November Update

Dear friends,

Maybe it’s just my imagination, but Wednesday mornings in Michigan this fall seem to have been especially cold and dreary. Perhaps it just seems that way because at 7:15 a.m. every Wednesday, I find myself biking in the dark to the Center to prepare to teach the History of Christianity class. My reward, however, is that by 8:00 (okay, 8:05), twenty students have arrived and are ready to dive into the study of the past, fueled by coffee and Dunkin’ Donuts.

The History of Christianity class, part of our foundational Program in Christian Studies, is one of many facets of the Michigan Christian Study Center. Indeed, the Center’s unique value lies not so much in a particular program but rather in a constellation of activities, all united around the common purpose of advancing a thoughtful, positive Christian influence at one of the world’s leading universities. Here are some glimpses of what that has looked like during the month of October.

Connecting Christian thinking and faithful living

Our “Thinking Christianly, Living Faithfully” Friday student lunches have included a computer scientist, a Bible scholar, an economist, and a historian of photography who brought along his vintage 1950s camera. If you are in Ann Arbor on an upcoming Friday, you are welcome to drop in. Also, you can experience the event virtually via our Friday lunch podcast.

Providing Christian perspectives on contemporary issues

The Center’s monthly public event for October was entitled “Promise or Peril: How Stories Guide Technology and Will Shape Its Future.” Aline Eid, Assistant Professor of Engineering and Computer Science at the U of M, and Derek Schuurman, Chair of the Computer Science Department at Calvin University, shared their insights on the future of technology and AI and how Christian wisdom can guide our use of these tools.

Partnering with the university

This year I am serving as president of the Association of Religious Counselors, a university-based entity consisting of thirty campus religious organizations that serves as a liaison between religious groups and university leadership. In its October meeting, ARC was privileged to host U of M Interim President Domenico Grasso, who shared his vision of the role of religion in a public university and answered questions from ARC members.

Promoting Christian unity

In addition to our bi-weekly prayer meetings with Christian campus ministry leaders, this fall the Center reached out to students from several campus ministry organizations, who co-led a campus-wide worship event.

Hosting small group discussions

Along with our book discussion group and Friday morning Bible study, October included a  faculty conversation on how  professors can incorporate their faith in the classroom in a public university setting.

Fostering Christian community

The core of our ministry, of course, lies not in activities but in providing a hospitable space in which meaningful conversations and authentic relationships can develop. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than working at my corner table on a typical afternoon and witnessing the hum of activity and the personal interactions that result from bringing people together in a common space.

I hope that you also can experience the satisfaction of playing a role in God’s redemptive work here at Michigan.  Soon you will receive the Center’s year-end fundraising letter. Cultivating a flourishing and growing Christian community at the University of Michigan requires significant resources. We depend on the support of those who share our commitment to this unique ministry at the University of Michigan.

Thanks for your partnership,

Rick

––––––––––––––––––

Dr. Rick Ostrander

Executive Director, Michigan Christian Study Center