FALL 2016
ON CAMPUS TRANSFORMING COLLEGE STUDENTS TO TRANSFORM THE WORLD
UNCOMMON HOSPITALITY
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ABOUT THE CCO The CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) calls college students to serve Jesus Christ with their entire lives. Our ministry is distinct in three ways: 1. We develop students to be passionate leaders who serve Jesus Christ in their studies, jobs, communities, and families. 2. We serve together with the church, inviting students into the lives of local congregations. 3. We design each ministry to fit the needs of every campus we serve. For more about us, please visit our website: www.ccojubilee.org Photography: Andrew Rush and JPG Photography Pictured on the cover: CCO staff member Gene Twilley talking with a student at Delaware County Community College
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Many non-Christian students who I reach out to are blown away to see that a church they have never attended—or heard of— sends them something with no strings attached. They are, by and large, in utter disbelief. —CCO staff member Gene Twilley reaches out to students at Delaware County Community College and Penn State Brandywine in partnership with Springton Lake Presbyterian Church.
UNCOMMON
HOSPITALITY T DRIVEN BY THE
UNCOMMON
LOVE OF SPRINGTON LAKE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BY GENE TWILLEY
he first time I met Dave, a few students and I were giving out free doughnuts and offering to pray with and for people at Delaware County Community College. He stopped for a doughnut, but when he saw that we were offering to pray for people, he got angry. “Look, we don’t have to pray for you,” I told him. “You can just take a doughnut. It’s not a big deal, I promise.” “I grew up going to church, but I just couldn’t stand it anymore,” Dave replied. We talked for a short time that first day. Dave told me he came from a judgmental and hypocritical environment where religion was shoved down his throat. When Dave and I saw each other again, the conversation was much less abrasive from his end. We chatted a little about faith and what people believe. I was in the midst of helping some students start a new CCO club at DCCC, and I invited Dave to one of our conversational groups. This is one of the ways I build relationships with students. At the Doughnuts & Discussions Table, we offer to pray for students or we pose a question. Are we alone in the universe? Does evil exist? What is love? continued on page 4
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WHAT STUDENTS SAY
60%
of Americans think that it is religious extremism to try and convert someone. —Barna Group
By connecting with Gene, I have learned to step outside of my comfort zone on campus and take more opportunities to share about my faith. My ability to love people has increased greatly, and I have become better at meeting people where they are. After having multiple conversations with fellow students, I see the desperate need for Christ in all of their lives. —Rob Viso, Delaware County Community College 2018, global studies major
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continued from page 3 Students tell me that they’ve been looking for a space to talk about deeper things, about the sorts of things that give meaning to why they’re in school, but that they don’t always find it. We offer students doughnuts and a space to talk about topics that aren’t usually broached through regular classroom engagement.
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ong before I was doing ministry at Delaware County Community College, there was a group of women from Springton Lake Presbyterian Church who actively pursued college students through prayer, writing letters, and sending care packages. Now through the CCO, I serve as SLPC’s Young Adult Ministry
Director and Campus Minister to students at DCCC and Penn State Brandywine. I believe that these ladies paved the way for the ministry I do today. Many non-Christian students who I reach out to are blown away to see that a church they have never attended—or heard of—sends them something with no strings attached. Like the D&D Table, the church’s outreach has opened a door to talking about the things of faith. Many of the students I meet have such animosity towards a stereotype of Christianity that our congregation does not embody.
THE CCO’S PASSION FOR THE
CHURCH W
The people in this church genuinely care about college students. They show it in so many ways—from care packages to hosting lunches to providing generous scholarships for students to attend the CCO’s annual Jubilee conference in Pittsburgh. The church is as supportive of my outreach to students who may never show up for a worship service as they are eager to welcome those who do get involved in the ministry. Every church I’ve been a part of is imperfect, and I am as much a part of that problem as anyone else. But the church is the vehicle that the Lord has given us to show us who we are and to show the world who He is.
I tell students this: if I’m inviting you into a relationship with Jesus, I’m also inviting you into a relationship with His people, the Church. You can’t have one without the other.
hen people ask me what makes the CCO unique among campus ministries, I point them to our longstanding passion for partnering with local churches. As CCO staff member Gene Twilley so eloquently explains: “The Church is the vehicle that the Lord has given us to show us who we are and to show the world who He is.” As Gene partners with Springton Lake Presbyterian Church to minister to students at local colleges, he credits that congregation’s uncommon hospitality to his ability to engage students so successfully. We are committed to the Church not only because it’s a scripturally sound ministry strategy. We are committed to the Church because, for our ministry to college students to have a long-lasting impact, we need to prepare them to be lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ.
