Christian Faculty and Staff Network gathering on 1/22 - The Jesus paradox and radically ordinary hospitality

Come to the Christian Faculty and Staff Fellowship on Wednesday, January 22, at 11:45 AM (done by 12:45 PM). We meet at the Baptist Campus Ministries building (University Boulevard and 4th Avenue), and lunch will be served. 

More:

• It's the best meal deal in town: You can get lunch there for $1 thanks to the generosity of local churches. Don't forget to thank the church workers for what they do for the students. The first meal of the term is special, so you won't want to miss it.
• We'll read The Gospel Comes with a House Key: Practicing Radically Ordinary Hospitality in Our Post-Christian World by Rosaria Butterfield. Here's the summary from Amazon:
• What did God use to draw a radical, committed unbeliever to himself? Did God take her to an evangelistic rally? Or, since she had her doctorate in literature, did he use something in print? No, God used an invitation to dinner in a modest home, from a humble couple who lived out the gospel daily, simply, and authentically.
• With this story of her conversion as a backdrop, Rosaria Butterfield invites us into her home to show us how God can use this same “radical, ordinary hospitality” to bring the gospel to our lost friends and neighbors. Such hospitality sees our homes as not our own, but as God’s tools for the furtherance of his kingdom as we welcome those who look, think, believe, and act differently from us into our everyday, sometimes messy lives—helping them see what true Christian faith really looks like.
• You're welcome to facilitate one of our meetings as well. I pass around a sign-up sheet and invite all to participate. Some things you might want to do:
• Facilitate the discussion of the current chapter of the book we're going through. That involves asking questions and inviting responses.
• Giving a discipline talk about what you're doing in your area. It's a chance to get to know you and what you're doing at UA.
• Bring in a guest speaker (we can also dial up someone on speakerphone).
• Invite your pastor or college minister to chat about college students in your church.
• Etc. That's a catch-all in case you have a great idea about something else for our lunch gathering. 

We'll look at Chapter 2, The Jesus Paradox. One of the comments at the 1/15 meeting was about making sure we have margin in our time to respond what God sends our way. An article in Relevant Magazine expanded on that idea. Here are some thoughts from the article:

• "The average American spends 705 hours per year on social media."
• "…the average American spends 2,737.5 hours per year watching television."
• "…imagine with me that you are given the choice between a five-minute conversation and unlimited time with this friend. Which would you choose? For most of us, this is not even a question. A friend of mine said it best: 'Why would we want just five minutes?'"
• "The way in which our time is spent reflects our true values." 

On January 22:

• 1882. The Fifth Street Presbyterian Church in Troy, New York became the first church in the US to be lit by electric lights.
• 1973. The US Supreme Court handed down their decision in Roe v. Wade.