Day 5 Vancouver Bound..

This one is close to my heart. UBC has been transformed in the past decade. Not only are there new buildings, it is like looking at a plant that had suddenly foliated and bloomed. It was hard to recognize.

The same would be true for UCM.

So, while  met with my former associate and long time friend, Greg Laing of Point Grey Community Church and then Tim Horman of UTown, earlier in the day for far reaching and stimulating discussions,  I will need to focus my thoughts on UCM@ UBC  (check out www.ubc.ucmonline.ca  )

Let me introduce the staff to you.

In the middle is the Director and PAOC chaplain, Arthur Howard. On the right is intern Kristen Hession and associate staff worker James Perreaux.  On the left is intern Tyson Beesley and associate staff Amber Barker.

Under Arthur Howard’s leadership, UCM has grown into a thing of beauty. Along with his Malaysian wife, Janice, Arthur had previously served as a missionary in Malaysia and had taken over the leadership of UCM nine years ago. We go back to when they were both students at Regent College and part of our community at Point Grey Community Church. Arthur and I spent an hour and a half before the service catching up on the past decade.

Like an iceberg, it what you can’t see that defines UCM@UBC. . There is so much more to it than meets the eye.

To be brief and incomplete, without an attempt at grammar, let me provide you a short list derived from observations I scratched on my steno pad…..

Strong student leadership. Discipleship. A Ten hour discipleship course. Mentoring. Interdenominational and interracial student involvement. UCM represents the diversity of the UBC student community. Core group training for both men and women. Executive group training. Staff internship, Wise, creative staff direction, gifted student outreach, prayer and hospitality and worship leadership director.

There is a very successful International student Alpha group that meets in a nearby home. There is also the Gerard House, named after Bernice Gerard, the first PAOC chaplain to UBC, that was bought by Point Grey Community Church in response to its vision and passion for the campus. The “G House” is right across the street from both Regent College and the UBC campus.

Arthur and Janice are developing a document for how to connect with international students.

UCM at UBC is a textbook example of our motto… Student run : Staff led.

A couple of further notes. They just finished a student retreat with Brad Jerzak, who taught them about listening prayer and led them in responding to the God who speaks. Arthur reported that it was a particularly powerful time. Also, they are running Core Groups that are focusing on the Book of Genesis for the fall. The staff prepare the studies themselves. In the second term the students get to choose their own curriculum.

Let me describe the TNT ( Thursday Night Thing) I had the opportunity to attend. After visiting with Arthur – who by the way is finishing his D.Min. and gearing his studies towards the creating a first class, accredited campus ministry internship program – we partook of the preservice soup dinner served just outside of the lecture theatre that is home to the TNT service. I had the opportunity to meet a number of the student leadership. Again, truly international.

Below is a TNT  preservice meal at the beginning of the year.

The room which seated perhaps 225 students was a typical amphitheatre with a lecture space in the front and large split screens high overhead. The worship team had setup, prayed and practiced, and were breaking for some soup. We joined with others for prayer in an adjoining room where we prayed that James would have freedom to say what God had placed on his heart and that He would impact the students for His glory.

As predicted, the service began and it was clearly student run. After a brief crowdbreaker that loosened up the 130 students attending, I shared a few words of perspective and encouragement. The announcements included an encouragement to invite friends to the next TNT which would feature Dr. Rick Watts from Regent College. It was geared as an outreach talk, something which Dr Watts does very well.

Then the worship team led us in several songs of praise. They did a great job and did much more than play music. They were clearly worshiping themselves so it was easy to follow their lead. By the last song there was a real sense of ‘breakthrough’ which was refreshing and liberating.

Then it was time for James Perreaux to speak. He spoke about discipleship. Actually, UCM likes to use other words that are perhaps less confusing to the contemporary student – words like Apprentice or Student. Using examples from the scriptures, he challenged the students to embrace the pathway of discipleship and to do what Jesus encouraged his followers to do : “Come and See”. His benediction was a reworking of the prayer of St. Patrick which spoke blessing to the students as they concluded. By way of conclusion, student prayer ministers made themselves available for anyone who might like prayer after the service.

So, there it is. Brief and amazing. It has to be seen to be appreciated.