deeper Life discipleship programs, and our Exploring Christian Faith evangelism activities. Thank you, Lord, for Brad!

Dennis and Mary Ann Barnett are helping us reach international students through weekly welcome lunches, monthly family nights, Bible studies, piano lessons, special events, and pastoral care. They are also helping several churches in the area partner with us for outreach to internationals. Thank you, Father, for the Barnetts!

My role in CSF has become one of ministering to the ministers. I give the team oversight and do my best to make sure they have what they need to do their work. Bryce Harcey, is my assistant and I couldn’t keep up with the office work administrative details without him. Bryce will also begin some new pastoral ministry responsibilities this Fall. Thank you, God, for Bryce!

YOU, friends, are also an important part of our team! We are so grateful for every one of you who contributes to our team effort by praying, giving, and volunteering.
Yours in the Cause of Christ,

Dave Burkum
Director of Ministry & Development

Ministry Highlights

Welcoming New Students to Campus
How does the University welcome 15,000 new students to campus? With about six weeks of daily orientation fairs. Our staff and students are there everyday to meet each new group and invite them to participate in CSF this Fall. Please pray for us to make lots of good connections.

Can You Introduce a Student to CSF?
We would love to hear about University students you know. The U of M is a big place and students don’t always know how to find us. If you tell us about students you know, we’ll send them info about CSF and help them get connected. Tell them about www.ChristianStudent.com too!

New CSF Support Partner Website
Have you visited our new website for ministry support partners? Go to www.CSFsupport.com for lots of resources and helpful information.
- Read updates from our staff
- Learn how you can pray, give, and volunteer
- Give online
- See testimonies from students and alumni
- Find new ways you can help our ministry

Scripture Song CD
Now you can enjoy the scripture songs we sing at
CSF on your own stereo. The CD is called This is the Testimony and is available for $12.00 (free shipping) from Sonoluma records. Sonoluma is donating 100% of the profits to CSF. To order, go online to www.sonoluma.com or send a check to CSF (payable to Sonoluma) for $12.00 per CD.

Director's Report - May 10, 2006

2006-05-10T22:58:00.000-07:00

Campus Ministry All Summer

About this time of year I start getting a familiar question from lots of people, “So what do you do when school gets out for the summer?” Well, I keep busy with campus ministry. So does everybody else on our ministry team! It’s a little different, but it’s just as busy.

Summer is an important time for Christian Student Fellowship as we make preparations for the coming school year AND as we launch our summer ministry program. Many campus ministries do go on break over the summer, but not CSF. We’re here to minister to the many students who stick around all summer for school, for work, or to keep a lease on an apartment. We’re also here to welcome the many students who are arriving early to settle in before the Fall Semester.

Don’t forget that thousands of students will be attending orientation programs all summer. The U of M orientation fairs take place four times a week for about seven weeks. We’re at every session with a booth ready to meet incoming freshmen and transfer students.
The reason most campus ministries close up shop in the summer is because their staff is out raising money. Thanks for your faithful support that keeps our ministry staff on the field and helps pay the bills (and you know those don’t stop coming over the summer months).

I’m working hard to recruit more ministry support partners so our level of support will be where it needs to be by the end of the year. Please keep me in prayer as I write letters, visit churches, and contact our alumni.

If you’re ever in the Twin Cities this summer and would like to stop by for a visit, please let me know – I’d love to see you and show you around.

Yours in the Cause of Christ,
Dave Burkum
Director of Ministry & Development

Christian Student Fellowship
at the University of Minnesota
1337 Cleveland Ave N • St. Paul, MN 55108
651-644-3808 • heydave@csf.net

Ministry Highlights - May 10, 2006

2006-05-10T08:03:00.000-07:00

Scripture Song CD
Now you can enjoy the scripture songs we sing at CSF on your own stereo. The CD is called This is the Testimony and is available for $12.00 (free shipping) from Sonoluma records. Sonoluma is donating 100% of the profits to CSF, so while you’re enjoy the songs and memorizing scripture, you’ll also be supporting our ministry. To order, go online to www.sonoluma.com or send a check payable to Sonoluma to CSF ($12.00 per CD).

New CSF Support Partner Website
A new website for our support partners will be online very soon! Now you can get the latest on what we’re doing, read ministry updates from each of our staff members, make contributions online, keep up with prayer needs, and learn about volunteer opportunities. Visit us online at: www.CSFsupport.com.

Farewell to Jon Prins
After three years of ministry with CSF, Jon Prins, who has worked with our outreach to
international students, will be leaving us to work with F.I.R.E, a new ministry in the Twin Cities. F.I.R.E. stands for “Facilitating International Relationships Everywhere.” Thanks for your ministry with us, Jon, and God bless you in your new work.

