Building a Bridge
By Tee Feyrer
Four years ago, a year out from my college graduation, a lot of transition was happening in my life. I had gotten engaged to my now wife Tori, was moving back to Richmond to start our life together, and had just come on staff with Redeemer Anglican Church to begin a college ministry at our alma mater, University of Richmond. It was all very exciting and I was ready to jump in!
On a fall afternoon I remember chatting with a senior student who was interested in hearing more about my ministry. As I spoke with him, I began to illustrate a vision for college ministry through the local church, which I explained as “building a bridge”.
As a student, I had experienced the joys of christian community on campus and was even attending a local church off campus, but very little did I feel like going to church was actually an “on-ramp” to the rest of my life. At the University of Richmond, and frankly at most campuses across the country, they aren’t preparing students to flourish beyond college, albeit for the excellent jobs and relationships they are promised. And don’t get me wrong, those are wonderful things! But a true vision for flourishing can’t exist within the bounds of a university that exposes you mainly to those who are in the same stage of life as you. To gain a vision for a life beyond college is to be exposed to the people you might (and will) become.
That is why through CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach), me and my colleague Audrey Cisco have sought to not only get students in the pews at Redeemer on Sundays, but invite them to connect more deeply with families, mentors, and contemporaries in the church. If you aren’t familiar, CCO is a college ministry organization with a distinct focus on partnering with the local church to reach and disciple college students. This is the future of college ministry. If I am not preparing college students for the rest of their lives and merely offering a short-sighted introduction to the christian life on campus, then I have not done my job.
In fact, it has been a unique joy to humbly invite members of Redeemer to invest in students’ lives alongside us. Frankly, at times, I find myself mildly hesitant because I don’t know whether members of the church or college students will receive each other. But after navigating some initial awkwardness, I have been beyond grateful to see the ways God is using these budding relationships to bridge the gap between the local church and campus.
I hope this brief peek into CCO in partnership with Redeemer Anglican Church at the University of Richmond begins to spark your imagination. Maybe your parish is near a college campus? Maybe there are college students already attending your services on Sunday and you don’t know how to include them in the body? Maybe you’re far from a campus but this work excites you and you’d like to support us financially or in prayer? Whatever it may be, I invite you to call on the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom into how you might help to bridge the gap between the college campus and the local church.
Pray with us:
For schools, colleges, and universities Almighty God, by thy gift alone cometh wisdom and understanding: We beseech thee with thy gracious favor to behold our universities, colleges, and schools, that knowledge may be increased among us, and all good learning flourish and abound. Bless all who teach and all who learn; and grant that in humility of heart they may ever look unto thee, who art the fountain of all wisdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
2019 Book of Common Prayer / Occasional Prayers
Tee Feyrer is a College Minister at University of Richmond with Redeemer Anglican Church in Richmond, VA.