Our staff people at the Church of the Good Samaritan also understand this. Ben Capps talks about hoping to deliver to students’ future church homes “the gift of an adult who already has a paradigm for engaging, serving, and leading the church.” We are watching to see how God will work in the coming school year and in the years to come, as students graduate and become tomorrow’s leaders—in their workplaces, communities, homes, and churches. Thank you for joining with us in this work.
Vincent J. Burens President & CEO CCO
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DELIVERING FUTURE LEADERS
CHURCH TO THE
CCO MINISTRY AT THE CHURCH OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN BY AMY MACZUZAK
T
he goal of our ministry is to deliver to future churches the gift of adults who already have a paradigm for engaging, serving, and leading the church,” says CCO staff member Ben Capps. “My hope is that college students will encounter God at the Church of the Good Samaritan in way that introduces them to a vision
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of God and the Gospel that is bigger and more true and more beautiful than anything they ever dreamed. We cannot fully introduce students to the Gospel without holding the message in one hand and the church in the other.” Ben and his CCO colleague, Nicole Arthur, have worked together at the Church of the Good Samaritan in Paoli,
Pennsylvania, reaching out to area college students. The church has had a long-standing history of ministry at Eastern University and committed itself to outreach at Immaculata University two years ago, recognizing an opportunity for unified ministry on both campuses through the CCO. continued on page 8
I do what I do because I think everyone deserves to know the truth. College students, in particular, are in such a uniquely profound stage of self-discovery, influence, and hope, that I can’t help but be drawn to them. The world’s future leaders are being educated on college campuses. What a world we would live in if every student encountered the living God in new ways and lived out of that for the rest of their lives. —CCO staff member Nicole Arthur began her CCO ministry with students at Eastern University and Immaculata University in partnership with the Church of the Good Samaritan. This fall, she moves to Ithaca, New York to reach out to students at Cornell University.
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WHAT STUDENTS SAY Through exposure to church tradition and liturgy, I have grown closer to God and to other Christians in a way that I had never experienced before. I have learned to love God not just with my heart, but also with my mind. —Amanda Turnquist, Eastern University 2016, social work major
70%
of young people raised in the church will leave it after college. —LifeWay Research
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continued from page 6 “Very early on, we knew we wanted to create a ministry where students are not just sitting in church on Sundays, powering up to face the world someday,” Nicole says. “Students have gifts and talents locked inside them in the here and now, and we want to invite them into the life of Good Sam knowing that reality. So you’ll find students doing everything from organizing all-church meals on Sundays to helping with the youth group, from writing and leading prayers to assisting in the tech booth. We recently had an upperclassman become the youth and college representative to the church board!”
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s students graduate, they are connecting to new congregations and putting what they experienced during their college years into practice. Morgan Hess is now leading music at her church and working as a piano instructor. Mike Creamer is serving as a youth director at one church, and Tori Hoff is serving as a junior high youth leader at another. “At Good Sam, we put a lot of emphasis on whole-life discipleship,” says Ben. “As students explore their callings and vocations, they are doing that within the context of the Church. The Church is not just another sphere—it’s what holds us all together!
“We emphasize being a part of a local worshiping community from the very beginning. We want students to have a really solid paradigm for what it looks like to serve the body and to use their giftedness for the edification of the body. Our hope is that our students can be a true gift and a blessing to whatever worshiping community they end up in.”
