Among my many weekly rituals, Monday morning is my favorite. While our student workers open the building on other days, Monday is my turn to set everything up for the week. I arrive at 8:15 and plug in the coffee maker for preheating. I turn on the upstairs table lamps and make sure the table tops are wiped clean after a weekend of use by partner ministries. I empty clean coffee mugs from the dishwasher and carefully arrange the first floor chairs and tables.

At 8:45, I grind beans and start the coffee, spread granola bars on the counter, and put mellow acoustic music on the Bluetooth (it is Monday morning, after all). At 9:00, I open the front gate, set up our sidewalk sign, and prepare to welcome our first guests. This semester that’s usually David, a History major.

Monday mornings are a reminder to me that prior to all the things that the Michigan Christian Study Center does, we inhabit a physical place. Indeed, the Center’s mission states that we are a place of authentic community that connects Christian faith and academic life. Moreover, given all of the pages in the Old Testament devoted to building instructions, it’s clear that places matter to God.

Two years ago this month, having raised sufficient funds to make a down payment, we held a dedication ceremony to celebrate God’s provision of this beautiful, 150-year-old structure through the generosity of so many donors. Since then, our building has blossomed into a bustling hub of Christian activity and influence at one of the world’s great universities.

What follows are images depicting the wide variety of programs and activities that regularly occur here. Sometimes it’s a small group discussion in the conference room, or a handful of professors meeting on the patio. Sometimes it’s larger gatherings such as our Friday lunches, or our opening public event with Marvin Olasky, that stretch the limits of what our building can accommodate. Or it’s just students hanging out on the first floor, drinking coffee, studying, and enjoying their "home away from home" at a university of over 50,000 students. Whatever the case, we’re grateful that God cares about physical spaces, and we are blessed to have this charming old building on the doorstep of central campus.

On September 18, a packed Center hosted Marvin Olasky, Editor-in-Chief of Christianity Today and a U-M alum. Marvin shared his story of coming to the Christian faith as a graduate student in Ann Arbor and reflected on how Christians can be advocates of truth and reach across social divides in an age of polarization. Marvin’s talk also served as the kickoff event for the new U-M Christian Alumni affiliate group.

Each week, Director of Spiritual Care Kristin Wong mentors students in Life Lab: Exploring Spiritual Practices Together, an eight-week journey through historic Christian practices. Kristin also leads our new Public Reading of Scripture, a weekly gathering of students, faculty, staff, and community members to hear the Bible read aloud.

Our September Friday lunches have featured engaging conversations with Kristin Collier (Medicine), Maggie Makar (Computer Science), and Marvin Olasky (Journalism).

On Wednesday mornings, instructor Gabe Kasper leads students through the Story of Scripture class, Module #1 of our four-semester Program in Christian Studies. On Thursday afternoons, U-M professor Dave Brzezinsky leads our new Christian apologetics initiative, Reasonable Belief: Developing a Confident Faith in an Age of Skepticism.

On a recent Monday, students gathered for a lunch discussion of our summer reading text, Everything Sad is Untrue, by Daniel Nayeri. The Center has also hosted book discussions for faculty (Christianity and Intellectual Inquiry) and campus ministry leaders (Tish Warren’s What Grows in Weary Lands).

As autumn settles into the Midwest and the semester continues, we’re excited to see how God will use the Center to impact lives at the University of Michigan. And we’re grateful for the many supporters who have made this place of authentic Christian community possible.

Blessings,

Rick

MCSC September Update

Launching the new year