Greetings IVCF Hamline blog followers!
As many of you know, over the summer I took on the staff responsibilities at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. It's been an exciting (and somewhat anxious) transition, and I'm looking forward to all that God is going to do on campus in the coming year.
With that added responsibility, I think it's appropriate to change my blog address. From here on out, I will be posting here:
deronvaupel.blogspot.com
This blog will have all the same info, updates, and stories, so please update any bookmarks and subscriptions accordingly. And also check out my first post on there...new as of this morning. Thanks -Deron
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Chapter Focus Week Recap
How can I really sum up last week? 6 days of great training, excellent opportunities to connect with students, getting a deeper understanding of what it means to work on campus, solid teaching from Acts, 19 hours in a car....all in all, quite great.
Nick (Hamline student) and I set off on Saturday morning for the drive to Cedarville, Michigan, and 9 1/2 uneventful hours later, we were in the thick of it. Over 200 students from 11 colleges gathered for the week, with 100 of those students ready for some intensive training in how to lead Small Groups on campus in the Fall. I was helping out with this elective, primarily by working with smaller groups of students as they prepared Bible studies and giving feedback to students who led groups at some point during the week. I also got to lead some of the worship for the week. True to InterVarsity's form, there was a solid scriptural basis for everything done during the week, and it was amazing watching students grow in their appreciation for the Bible and all that can be learned from it. That basis also appeared to bring a deeper understanding of God's call to serve on campus...seeing that many lives changed is always a huge encouragement.
All in all, being able to play a small part of what God is doing in the lives of each of those students (and in turn on their campuses) was an amazing blessing. That's probably the best I can do in my attempt to briefly sum up the week...if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Thank you so much for your prayers during the week.
Nick (Hamline student) and I set off on Saturday morning for the drive to Cedarville, Michigan, and 9 1/2 uneventful hours later, we were in the thick of it. Over 200 students from 11 colleges gathered for the week, with 100 of those students ready for some intensive training in how to lead Small Groups on campus in the Fall. I was helping out with this elective, primarily by working with smaller groups of students as they prepared Bible studies and giving feedback to students who led groups at some point during the week. I also got to lead some of the worship for the week. True to InterVarsity's form, there was a solid scriptural basis for everything done during the week, and it was amazing watching students grow in their appreciation for the Bible and all that can be learned from it. That basis also appeared to bring a deeper understanding of God's call to serve on campus...seeing that many lives changed is always a huge encouragement.
All in all, being able to play a small part of what God is doing in the lives of each of those students (and in turn on their campuses) was an amazing blessing. That's probably the best I can do in my attempt to briefly sum up the week...if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Thank you so much for your prayers during the week.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
On the road again.....
Wow...May 17 already. Hamline students are taking finals, moving out of the dorms, making final arrangements for summer jobs. It's a busy time of year, and that goes for the ministry of InterVarsity as well. We've spent the past few weeks finalizing our leadership selection process for next school year, and I'm excited to say that things are shaping up to have students overseeing prayer, service, event planning, general publicity, and several Bible studies starting in September. There is a lot of excitement brewing for what next year has in store, and that means a lot of preparation is needed over the summer. Please be praying for wisdom as we take these next steps.
Also, this coming Saturday, one student and I will be leaving for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for Chapter Focus Week. It is a week of training, teaching, and worship at one of InterVarsity's camps. Students from all over the Midwest will be in attendance, including approximately 100 who will receive training to lead small groups on campus. Please be praying for Nick (Hamline Student) as he takes part in the small group leader training that God would work through that time to prepare him for amazing things back on campus. Please also be in prayer for me as I help out with the Small Group training...there's plenty to get ready and plenty for me to learn.
This summer will be a busy time of traveling for training and meetings, so hopefully I'll be able to sit down with many of you and share stories about how God is at work. If you want to get something on the schedule, I'll be in Wisconsin/Illinois at the end of June/beginning of July, California at the end of July, and randomly throughout Minnesota for the rest of the summer. Let me know if you want to meet up!
Thanks for reading, and many thanks for your prayers.