WHAT STUDENTS SAY Being involved in this ministry has enabled me to appreciate the hard work and prayer that goes into a typical Sunday at the Church
CCO staff members Ben Capps and Kylie Roberts will be serving students at Eastern University and Immacuata University this fall, as Nicole Arthur moves into a new CCO position at Cornell University. Kylie was an active participant in the ministry at the Church of the Good Samaritan when she was a student at Eastern.
of the Good Samaritan. Specifically, it has plugged me into a body of believers in a way I have never been before. There is something about serving with others and seeing a rising number of college-aged students in the church excited about being involved that is inspiring, as it shows the intergenerational dimension of the body of Christ. —Mike Creamer, Eastern University 2016, youth ministry and theological studies major
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THE CCO SERVES STUDENTS ON 116 CAMPUSES Allegheny College American University Anne Arundel Community College Arcadia University Art Institute of Pittsburgh Ashland University Ball State University Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Bluffton University Brookdale Community College Butler County Community College Cabrini College California University of Pennsylvania Camden County College, Camden City Campus Capital University Carnegie Mellon University Cedar Crest College Chatham University Clarion University of Pennsylvania Columbus State Community College, Columbus Campus Community College of Allegheny County, Allegheny Campus Community College of Allegheny County, Boyce Campus Community College of Beaver County Delaware County Community College Drexel University Duquesne University Duquesne University School of Law
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Eastern University Edinboro University of Pennsylvania Elizabethtown College Franklin & Marshall College Gannon University Geneva College Georgetown University Gordon College Grove City College Harrisburg Area Community College, Lebanon Campus Haverford College Immaculata University Indiana University Kokomo Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana University of Pennsylvania at Northpointe Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne Indiana Wesleyan University Ivy Tech Community College, Kokomo Campus Juniata College Kent State University Kent State University at Stark Kenyon College Kutztown University of Pennsylvania La Roche College Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine Lancaster Bible College Lehigh Carbon Community College Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania
Loyola University Chicago Lycoming College Malone University Marion Technical College Messiah College Montreat College Mount Vernon Nazarene University Northern Virginia Community College Ohio Dominican University Ohio Northern University Ohio State University Ohio State University at Marion Ohio Wesleyan University Owens Community College Penn State Abington Penn State Altoona Penn State Brandywine Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus Penn State Lehigh Valley Penn State New Kensington Penn State University Park Pennsylvania College of Art & Design Pennsylvania College of Technology Philadelphia University Point Park University Purdue University Robert Morris University Rosedale Technical College Rutgers University, Camden Shawnee State University Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania St. Joseph’s University
Stark State College Staten Island Schools Susquehanna University Syracuse University Temple University University of Akron University of Cincinnati University of Cincinnati, Blue Ash University of Findlay University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh University of Pittsburgh at Bradford University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine University of Pittsburgh School of Law University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine University of the Sciences in Philadelphia Valley Forge Military Academy and College Villanova University Washington & Jefferson College Waynesburg University West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Virginia University Westminster College Williamson College of the Trades WyoTech Blairsville Xavier University York College of Pennsylvania Youngstown State University
NEW BOOKS
FOR PARENTS & YOUNG ADULTS WRITTEN BY CCO STAFF
IT’S NOT TOO LATE: The Essential Part You Play in Shaping Your Teen’s Faith Written by CCO Chairman, Dan Dupee When it comes to faith, your older children still need you—even if they think they don’t. Drawing on sociological research and Scripture, Dan Dupee shows parents that it is not too late—and in fact these turbulent years of transitioning into adulthood may be when your kids need your guidance the most. He shows how to make the most out of these opportunities to offer guidance, wisdom, and spiritual support, with the goal of seeing your children not just survive college with faith intact, but enter adulthood with a faith of their own— one that will carry them through all that life brings their way. Dan and his wife, Carol, are the parents of two sets of twins.
AFTER COLLEGE: Navigating Transitions, Relationships and Faith Written by CCO staff member Erica Young Reitz The years after college can be some of the most uncertain, unstable times of life. Recent graduates grieve the loss of community, question their place in the world, and struggle to find meaningful work. For more than a decade, CCO staff member Erica Young Reitz has specialized in helping college seniors and recent graduates navigate the transition to postcollege life. Drawing on best practices and research on senior preparedness, she offers practical tools for a life of faithfulness and flourishing during a critical, transitional time. Erica and her husband, Craig, are the parents of two small children.
THE ADVANTAGES OF GIVING STOCK
Do you have appreciated stock that you would like to donate to the CCO? Take advantage of the tax benefits. Securities held for over a year are generally deductible at market value, regardless of what you paid for them. To find out more, please contact Allyson Sveda at 412.363.3303 ext. 130 or asveda@ccojubilee.org. The CCO is a charter member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.
CCO
CARDS & PRINTS
CHRISTMAS CARDS Order online, email us at cards@ccojubilee.org, or call us at 412.363.3303 to request a brochure.
cards.ccojubilee.org All proceeds benefit CCO ministry.
