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MARCH 2013 UPDATE NEWSLETTER A LOT has happened since The Co-Op began last semester and I realize that many of you might not know exactly how we came to be where we are today. Here is our Co-Op story... In August 2011 my wife Heather and I moved to Greenville, NC to embark on a new journey of ministry with college students. I was hired by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina as the Campus Minister for the Greenville area to work with local CBFNC affiliated churches and students to create a CBFNC sponsored presence on the campuses of East Carolina University and Pitt Community College. I was new not only to Greenville, but also to paid collegiate ministry and CBF as well. We jumped in trusting God but not knowing... continued on page 2 Our Co-Op Story by: Lawrence Powers, CBFNC Campus Minister CBFNC MID-WINTER RETREAT CHRISTMAS PARTY 2012 FAIR MINISTRY 2012 THE CO-OP @ECU

Co-Op Update Newsletter - March 2013

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Page 1: Co-Op Update Newsletter - March 2013

MARCH 2013 U P D A T E N E W S L E T T E R

A LOT has happened since The Co-Op began last semester and I realize that many of you might not know exactly

how we came to be where we are today. Here is our Co-Op story...

In August 2011 my wife Heather and I moved to Greenville, NC

to embark on a new journey of ministry with college students. I was hired by the Cooperative Baptist

Fellowship of North Carolina as the Campus Minister for the Greenville area to work with local CBFNC affiliated churches and students to

create a CBFNC sponsored presence

on the campuses of East Carolina University and Pitt Community College. I was new not only to

Greenville, but also to paid collegiate ministry and CBF as well. We jumped in trusting God but not knowing...

continued on page 2

Our Co-Op Story by: Lawrence Powers, CBFNC Campus Minister

CBFNC MID-WINTER RETREAT CHRISTMAS PARTY 2012 FAIR MINISTRY 2012

THE CO-OP @ECU

Page 2: Co-Op Update Newsletter - March 2013

what direction we were to really go. We really just wanted to lead students in seeking and serving Christ and so, with

much prayer, started talking with church leaders and students about what a new campus ministry presence would look like in Greenville.

It was during the Oakmont Baptist Church Spring Break 2012 mission trip to Washington, D.C. that

clarity as to direction really began to come. Through conversations with students during the week, I discovered

that there was a great need at East Carolina for a Christian-based service group. There were a few service based groups already in existence on campus

but none that sought to serve others in the name of Jesus. The students I talked

to seemed very excited about the possibilities of such a group and so, in the weeks following the trip, we began

to meet and vision how to get started with the support of local churches and CBFNC.

On Wednesday August 29,

2012, after months of praying, visioning and discussing, The Cooperative Student Fellowship (The Co-Op) held

its first meeting at Immanuel Baptist Church with 10 students and representatives from three of the

CBFNC affiliated churches in the Greenville area.

Since that night in August, we’ve continued to meet every

Wednesday and God has done some

really amazing things through the group! I’ve had the great privilege of seeing students grow not only

numerically but also spiritually and communally as well through meetings and service projects that we’ve completed. Students who attend

consider the Co-Op more than just a campus ministry group, they see it as a family. I’ve not seen a student join the

group without feeling welcomed and loved!

Over the past two months,

we’ve taken a step I did not imagine we would reach in the first year: we’ve applied for and been accepted as an official student organization at East

Carolina! The students have a big desire to reach other students with the love of Christ through the ministry of The

Co-Op and feel that this can only effectively be done if the group is recognized and meets on campus. The

application process was long and students had to attend 5 meetings covering everything from finances to meeting spaces and also develop a

group constitution. The students have risen to the occasion and thanks to their efforts, this week, just 8 months

after our first meeting, we’ve been confirmed as an officially recognized student organization at ECU and will

begin meeting on campus following Spring Break!

Everything that has happened in such a short time has been powerful

confirmation that God is calling us to continue in what we’re doing and I am thankful for your support of the

CBFNC collegiate ministry in Greenville. I’m excited for us to experience together what God is going

to continue to do through our partnership to reach students through Christ!

... The Co-Op Story... continued from page 1

“STUDENTS WHO ATTEND CONSIDER THE CO-OP MORE THAN JUST A CAMPUS MINISTRY, THEY SEE IT AS A FAMILY.”

Page 3: Co-Op Update Newsletter - March 2013

Our Weekly Meetings:Our Wednesday night meetings offer students a variety in experience and follow a focus rotation of fellowship,

worship and prayer.

During our fellowship meetings we generally have food, play games and, if needed, discuss any business type issues.

These meetings have been very important to our group’s becoming very close.

Worship focused meetings

feature music led by a worship band made up of students followed by an outside speaker or group testimony time.

We’ve had pastors, students and college leaders all join us as speakers over the past 8 months.

Prayer focused meetings vary in

style. We’ve had prayer meetings with prayer stations set up and students moving through them individually and

we’ve had responsive prayer type meetings reading praying together communally. We believe that prayer is an

important part of everything we do!

No matter the focus of the night, we desire to continue to grow together as the body of Christ, seeking

and serving him in everything we do!______________________________

Need More Information? Contact Lawrence Powers, CBFNC

Campus Minister:

- Office: 252-756-1245 x304

- Email: [email protected]

- Web: coopecu.org

JOANNA ...IT IS MY SUPPORT SYSTEM. EVEN THE HARDEST WEEKS ARE BRIGHTENED BY FELLOWSHIP, WORSHIP AND MISSIONS WITH THE CO-OP.

AUTUMN...IT’S A PLACE WHERE I’M ACCEPTED. BEING A PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER THAN MYSELF IS AN HONOR AND I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT GOD HAS IN STORE!

ANTHONY...BECAUSE IT HAS GIVEN ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A FAMILY OF PEERS THAT SHARE THE SAME BELIEFS THAT I DO AND I AM ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WORSHIP BAND AS WELL.

KATIE...BECAUSE OF THE CONSTANT CHRISTIAN INFLUENCE. IN COLLEGE IT’S SOMETIMES HARD TO FIND YOUR FIT AND FIND A GOOD GROUP OF CHRISTIAN FRIENDS. I’M SO THANKFUL I HAVE THAT PLUS SO MUCH MORE WITH THE CO-OP!

Students finish the sentence “The Co-Op has been important to my life because...”

Page 4: Co-Op Update Newsletter - March 2013

PHOTOS FROM THIS YEAR