Deron
Also, this coming Saturday, one student and I will be leaving for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for Chapter Focus Week. It is a week of training, teaching, and worship at one of InterVarsity's camps. Students from all over the Midwest will be in attendance, including approximately 100 who will receive training to lead small groups on campus. Please be praying for Nick (Hamline Student) as he takes part in the small group leader training that God would work through that time to prepare him for amazing things back on campus. Please also be in prayer for me as I help out with the Small Group training...there's plenty to get ready and plenty for me to learn.
This summer will be a busy time of traveling for training and meetings, so hopefully I'll be able to sit down with many of you and share stories about how God is at work. If you want to get something on the schedule, I'll be in Wisconsin/Illinois at the end of June/beginning of July, California at the end of July, and randomly throughout Minnesota for the rest of the summer. Let me know if you want to meet up!
Thanks for reading, and many thanks for your prayers.
Deron
Monday, April 25, 2011
Greetings Everybody!
I wanted to write quickly on this lovely Monday afternoon with a couple things. There's a few weeks left in the school year, and we're trying to finish up strong here @ Hamline. Just over a week ago, several HU IV students participated in Relay for Life, raising money for cancer research and connecting with other students and organizations from around campus. Our Bible studies are still strong...I'm surrounded by several plant clippings related to a lesson on John 15 as I type this. (I can explain this more if you like...just ask)
We are still on the look-out for fundraising opportunities to help provide scholarships for students for camp experiences. If you know of any yard work, painting, envelope stuffing...really anything you'd like help with, please let me know. Or, if you don't have anything you need help with and still want to help out students who need financial help, that's fine, too. Just ask and we can figure something out.
Please be in prayer as we finish up the year. Students have organized a worship gathering for this Thursday night, we've got a service opportunity coming up next week, and we're already doing a lot of planning for next year. Prayer for wisdom and outreach are greatly appreciated.
As always, thank you so much for your prayers, support, and encouragement. If there's anything more you'd like to know about what's happening at Hamline, please don't hesitate to ask.
-Deron
I wanted to write quickly on this lovely Monday afternoon with a couple things. There's a few weeks left in the school year, and we're trying to finish up strong here @ Hamline. Just over a week ago, several HU IV students participated in Relay for Life, raising money for cancer research and connecting with other students and organizations from around campus. Our Bible studies are still strong...I'm surrounded by several plant clippings related to a lesson on John 15 as I type this. (I can explain this more if you like...just ask)
We are still on the look-out for fundraising opportunities to help provide scholarships for students for camp experiences. If you know of any yard work, painting, envelope stuffing...really anything you'd like help with, please let me know. Or, if you don't have anything you need help with and still want to help out students who need financial help, that's fine, too. Just ask and we can figure something out.
Please be in prayer as we finish up the year. Students have organized a worship gathering for this Thursday night, we've got a service opportunity coming up next week, and we're already doing a lot of planning for next year. Prayer for wisdom and outreach are greatly appreciated.
As always, thank you so much for your prayers, support, and encouragement. If there's anything more you'd like to know about what's happening at Hamline, please don't hesitate to ask.
-Deron
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Well, students are on Spring Break this week. That means I've been filling my schedule with meetings and paperwork and gearing up for the last 2 months of school. We're praying for some pretty amazing things to happen at Hamline by the end of the school year, and here's a few things to be praying for:
-Leadership - There's some opportunities for new Bible studies starting up in the next few weeks and also we'll begin the process of clarifying what responsibilities students will take on next year.
-Outreach - With the nicer weather coming, there will be plenty of opportunities to reach out to the campus. Please pray for wisdom as we decide what the best ways are to do that and also for openness from students as we invite them to participate and see that there are Christians at Hamline.
-Training - Students have the opportunity to attend a week of Chapter Camp the week after school finishes. It's a time where students from all over the Midwest come together for training and worship at a camp in Michigan. Please be in prayer for any students who are considering whether or not to attend.
One other note on Chapter Camp: If any of you in the Twin Cities know of any good fundraising opportunities, please let me know. We're looking to raise some money so we can offer some scholarships to students. Even if it's coming over and cleaning up your yard after the snow melts, that's fine. We won't shy away from manual labor.