Barnetts on the Road
Please keep Dennis and Mary Ann Barnett in prayer as they are traveling in May to visit former students who have returned to Europe. They will also be attending a national conference in Boston for campus ministers who minister to international students at universities in the U.S.

April Partner Letter

2006-04-01T22:49:00.000-08:00

Trying to Move Faster than the 2006 Calendar
C.S. Lewis once said, “Humans are amphibians - half spirit and half animal. As spirits they belong to the eternal world, but as animals they inhabit time.” Lewis reasoned that our ongoing struggle with time was a subtle evidence and reminder that people were created for eternity in the hands of God, not for a daily fight with the hands of a clock.

I’ll be glad when we lay aside the temporary and mortal and put on the eternal and immortal. But until then, I’m going to keep running. Those of you who know me well, know that I’m always in a race with the calendar. My race with the year 2006 is very important and I’m going to need your help to win. As the director of development for CSF it’s my job to enlist as much prayer and financial support for our ministry as I can. We need people like you to regularly lift us up in prayer. That’s why I’m asking you to make a special effort pray regularly for CSF. I believe there is power in prayer and I believer there’s more power in more prayer.

We need to make substantial progress in increasing our financial support in 2006 if we are to sustain our current ministry goals and programs into 2007. I’m praying that God will help me find 20 new churches who will begin to support us by giving $100 per month. I’m praying that God will raise up 50 new individuals who have a heart for the mission of campus ministry to begin supporting our ministry by giving $50 each month. I’m praying that God will help me find 100 CSF graduates who can begin to support our ministry with monthly gifts of $20. If these can be found by the end of 2006, then CSF will have the necessary funds to meet our budget and move ahead in 2007.

Those goals aren’t outrageous; the people and funds are out there. The question is, will we find them in time? I can here the clock ticking away, but my hope is in the Lord. I trust that he can move the hearts of his people and that he can move the cause of Christ forward at the University of Minnesota. Most of you getting this letter are already faithful supporters of our ministry, so I’m asking you to please pray that God will raise up more partners like you for CSF in the months ahead. If you’re not a monthly support partner, please give it prayerful consideration today.

Just a couple ministry highlights before I close. Our Sunday night worship service, Evensong Worship Community, has been going very well. Many thanks to Calvary Church, in Roseville (not far from the St. Paul Campus), for graciously providing us a wonderful place to meet. Our weekly Together Groups are going well. Brad Dewing has recently begun a new Bible study in a fraternity on the St. Paul Campus. Rebecca Lehmer led a team of 36 people on our Spring Break missions trip to Mississippi. The Barnetts are connecting with dozens of international students every month. A number of our students are preparing for summer missions trips to Romania and Ukraine. The Gospel is being proclaimed; needs are being met; disciples are being made; leaders are being trained; and lives are being changed.

Thanks so much for caring, helping, praying, and giving. Thanks for loving us and having a heart for what we do.

Yours in the Cause of Christ,
Dave Burkum

Me with CSF alumnus Mike Lundell who has recently moved to Romania where he is now serving as a missionary with OC International.

A Busy and Fruitful Semester

2006-03-07T15:59:00.000-08:00

Ministry Highlights
• We began a Sunday night worship service called Evensong Worship. Over 90 different people have attended in the last seven weeks.
• Our Monday night welcome outreach to international students, Let’s Talk International, had it’s largest ever attendance (thirty-three) several weeks ago. That means we’re reaching more international students!
• Our shift to two weekly large group meetings (Wednesday Night Together and Thursday Night Together) is paying off. More students are participating; more new students are coming; and all students say they really like the change and having an option about which night is best for them.
• Rebecca Lehmer and Brad Dewing will be leading a team of over 30 to the Gulf Coast for a Spring Break Missions Trip. The team will be serving in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Please pray for their safety and for Jesus to be glorified through their service in His name.
• Brad Dewing will be starting a Bible study in the AGR Fraternity House after Spring Break. We’ve had students from two fraternities and two sororities involved with CSF this semester. Pray that God will help us reach the students living in the Greek houses and Bailey Hall on the St. Paul Campus.
• Four CSF students are preparing for three weeks of Mission Work in Romania in the summer of 2006 with FCGI (For God’s Children International). All of them have gone on previous trips to Romania, so they are seasoned workers.
• CSF Alumni are headed to the mission field. This month Mike Lundell is beginning his full-time mission work in Romania; Mike and Jana Huffman are beginning their adventure of service in Morocco working with the U.S. Peace Corps.

