Reflecting On The Year :)

Wow, it's already May!

First off, let me just say thank you for being a part of this journey God has taken us on together.  This year has gone by so smoothly and God has had his hand in so many of the lives that were changed through our campus work together.  It is crazy to think that the academic school year has come to a close.  So many students graduating, others making lifelong committments, some getting married, and others traveling back home for summer.  Campus ministry has taught me so much about myself and the world around me - so thankful to have been a part of the journey with you this past year!  (See pictures below!)

Two our ministry's small group leaders: Mike & Mark - I got to meet up with these two weekly to help them plan and prepare for their Thursday night small group.

Students praying with one another for our end of the year worship night on campus :)

                                          

My group of student leaders I helped lead this year - these guys are awesome and are so excited to serve our campus!

Don't ask.  I need to lose a few lbs okay? :)  Jk but we like to have fun.

Our last UTD FOCUS leader mtg of the year! We reflected on the year and shared what went well, what were the challenges, and how we can improve next year.

I feel so overwhelmed and grateful to have you on my support team; to be a campus missionary is something that only by the grace of God I am able to do.  This year has been such a blessing to serve alongside God's finest and impact The University of Texas at Dallas.  Please pray for the upcoming freshmen, international, and transfer students that will be walking onto the campus for the first time this summer & fall.  Pray that we would be the first students that they meet and that lifelong disciple-making friendships would be formed.

I will be contacting you all soon about considering continuing your support for the 2014-15 academic school year :) God has got big plans I know it!

Thank you all again and God bless!

Sirak

So Much Happening! (Wish You All Could Be Here Seeing It All)

Greetings my friends!

I hope your spring has been off to a great start and that you have been enjoying this great weather that the Lord has blessed us with! :) It's been raining here the last few days (for my non-TX supporters) and we have definitely been thankful for it.

First off, so much has been happening (see the title) that it is going to be difficult to fit it all into one blog entry.  We had a group of students come down from Washington state for one week to do evangelism, we had a great event called "Banquet On The Bayou," to help raise funds for our students attending SICM (our campus ministry training trip), and our staff is prepping for a great summer of fundraising :)

Needless to say, we've been busy!  But it has all be for the kingdom and our students we serve.  I attached some pictures below to show the different things we have going on.

During SSI evangelism week we had displays set up to help us have spiritual conversations with students on campus!

This was one of our displays set up at UT Dallas but we also had evangelism displays set up at Collin College, U. of North Texas and Texas Women's University (see the other staff members' blogs for more pictures!)

One of our interns, Autumn, giving announcements during our Friday Night FOCUS service.  It was a great night!

We took a SSI Washingston student & FOCU staff selfie :) Just thought you'd all enjoy it.  (bottom right is where I am)

One of our students at UTD, Nikki, was baptized by Rachel Beckham, a student leader (and future 2014-15 FOCUS intern!).

Thank you all again for being a part of what God is doing on his college campuses.  Your support has opened up the doors to many conversations, experieneces, and relationships through campus ministry in my life.  I wish you all could be here to see everything your support is going towards but I hope that this blog is a resources to encourage you and remind you that gifts to the kingdom are never wasted!

Please pray for us as a staff as we move into the summer and continue meeting with our students and developing relationships with future donors!

Your fellow campus missionary,

Sirak!

Trusting Enough To Follow

Good Afternoon My Friends!

Before our students head into spring break the staff is hard at work planning some exciting events to prepare for summer & the fall semester!  We are sending over 70 staff & students this year to SICM (Student Institute Of Campus Ministry), our annual trip to Western Washington University where our students are trained in campus ministry (more specifically; Campus Christian Fellowship, A ministry that has been serving Western Washington University for over 30 years!) and evangelism.  Please be in prayer about this trip!

At our last Friday Night FOCUS our students had a great time during praise! It was a special night kicking off spring break!

This semester has been flying by quick and some big plans are in the making!  I have been thinking and praying about what my plans will be after this year and I have decided (through a lot of prayer and counsel) to remain on FOCUS staff for another three years! I am so excited and privileged to be a part of such an excellent staff that cares so much for its students and campuses.  I'd like to ask that you would all be praying about continuing your support in addition to praying for our staff as we move into the summer and begin fundraising again for the upcoming year!

Recording a video to send to families in Washington asking for them to consider hosting students this year at SICM!

Thank you all so much for your support over the last couple years - it means so much to me to know that God has partnered us together on this fabulous journey.  Please pray for us as we discern what God wants us to change & maintain this coming summer and fall as we serve our students.

I hope you all have a great spring break!

Your Campus Missionary,

Sirak!

Winter Camp Fun & More!

Hey friends!

These last few months have flown by so fast!  I am continually amazed at how much God chooses to bless those who put their trust in him.  Winter camp, staff retreat, and the beginning of the school year have all been tools God has used to show me that he is on control and just wants me to be patient.