As always, thank you so much for your prayers and support. It's a real blessing to know that I have so many people joining me in this ministry...aka the coolest job ever.
-Deron
-Leadership - There's some opportunities for new Bible studies starting up in the next few weeks and also we'll begin the process of clarifying what responsibilities students will take on next year.
-Outreach - With the nicer weather coming, there will be plenty of opportunities to reach out to the campus. Please pray for wisdom as we decide what the best ways are to do that and also for openness from students as we invite them to participate and see that there are Christians at Hamline.
-Training - Students have the opportunity to attend a week of Chapter Camp the week after school finishes. It's a time where students from all over the Midwest come together for training and worship at a camp in Michigan. Please be in prayer for any students who are considering whether or not to attend.
One other note on Chapter Camp: If any of you in the Twin Cities know of any good fundraising opportunities, please let me know. We're looking to raise some money so we can offer some scholarships to students. Even if it's coming over and cleaning up your yard after the snow melts, that's fine. We won't shy away from manual labor.
As always, thank you so much for your prayers and support. It's a real blessing to know that I have so many people joining me in this ministry...aka the coolest job ever.
-Deron
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Grill-A-Christian Recap
This past Thursday night, Hamline's InterVarsity chapter hosted their annual Grill-A-Christian forum. We had 5 panelists who were willing to get peppered with questions from students dealing with many aspects of Christianity.
For a week leading up to the event, some InterVarsity students had a table set up outside the cafeteria asking students to submit questions. A lot of great questions were turned in, and I got to sort through them all and present them to the panelists on Thursday night.
There were about 50 people there (a lot less than hoped, but many new faces), and the discussion went on for about 90 minutes. The questions dealt with the reality of God, sexuality, God's justice, and many other topics. The panelists were able to respond to these questions with wisdom and grace, frequently touching on the deeper emotions that might cause someone to ask questions like these. Through it all, God's love and his desire to be in relationship with all of creation was on display.
It was an exciting event to be a part of, but in reality, this discussion was another step in our process of reaching the campus. In the coming weeks, there will be many opportunities to begin new conversations with students. It is my prayer that each of us at Hamline, the students and myself, would be able to engage others in valuable and meaningful conversations, continuing to share this message of God's love. I ask that you also join in prayer for more opportunities to connect and share with others. Hopefully many more stories are yet to come.
Deron
For a week leading up to the event, some InterVarsity students had a table set up outside the cafeteria asking students to submit questions. A lot of great questions were turned in, and I got to sort through them all and present them to the panelists on Thursday night.
There were about 50 people there (a lot less than hoped, but many new faces), and the discussion went on for about 90 minutes. The questions dealt with the reality of God, sexuality, God's justice, and many other topics. The panelists were able to respond to these questions with wisdom and grace, frequently touching on the deeper emotions that might cause someone to ask questions like these. Through it all, God's love and his desire to be in relationship with all of creation was on display.
It was an exciting event to be a part of, but in reality, this discussion was another step in our process of reaching the campus. In the coming weeks, there will be many opportunities to begin new conversations with students. It is my prayer that each of us at Hamline, the students and myself, would be able to engage others in valuable and meaningful conversations, continuing to share this message of God's love. I ask that you also join in prayer for more opportunities to connect and share with others. Hopefully many more stories are yet to come.
Deron
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Well, I wasn't able to track down the pictures I hoped to from Breakaway, but I do have this:
It's the 12 students from Hamline (along with our volunteer Richard and myself) who attended Breakaway. In the few weeks since the event, I've heard great reports from students about God challenging them to grow in new ways. Many of the stories deal with personal growth, but there's also a growing desire for prayer on campus...part of which can be attributed to experiences at the retreat. Students are seeing the importance of prayer in personally growing closer to Christ and also when it comes to reaching the campus.
Another bit of exciting news from the weekend. Two somewhat reluctant students approached me at the retreat with an idea about a Bible study. Over the next several days we met to process through their idea and see what it would look like in action, and I'm happy to report that the group is up and running...and there's a lot of excitement about it. I'm excited to see these two students growing in their leadership skills and their willingness to take on new challenges.