An Open Door to Advance the Gospel?
I recently learned that the Lutheran Campus Ministry Building (located on the St. Paul Campus just a block north of the CSF Center) will be going up for sale very soon. This is an incredible building with an incredible location. I sincerely hope that a Christian ministry (perhaps even CSF?) will be able to purchase the property because it would be a wonderful tool for Christian ministry. We’re praying and waiting on God to provide and show us what to do on this, not wanting it to distract us from the important work we’re already doing. We are also trying to spread the word to everyone else we know doing Christian ministry on our campus. Please join us in prayer about this, asking God to provide this building as tool for some Christian ministry on our campus!

Yours in the Cause of Christ,
Dave Burkum

Mary Ann Barnett at the CSF Center with a group of international children who are her piano students. This is a great bridge to their parents who are all International Students.

Praise God! We’re Seeing Results.

2006-02-08T07:58:00.000-08:00

In last month’s CSF Partner letter I told you about our plans to expand our main weekly student meetings to two nights. We now have a Wednesday Together Group and a Thursday Together Group and the results have been exciting to me. Brad Dewing, campus minister, leads the Wednesday Together Group and Rebecca Lehmer, associate campus minister, leads the Thursday Together Group. We’re seeing overall increased attendance, more student ownership, more student leader development, new students every week, and more responses to Christ. It is my desire to expand Together Groups even more by the Fall semester by 1) increasing the size of our CSF Center meeting room so more students can come; and 2) adding at least one more Together Group meeting time. We’ll see how God leads and provides.

An Open Door to Advance the Gospel?
I recently learned that the Lutheran Campus Ministry Building (located on the St. Paul Campus just a block north of the CSF Center) will be going up for sale very soon. This is an incredible building with an incredible location. I sincerely hope that a Christian ministry (perhaps even CSF?) will be able to purchase the property because it would be a wonderful tool for Christian ministry. We’re praying and waiting on God to provide and show us what to do on this, not wanting it to distract us from the important work we’re already doing. We are also trying to spread the word to everyone else we know doing Christian ministry on our campus. Please join us in prayer about this, asking God to provide this building as tool for some Christian ministry on our campus!

More Ministry Blessings
Dennis Barnett and his wife Mary Ann continue to help CSF improve our outreach to international students. They’re doing a great job and we’re so glad to have their help with Let’s Talk welcome dinners, evangelism, friendship building, and discipleship with these precious students from around the world. Evensong Worship on Sundays has been going great! We’re filling the MN Commons room in the St. Paul Student Center and so we’re already looking for a new location that will allow for a larger attendance. Our upcoming Spring Break Missions Trip to the Gulf Coast is really coming together. Rebecca Lehmer tells me a large number of students (and even some of their parents) have committed to going this Christian service trip. Another team of students is preparing for three weeks of Mission Work in Romania in the summer of 2006 with FCGI (For God’s Children International). Thanks for your faithful support and prayers that make our ministry possible.

Yours in the Cause of Christ,
Dave Burkum

Students singing at a recent Wednesday Together Group at the CSF Center.

The Promise of a New Year

2006-01-16T15:12:00.000-08:00

God was so faithful and good to us in 2005. We learned so much about trusting Him and persevering as we faced significant financial challenges and important transitions in our ministry. Last year, like every year, God showed himself to be faithful to his promises. We finished 2005 well and 2006 looks more promising than ever. I now believe, more than ever before, that God’s people never lack God’s provision when they commit themselves to God’s work and do their best to do it God’s way. I hope you’re finding that to be true in you life too!

Now let me spotlight some of the promising new developments in our ministry for 2006. By God’s grace, I believe we’re going to accomplish some great things.

Promising New Ministry Staff
Dennis and Mary Ann Barnett, who have been ministering at the U of M with International Student Connection for the past several years, transitioned to CSF as of January 1. They come to us with years of missions and international student outreach experience and bring with them a strong base of ministry support partners.

Recent UMN graduate, Bryce Harcey, is now working with me about ten hours each week as my administrative assistant, while pursuing a Master of Divinity degree program at Bethel Seminary. He and his wife, Gina, are actively involved in CSF and volunteer many hours toward the ministry efforts of CSF.

Promising New Ministry Programs
We are expanding our main weekly meeting, CSF Together, to two nights each week. Starting this semester, we will have a Wednesday Together Group and a Thursday Together Group. More Together nights will make CSF available to more students! We hope to add yet another Together Group meeting by next Fall.

Dennis Barnett is developing a new series of Exploring Christian Faith events, to help international students understand who Jesus is and what it means to follow him. Jon Prins is now directing all of his ministry efforts toward reaching Japanese students on our campus. Pray for him as he builds his network of contacts and relationships within the U of M Japanese community. We are also beginning a new weekly worship service, Evensong Worship Community, at the St. Paul Student Center, Sunday evenings at 5:30pm.