Charity Navigator is America’s premier independent charity evaluator. A 4-star rating means that the CCO exceeds industry standards and out-performs most charities in its class.
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Nonprofit U.S. Postage PAID Pittsburgh, PA Permit # 1486 COALITION FOR CHRISTIAN OUTREACH 5912 Penn Avenue Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15206 Return Service Requested
WHY JOHN AND LAURIE TRUSCHEL GIVE TO THE CCO John Truschel first got involved in the CCO’s ministry in 1979, when he was a student at Westminster College. He joined CCO staff when he graduated and worked at Grove City College, where he met his future wife, Laurie. After she graduated, Laurie also worked for the CCO, first at Chatham College and later as director of the Jubilee conference. Since leaving CCO staff in 1985, John has been in the investment management industry; he currently serves as a Financial Services Independent Strategist and Consultant in Greater Boston. In 2006, once their three children were old enough, Laurie returned to campus ministry at Gordon College. She now serves Gordon as Director of Young Alumni Engagement. Why is it important for you to support the CCO? The CCO’s impact on our lives has been life changing. The perspective we learned and the community in which we learned it has been tremendously influential in our sense of vocation, how we do marriage, raise kids, support our local church, and volunteer for other institutions. In supporting the CCO, we long to see that same impact on this generation of college students. No one else is in a better position to make that impact than the CCO. 12
What message do you have for current and future donors? To current donors, we say thank you! We have seen the impact from your investment for almost 40 years. For those considering becoming donors, we say: please join us in investing in the CCO as the CCO invests in the future leaders of the church and parachurch, the future artists, public servants, doctors, lawyers, teachers, and entrepreneurs who, because of the CCO, will carry out their work with a true sense of vocation and a true understanding of the Lordship of Christ over “every square inch” of creation. Have you remembered the CCO in your estate plans or through another planned gift? Would you like to? For more information, or if you have any questions about the CCO’s ministry, please contact Allyson Sveda, Director of Development, at 412-363-3303.
OUR BOARD Elizabeth Baker CEO Hot Metal Media LLC Vincent J. Burens President & CEO Coalition for Christian Outreach Kurt E. Carlson Executive Vice President Hefren-Tillotson, Inc. The Rev. Nancy O. Chalfant-Walker Rector St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church CCO Staff Alumna Jennifer Ciccone Human Resources Director, Productivity Software Group EFI Judith Herschell Cole President Herschell Environmental, LLC Ryan D. Deaderick, P.E. Vice President, Production Energy Corporation of America Joseph P. Diggins, Jr. Partner Ernst & Young LLP Louis A. Divers President Precision Abrasives Daniel J. Dupee Chairman of the Board Coalition for Christian Outreach The Rev. Dr. William R. Glaze Pastor Bethany Baptist Church Darrin E. Grove CEO TrueFit John M. Holt, Jr. President HOLSINGER, PC Harry Kunze President & CEO Safety Works, LLC Amylyn Kyler Managing Director Kyler Professional Search The Rev. Dr. Robert R. Long Chairman Emeritus Coalition for Christian Outreach Martha McElhattan Homemaker and Volunteer Terrence H. Murphy Shareholder Littler Mendelson P.C.
Audrey Murrell, Ph.D. Associate Dean, College of Business Administration University of Pittsburgh Brian T. Must Founding Member Metz, Lewis, Brodman, Must & O’Keefe Attorneys at Law The Rev. Richard Noftzger Executive Presbyter Redstone Presbytery CCO Staff Alumnus J. Paul Organ Founder & Certified Financial Planner Marathon Financial Services CCO Staff Alumnus James W. Rimmel Sr. Vice President, Investments UBS Financial Services, Inc. James D. Roberge Managing Director Staley Capital Advisers, Inc. David A. Schrader, Ph.D. Partner Full Circle Group CCO Staff Alumnus Chris Seidler Sales Executive Net Health Kenneth E. Smith President Simcoach Games Lori Stuckey Homemaker and Volunteer Henry B. Suhr III Adjunct Faculty Geneva College CCO Staff Alumnus J.T. Thomas Entrepreneur & Business Consultant Mary Martha Truschel Assistant Counsel, Southwest Regional Office PA Department of Environmental Protection James D. Young COO, Senior Vice President Crown Castle