Christian Faculty and Staff Network gathering on 2/5 - Incubators and hospitals

Come to the Christian Faculty and Staff Fellowship on Wednesday, February 5, 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 discuss Chapter 3, Our Post-Christian World. It describes the author's first encounter  with Christian hospitality. 

I came across an article that workers in the US may be lonelier than ever in an era of greater connectivity. Here are some quotations from the article that seem relevant to what we've been discussing. Check out the article for specifics on who feels lonely and what workplace factors may contribute.

• "More than three in five Americans are lonely, with more and more people reporting feeling like they are left out, poorly understood and lacking companionship."
• "The report, led by the health insurer Cigna, found a nearly 13% rise in loneliness since 2018."
• "Evidence is really pointing to the fact that relationships — the kinds of bonds you have with people, how close you are, how connected you feel to others — impact physical health as well" (Bert Uchino, a professor at the University of Utah).
• "…feelings of isolation were prevalent across generations."
• "…conditions in the workplace made a difference in how lonely people felt." 

Happening somewhere. Some nearby events you might find interesting:

• February 7-9. REMIX and EMERGE (Southeast Intervarsity  student conferences). Birmingham, AL. Request for scholarships for student attendees.
• February 20. West Alabama Fellowship of Christian Athletes Annual Banquet. Tuscaloosa River Market. Tuscaloosa, AL.
• February 28-29. A Common Call Christian Faculty Conference. First Baptist Church Starkville. Starkville, MS. 

On February 5:

• 1631. Roger Williams arrived in Massachusetts. Disagreeing with the fusion of church and state, he later went on to promote religious liberty and tolerance.
• 1864. Fanny Crosby began her collaboration with William Bradbury, launching a prolific hymn-writing career.