September/ October 2025 Ministry Update

 

Arianna’s September/ October Ministry Update Sprinting through the Semester Hello friends! I can’t believe it’s already November (though I feel like I say that every month)! The end of daylight saving time this past weekend completely caught me off guard. Hopefully, you were able to enjoy that extra hour of sleep! I hope you’re doing well and getting to enjoy the cooler weather. I’m excited to share some updates with you about the ministry! Here’s a photo from our fall retreat (which we call The Getaway)! There were almost 250 students who attended. The semester is already more than halfway through, and it has been full of events, student meetings, and glimpses of how God is moving in different areas across campus. I have the privilege of leading a core (small group) with one of our student leaders, and it’s been such a joy getting to know these girls! They’re excited about God and eager to grow- both in their knowledge of Him and in their relationships with one another. As the semester has gone on, I’ve noticed that while they truly want to know and prioritize God, it’s easy for them to get distracted by the stresses of school. Would you join me in praying for them as the semester continues to ramp up? Please pray that God would draw near to them, teach them how to prioritize their lives around Him, and that they would personally encounter God through prayer and Scripture. I’ve also loved our weekly Friday night service! Last year, we renamed it “The Grove,” which brought a fresh energy and excitement among our students—both in worship and in how they engage with the sermons. That same passion has continued this year. Our students love to worship; they often start their own spontaneous encores after the service (so much so that the worship teams have learned to be ready to jump into another song once their planned setlist ends!) This semester, our teaching series has been called “Listening Closely to Jesus.” We designed it to help students take a deeper look at the stories of Jesus in the Gospels and allow Scripture to speak for itself. Our focus has been on preaching more exegetical sermons, meaning we walk through the passage and draw out its meaning, rather than doing topical messages that pull from multiple scriptures. While this approach has been a bit more challenging for our students, it’s been amazing to see them grow in their ability to read and understand the Bible for themselves. In October, we had our Fall Retreat (which we call “The Getaway” at UTD) and it was such a joy! It can sometimes feel like a lot of work convincing students to give up a big part of their weekend when they could be studying or working, but every year it proves to be 100% worth it once we arrive. This year’s retreat centered around the theme of mature friendships: learning what it means to build real, Christ-centered relationships with one another. As a pastoral staff, we’ve noticed that many students deeply desire genuine friendship but often aren’t sure how to cultivate it. We thought this would be a great opportunity to explore together what Jesus teaches us about friendship and community. Overall I think that the weekend was a big success! Our students got to have fun and hang out with one another, worship God through songs and dancing, and spend time thinking about what God desires in their relationships with one another. I’m already excited for Winter Retreat in January! Something new I’ve been involved in this year is helping with our ministry at TCU in Fort Worth! Once a week, I spend the day on campus meeting with some of the girls, leading a couple of Bible studies, and helping with the large group service. It’s been such a joy getting to know these students and studying Scripture alongside them! Since the ministry at TCU is still relatively new and smaller in size, most of the students have gotten to know each other really well. It’s been so sweet to be part of such a close-knit community. Our hope is that every student who comes around feels welcomed, loved, and cared for.

It’s truly been such a fun and fulfilling year! I love getting to see all that God is doing in our ministry. I honestly feel like I learn more about His character and the depth of His love through these students every day. Thank you so much for your continued support in this ministry. College students are hungry for something real, and we’re seeing the presence of Jesus transform lives across the metroplex. I’m deeply grateful that your generosity and prayers allow me to be part of what God is doing here. With love and gratitude, Arianna