CSF is growing and moving forward! God bless you for the faithful prayer and financial support you give to make our ministry possible. We thank you.

Yours in the Cause of Christ,
Dave Burkum

CSF Students who traveled to Ocean Springs, Mississippi to do Gulf Coast relief work to help those impacted by the Katrina Hurricane.

Finishing Strong in 2005

2005-12-07T16:51:00.000-08:00

Good News about Finances
Many of you receiving this letter have been on our Partner mailing list for all or most of this year. That means you are very aware of the huge financial challenges we’ve faced in 2005 and the constant effort we’ve been putting toward the expansion and effectiveness of our ministry. It was so great to be able to report God’s wonderful blessing and provision in last month’s Partner Letter -- new students, new programs, and major improvements in our financial situation!

I know that it must have been good news for all of you too! One of our ministry partners (a CSF alumnus) wrote to me: “Dear David- What a joy it was to receive your wonderful partner letter. I know the financial situation was weighing heavily on you and now you can feel relief and praise for the faithful givers and God’s provision. Thank you for continuing to look forward in faith – not limiting God ever.”

Yes! Praise God that instead of looking at a $45,000 deficit, we’re looking at a very good possibility of ending the 2005 year with a balanced budget. God bless each and every one of you who have faithfully and generously given to support our ministry. We also appreciate the special end-of-the-year gifts many of you have sent and are sending to help us end the year in the black and jumpstart 2006.

Please pray that God will raise up many new support partners for our ministry in 2006. A few special large gifts helped us catch up in 2005, but new and increased monthly support will be necessary if we are to meet our budget in 2006. Thanks in advance for your faithful support and for joining us in prayer about this.

Good News about Ministry
Next semester we are providing more opportunities for students to get involved. Our main weekly meeting is expanding to two nights – Wednesday Together and Thursday Together. We are also bringing back a Sunday night worship time and calling it Evensong Worship Community. We will also be continuing our weekly Let’s Talk Soup Dinners on Mondays for international students. Pray that these changes will help us reach more students.
Over the Christmas break, CSF Campus Ministers Rebecca Lehmer and Jon Prins will be leading a CSF missions team traveling to Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Our team of twelve people will be working with a local church there to assist with gulf coast recovery efforts in the wake of the Katrina hurricane. What an opportunity for them to grow in Christ and learn how to be a servant! Pray for their safety, their witness, and their work.

Yours in the Cause of Christ,
Dave Burkum

Bryce and Gina Harcey with Dave and Cheri Burkum. Bryce just graduated from the U of M and will be attending Bethel Seminary next semester and interning with CSF.

Many Are the Wonders

2005-11-17T10:26:00.000-08:00

God is on the move! In Psalm 40, the psalmist sings, “Many, O Lord, my God, are the wonders you have done. Were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.”

Let me share just a few of the wonderful things God is doing through and for the ministry of CSF and encourage you to join me in thanking God.

Wonderful Answers to Prayer:
God has granted every one of the requests I asked you to pray about in my last partner letter. 1. We have connected with many new students this year; 2. Our weekly meetings and programs have been going well; 3. We were able to get the large meeting room on campus that we requested for Fall Semester; 4. Deeper Life Groups led by our ministry staff have been effective in helping students build community and grow in Christ; 5. Our outreach to international students is becoming more effective; 6. Our ministry staff is working well as a team and we’re getting better at the things we do; and, 7. Our financial situation is turning around in a big way.

Wonderful Provision:
Expanding the scope and effectiveness of our ministry has been a faith-stretching experience for us. Part of this stretch has been financial since the growth of our ministry requires growth in our ongoing financial support. The first ten months of 2005 we have been struggling and failing to keep up with expenses and, therefore, dealing with a growing debt burden. Something had to be done, and praise the Lord, God has done it! Through some very large gifts from long-time faithful supporters of our ministry, our $45,000 debt has been eliminated and now we are trusting that God will move many friends, alumni, and churches to become new ministry support partners in the coming months. Thanks to all of you who pray and give to make our ministry possible!

Wonderful Guidance:
We are always looking to the Lord for guidance and wisdom for ministry. We are always giving prayerful thought to what we’re doing and how we can do it better. We want to be effective, to get results, and to do the best ministry work we are capable of doing! As the director of ministry for CSF, I am excited about some of the program improvements we are implementing next semester. We thank God for leading us forward.

Thanks So Much for Your Partnership,
Dave Burkum

Photo: New students building friendships on North Shore Daytrip this past Fall.