Winter camp was such a blast! (See photos below) Being on staff this year at winter camp has shown me just how much work goes into pulling off such an event.  I got to work personally with the worship pastors from the other campuses as we coordinated and planned the different prasie & worship times at camp.  It really encouraged me to know that God is working in the leadership at all five of our college campuses!

Panaroma of the winter camp group (from the back).

Our students paying attention during one of Brady's talks.

I got to help pastor the community during one of our worship times and it was such a joy.  Inviting the spirit to join us before and during we praise makes all the difference :)

Brady Bobbink, a campus pastor from Washington state, came down and spoke to us on how the holy spirit brings freedom.  Our community responded positively to his message and brought that same energy and dependence on the spirit back to our communities!

Thank you all so much for being a part of God's vision here on his college campuses - I couldn't be a part of any of this without your support and prayer.  It blows my mind that we already half-way done with the school year and God has done so much already!  Thinking about what he can (and will) do for the spring semester excites me and challenges me to be faithful and alert, ready for what he has planned.

Please keep us in your prayers as we select our student leadership for the fall 2014 semester.  Pray that we would be discerning and faithful with what God has given us and pray for the hearts of all the students who will be stepping on his college campuses this fall who need Jesus.

Love you all and thank you for deciding to be a part of what God is doing here at UTD,

Sirak

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

Good December My Friends!

I hope that as the holiday season dawns upon us we are filled with the majesty and awe that only comes through adoring our savior, Jesus!  It is the reason we praise and continue to pursue our heavenly father!

It blows my mind to think that the fall semester is already flying by us and we will soon be moving quickly into spring with winter camp, SSI, SICM, end of year preparations, leadership selection, and summer FOCUS.  Thank you so much for deciding to be a part of what is happening on God's campuses here in the DFW metroplex.  I know for a fact that I would not be able to participate & be involved in the way I currently am if it wasn't for your support.  You all are playing such a large role in making disciples here on God's college campuses :)

One of our Friday Night FOCUS services - thank you so much for supporting our vision to reach students for Christ on his campuses!

This year we had Eddie Traughber, a licensed psychiatrist come and talk to our ministry on "Breaking Free From Addictions & Compulsive Behavior" @ our annual Pizza Theology - our students loved it!

Garrett (left, Collin College, Matt (center, U. of North Texas) & Myself excited to serve our students!

Please pray that we would finish the year off strong and continue to be faithful with what God has given us.  Pray that our staff would be vulnerable and loving to one another through the stressful times and that serving our students through Jesus Christ would always be our primary focus.

Thank you all again for your decision to partner with God's vision for his campuses,

Happy Holidays!

- Sirak

Here Come The Holidays!

Good Afternoon My Friends!

I hope you all are getting ready for the holidays approaching soon!  It's that time of year filled with turkeys, stockings, carbs, and family.  I don't know if any of you feel this way but it is so crazy to think that it is already November :) I hear the older you get the faster time passes; this is the truth!

It has been a great month - the FOCUS staff chose not to do our annual Fall Camp but replace it with a Fall Park Day.  We had such a great turnout - over 140 students showed up to Breckenridge park to play sports, get to know one another, and participate in a time of worship/sharing.  (See pictures below)

Students gathering before Park Day begins!

Students playing a timeless classic, Four-square during Park Day.

Courtney Atherton, one of our graduate students (and former FOCUS intern), standing on a bench sharing with the students how Jesus has shaped her during her time in college.

Park day was a huge success thanks to your support and committment to being a part of what God is doing on his college campuses.  I cannot begin to describe how thankful I am for you deciding to support what is going on at UTD FOCUS.  

This Sunday night from 4:00 - 9:00 pm we are having our annual event, Pizza Theology.  This is where students from all 6 of our FOCUS campuses come to hear a guest speaker (and expert on the topic) give a lecture and enjoy a pizza dinner :)  Our topic this year is: Breaking free from addictions and impulsive behavior.  I'm excited!  Please pray that our students would be receptive to the spirit and that the event would open the door for further conversations!

Thank you again so much for your support! 

Your friendly neighborhood campus missionary,

Sirak

September Update!

Good Weekend To All Of You!

If you haven't had a chance to see it, I made a video with a few other students in our FOCUS ministry for our first kick-off FOCUS (see youtube link below).  It was a fun opportunity to welcome our freshmen students into what the FOCUS life is all about :)

FOCUS Lyfe 2013!


I have the joy of leading six of our students who are small group leaders this year.  They are all extremely passionate about serving and helping the students in their small group.  I went to visit all of their small groups over the last week and was absolutely blown away!  All six of these men are pastors of their own mini-church that meet in apartments all over UT Dallas.  Please keep these guys in your prayers as they lead the next generation of disciples at UTD!

Top row: Zack, Stephen, Jonathan, and Myself; Bottom row: Michael, Sagar, and Mark

Thank you all so much for believing in campus ministry and being a part of what is going on at God's college campuses.  He is doing so much and I want you all to know that your support is furthering his kingdom here.

Your campus missionary,

Sirak