Speaking of leadership, I've spent the past 2 Sunday afternoons with students doing some Small Group Leader training. It's been a good time of sharing about fundamentals of leadership and Bible study preparation, and moving forward it seems this training is a good starting point for many new leadership opportunities this school year and next.
This coming Thursday (the 24th), InterVarsity at Hamline is hosting their annual Grill-A-Christian event. It's an opportunity for people to come and ask pastors and well-educated believers difficult questions about Christianity. Our panel this year consists of Richard (the above mentioned and pictured volunteer), Hamline U's Chaplain Nancy, Pastor Peter from Hamline Church (across the street from campus) and Pastor Mark from Substance Church (just up the road in Roseville). In the past, the event has been well-received by the campus community, and we expect the same this year. We have already been out asking students around campus what questions they might have, and based on those responses alone, the discussion will be quite exciting.
Prayer Requests:
This Thursday night - Pray that students would come eager to learn and with good questions to ask. Also be praying for the follow-up process as we look to provide opportunities for students to approach these questions in a Bible study setting.
Prayer on campus
This semester's Bible study leaders
As always, thank you for your prayers, and if there's any more you'd like to know, don't hesitate to ask.
-Deron
It's the 12 students from Hamline (along with our volunteer Richard and myself) who attended Breakaway. In the few weeks since the event, I've heard great reports from students about God challenging them to grow in new ways. Many of the stories deal with personal growth, but there's also a growing desire for prayer on campus...part of which can be attributed to experiences at the retreat. Students are seeing the importance of prayer in personally growing closer to Christ and also when it comes to reaching the campus.
Another bit of exciting news from the weekend. Two somewhat reluctant students approached me at the retreat with an idea about a Bible study. Over the next several days we met to process through their idea and see what it would look like in action, and I'm happy to report that the group is up and running...and there's a lot of excitement about it. I'm excited to see these two students growing in their leadership skills and their willingness to take on new challenges.
Speaking of leadership, I've spent the past 2 Sunday afternoons with students doing some Small Group Leader training. It's been a good time of sharing about fundamentals of leadership and Bible study preparation, and moving forward it seems this training is a good starting point for many new leadership opportunities this school year and next.
This coming Thursday (the 24th), InterVarsity at Hamline is hosting their annual Grill-A-Christian event. It's an opportunity for people to come and ask pastors and well-educated believers difficult questions about Christianity. Our panel this year consists of Richard (the above mentioned and pictured volunteer), Hamline U's Chaplain Nancy, Pastor Peter from Hamline Church (across the street from campus) and Pastor Mark from Substance Church (just up the road in Roseville). In the past, the event has been well-received by the campus community, and we expect the same this year. We have already been out asking students around campus what questions they might have, and based on those responses alone, the discussion will be quite exciting.
Prayer Requests:
This Thursday night - Pray that students would come eager to learn and with good questions to ask. Also be praying for the follow-up process as we look to provide opportunities for students to approach these questions in a Bible study setting.
Prayer on campus
This semester's Bible study leaders
As always, thank you for your prayers, and if there's any more you'd like to know, don't hesitate to ask.
-Deron
Monday, January 31, 2011
Story time....
Wow....where to begin when it comes to sharing about the past 4 weeks. I'll start with a quick recap of January.
Leading in to the month, plans were in place to spend a lot of time focusing on prayer...prayer times, Bible studies, the works. Students ended up being a lot busier than we all thought they would be. Fortunately, I wasn't the only one planning on emphasizing prayer. God was at work through the church that several students attend, and a great deal of time was spent fasting and praying. It was very exciting to hear so many students sharing about how God was challenging to take action through prayer. One story that stands out:
Ethan (a sophomore) was sitting in the Klas Center one afternoon reading his Bible, and he was getting some strange looks from some members of the baseball team. After he packed up, he stopped by their table to ask a simple question: "Do any of you have anything I can be praying for?" His question was met with some more strange looks, but after processing the question, one of the players responded "Yeah. Could you pray for my family?" Ethan was very excited about the response, and as he continues in prayer for this student, please be praying for Ethan and others that they would have boldness in prayer and in talking with others.
