May-June Newsletter 2016

Newsletter of
Grant & Danielle Hoel
C a m p u s
U n i v e r s i t y o f
M i s s i o n a r i e s t o t h e
M i n n e s o t a D u l u t h
August/September 2016
This Wednesday Night I (Danielle) worked the Welcome Table. With Grant as the
new Wednesday Night Director, it meant he would leave our house at 8:30 am
and come home after our post-service hangout at Midnight. I spent my day with
Eden and Hope until a Chi Alpha alumni arrived promptly at 6:30pm to put the
girls to bed. This allowed me to pick up another student on the way to campus
so we could both attend our pre-service leadership meeting. We prayed together,
ran through the night’s format, and by 7:45 pm Montague Hall was flooded with
students.
“Hi, what’s your name?” the Welcome Team echoed as we wrote name tags and
took New Student contact cards. “We’re out of lanyards!” someone shouted,
and our student leaders scrambled to give theirs away to new people. Katie,
Kailee, Avery, Patrick, Bradley. The names and new faces were coming faster
than I could process them! At 8:00 pm the lights dimmed and students flooded
inside for our Welcome video and worship. Our worship team filled the lecture
hall with praise and even new students began to clap, move a bit, and sing
along. After a few songs fellow staff and pastor Dan De La Forest came up front
and began to share a story, His story. One that was full of mistakes, regret, and
ultimately God’s amazing grace. It was this grace that worked in his heart and
transformed his life during his own college years at UMD. He then compared this story to
the disciple Peter, and shared Jesus’ all-inclusive invitation to trust and follow Him. The
room was silent and eyes were glued on Dan as he shared. And then there was an invitation: God has a plan and purpose for EVERY life, and his love is greater than any of our
sin, insecurity, or apathy.
Last night (August 31st) we saw 102 students walk through the doors of Montague 70, and
56 filled out new student contact cards. 15 raised their hands to know Jesus or recommit
their life to him. After service people lingered and nearly half came with us to Pizza Hut for
an after-service hangout. God is moving at UMD! We are just beginning the year and can’t
wait to see all the Lord has in store for this semester!
Making Connections
XA Duluth is everywhere this year! This summer we made great connecons every Friday
selling pizza at Movies in the Park. On August
24th we hosted an “open house” bonfire at
our Chi Alpha house and saw 100 students come
through! Best of all, our
student leaders are already
taking new students under
their wing to explore our
beauful city.
Please pray with
us for our upcoming September Events,
including Fall
Retreat Sept. 1618th!
Will You Join Our Team?
Our Staff has grown!
We can hardly believe it, but 2016 begins our 8th year of campus ministry!
We started small and now see nearly 100 students at weekly services,
retreats, and small groups. Our dream of having a Chi Alpha Ministry
house has become a reality, and we regularly host worship nights, social
events, teaching seminars, and summer BBQs– all a short walk from the
freshman dorms. We love our campus and they know us well!
In this new season of family and ministry, we are looking for
REGULAR MONTHLY SUPPORTERS to meet our increased
financial needs. We could not be on campus without the faithful
prayers and financial support of people like you.
WOULD YOU PRAY ABOUT BECOMING A MONTHLY
GIVER?
You can find us online
at giving.ag.org under
“Danielle Hoel”
CONTACT US!
Email:
[email protected]
Address:
44 E Faribault Street
Duluth MN 55803
Check out our NEW WEBSITE!
www.xaduluth.org
Or join “Chi Alpha Duluth” on Facebook
To Partner with Us Financially:
Send Check to:
Or give online at
AG U.S. Missions
http://giving.ag.org
1445 N Boonville Ave Account # 2947992
Springfield, MO 65802
PRAYER UPDATE!
Grant & Danielle Hoel
Missionaries to the University of Minnesota Duluth
•
PRAISE for our best WELCOME WEEK yet! Each training
and outreach was a success, and we are so excited to develop closer relationships with the new students we’re seeing.
•
PRAISE for our STUDENT LEADERS who are responsible, committed, and passionate about loving their peers and
sharing Jesus. We are already seeing fruit and pray for wisdom to keep discipling and pouring into them throughout
the year.
•
PRAYER for our upcoming events this month! Gooseberry
Falls Hike, FALL RETREAT, and Park Point Beach Bash.
PRAYER for energy and Spirit-filled ministry for our staff in
this busy season.