This past weekend was a great way to cap off J-Term and prepare for the Spring semester. 12 students from Hamline converged on Brainerd from Friday-Sunday for Breakaway 2011, the North Central region's annual winter retreat. Here it is by the numbers:
250 students
30 staff/volunteers
11 hours of sleep (unscientific average)
7 random karoke songs
2 new ice skaters
1 frosting fight
...and the really exciting number:
2 new Christians
2 students from schools in South Dakota came to faith in Christ this past weekend, and I've heard reports of several other students who are in the process of wrestling with the idea of becoming a Christian. This weekend was a great time for them to get more answers and to be challenged by the Spirit. Students from Hamline are still resting and processing the weekend, so in a couple days I'll post a story or 2 and get some pictures up as well.
This Thursday night, I'll be speaking at a worship gathering on campus. As part of my message, I will be introducing the idea of Christ's death for sin. Please be praying that many students respond to invitations from their friends and are there to hear this message.
Thank you so much for your prayers for this past weekend and for your continued prayers for students at Hamline.
Deron
Leading in to the month, plans were in place to spend a lot of time focusing on prayer...prayer times, Bible studies, the works. Students ended up being a lot busier than we all thought they would be. Fortunately, I wasn't the only one planning on emphasizing prayer. God was at work through the church that several students attend, and a great deal of time was spent fasting and praying. It was very exciting to hear so many students sharing about how God was challenging to take action through prayer. One story that stands out:
Ethan (a sophomore) was sitting in the Klas Center one afternoon reading his Bible, and he was getting some strange looks from some members of the baseball team. After he packed up, he stopped by their table to ask a simple question: "Do any of you have anything I can be praying for?" His question was met with some more strange looks, but after processing the question, one of the players responded "Yeah. Could you pray for my family?" Ethan was very excited about the response, and as he continues in prayer for this student, please be praying for Ethan and others that they would have boldness in prayer and in talking with others.
This past weekend was a great way to cap off J-Term and prepare for the Spring semester. 12 students from Hamline converged on Brainerd from Friday-Sunday for Breakaway 2011, the North Central region's annual winter retreat. Here it is by the numbers:
250 students
30 staff/volunteers
11 hours of sleep (unscientific average)
7 random karoke songs
2 new ice skaters
1 frosting fight
...and the really exciting number:
2 new Christians
2 students from schools in South Dakota came to faith in Christ this past weekend, and I've heard reports of several other students who are in the process of wrestling with the idea of becoming a Christian. This weekend was a great time for them to get more answers and to be challenged by the Spirit. Students from Hamline are still resting and processing the weekend, so in a couple days I'll post a story or 2 and get some pictures up as well.
This Thursday night, I'll be speaking at a worship gathering on campus. As part of my message, I will be introducing the idea of Christ's death for sin. Please be praying that many students respond to invitations from their friends and are there to hear this message.
Thank you so much for your prayers for this past weekend and for your continued prayers for students at Hamline.
Deron
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
A Quick Post...
Greetings. Just wanted to put up a quick prayer request. This weekend, approximately 250 students from campuses in the Dakotoas and Minnesota (as well as UW Superior) will be gathering in Brainerd for InterVarsity's annual Winter Conference. Breakaway is a time where students come together to worship and learn more about God's purpose for their life and work on campus. Elective teaching times cover topics ranging from the practice of prayer to the art of apologetics.
There are a dozen students from Hamline attending, and they are all quite excited about how God will use that time in their lives. Please be in prayer for the following:
--Safe travel for students
--Open hearts and minds for the Spirit to work
--Many opportunities to grow as a community
I will write again next week, hopefully with stories about this conference and from J-Term.
-Deron
There are a dozen students from Hamline attending, and they are all quite excited about how God will use that time in their lives. Please be in prayer for the following:
--Safe travel for students
--Open hearts and minds for the Spirit to work
--Many opportunities to grow as a community
I will write again next week, hopefully with stories about this conference and from J-Term.
-Deron
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