ONS

Ready and Equipped to Share the Gospel

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 19:26:32 +0000

July 14, 2014

Alec Hill, President of ��Ƶ

Ready and Equipped to Share the Gospel

My favorite annual ��Ƶ event is Orientation of New Staff. For nine days in late June, we host new campus staff in Madison. This year, 128 eager and committed newcomers were welcomed into our community.

Over the past five years, 644 men and women—a simply remarkable number—have joined staff. During that period, the total of overall staff has grown from about 1200 to more than 1600.

And there’s more good news. The number of new believers has increased 57% since 2009 and, for the first time in our history, more than 40,000 “core” students and faculty are involved in our chapters. “Core” is defined as 50%+ participation. Easily three times that number—or 120,000—are being significantly impacted.

We give thanks to the Lord of the harvest for this remarkable season of growth. To him be all glory and thanks. In a time when naysayers bemoan the fate of Millennials, we see a generation that is spiritually hungry and actively seeking to change the world.

We recall the words of Psalm 147:1-3: Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Enjoy these photos from the ONS class of 2014.


With Alex & Melissa Thelen of Michigan State and their four boys. Amazing that this photo worked!		Kim Chin (Central Rockies) and Joi Dandridge (Colorado State) at my desk. Notice the photo of Mary and me that they strategically located in the background.

New England staff: isn’t this a great group?		Every year, new staff sign our Purpose Statement.

Hamming it up with Jeremy Ogunba (U of Massachusetts at Dartmouth).		Tornado threat—welcome to the Midwest.

A happy small group: Kelsey Smith (Hancock College CA), Sean Kaiser (Wisconsin), Ashley Moore (U of Washington), Kayla Sundin (Oregon), Leya Copper (Minnesota), Jeremy Ogunba (Massachusetts), Cierra Wilson (Blue Ridge), and Brent Campbell (Eastern Virginia).		Ben Coopland (Lakes and Plains Region) sitting at my desk. Someone always wants my job.

News Keywords

staff training

ONS

Largest Staff Class Ever

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 14:42:27 +0000

News

July 15, 2013

Alec Hill, President of ��Ƶ

Largest Staff Class Ever

Every June, it is my great privilege to welcome new ��Ƶ staff for ten days in Madison. Over the twelve years of my presidency, Orientation of New Staff (ONS) has consistently been my favorite event – more than Urbana, more than Global Projects. The vibrancy and passion of incoming staff is so palpable that my calling to the Fellowship is renewed annually.

But this year is extra special. With 136 newcomers, the ONS class of 2013 represents the largest group of new staff ever. In our 72 year history, we have never had a class this large. Over the past four years, an incredible 516 new staff have joined our community.

Surely this is the Lord’s doing. He is blessing ��Ƶ and we stand in awe. If, at the human level, we begin to take credit, we will certainly miss His best. We do well to remember Moses’ exhortation: “You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the LORD your God… (Deut. 8:17).” We are very thankful indeed.

Enjoy these photos!

All together at the National Service Center.


With two former college football players, defensive back Mickey Miela of Stonehill College and lineman Isaiah Martin of University of Massachusetts at Lowell. Guess which of the three is pretending to be something that he's not?	With Kevin and Tara Figgins, staff at Emory University. Great kids!

A more serious moment: casting vision.	Enjoying a lunch on the town.

With fellow west-coaster Christina Quintanilla, serving at Fresno State University.	With Ashish Matthew of The City College of New York. Apart from the Yankees, I love the Big Apple!

With Greek staff Lauren DeLisi who is planting a chapter at the University of Hartford, engaging in some kind of Delta Gamma rite.	Christian Holmes of the University of North Carolina-Asheville sitting at my desk. Someone always wants my job.

News Keywords

ONS

"I Love Meeting Our New Staff"

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 17:58:42 +0000

News

July 16, 2012

Alec Hill, President of ��Ƶ

"I Love Meeting Our New Staff"

Every June, I have the privilege of hosting new staff in Madison for ten days of orientation. It is always the highlight of my year. We are blessed to welcome so many talented young leaders into our community.

This year’s class is our second largest ever (128). Over the past three years, 380 new staff have joined the Fellowship. This represents – by far – the largest infusion of talent in our seven decade history. Total staff now numbers 1,512.

Interesting facts about this year’s class:

Average age: 24.4
Gender: 53% female
Region with most new staff: Southern California (17)
People of color: 37%
Myers-Briggs profile: 53% extroversion; 61% intuition; 74% feeling; 67% judgment
Most recently wed (Travis and Larisa Skinner): seven days

Photos speak more eloquently than written narrative. Enjoy our new staff!

News Keywords

Orientation of New Staff

ONS

A Generation of World Changers

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 19:07:45 +0000

News

July 12, 2012

Matt Sally

A Generation of World Changers

“Changing the world happens one life at a time, and we can start now.”
-Greg Little, new ��Ƶ staff in North Carolina

New staff from around the country recently gathered at ��Ƶ’s Orientation for New Staff (ONS) in Madison, Wisconsin, and were equipped to serve the kingdom and share the gospel. Transformed as students and called to shepherd the next generation of world changers, God is sending 127 new staff to establish and advance ethnically diverse witnessing communities at universities across the U.S.

“At ONS, God helped me see that common, ordinary people like me and the students on my campus can become world changers,” said Greg Little, who will be at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina. Esther Cho, new staff at the University of California, Irvine, added, “I am excited to develop more world changers on my campus.”

20/20 Vision

��Ƶ President Alec Hill spoke to new staff about the fellowship’s vision and purpose, and ways the Holy Spirit is moving on college campuses across the country. Longtime ��Ƶ staff member Tom Trevethan spoke about how ��Ƶ’s Doctrinal Basis is rooted in the Trinity, fueling our vision and ministry on campus.

“God impacted my view of ministry on campus in a large way through ONS,” said Marsha Tam, new staff assigned to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. “Learning and knowing the historical background of ��Ƶ and the ways God has transformed ��Ƶ through evangelism, multiethnicity, and risk-taking has placed a burden on my heart to be part of an organization with such high values.”

Garrett Trent, new Greek ��Ƶ staff at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, added, “Seeing how God has used ��Ƶ over the years, and where we are today, was incredibly helpful in affirming what he can do through ��Ƶ’s ministry at UVA.”

“God called me to be bolder in my prayers and in my actions at ONS,” said Stephen Wiley, new staff ministering at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. “I now think more critically about what it means to serve in a multiethnic context.”

Weley Lai, new staff from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, summed up how God prepared ONS class of 2012 for the coming school year: “After these 10 days at ONS, I’m deeply committed to this ministry. I’m coming to campus with more boldness, and I can’t wait to lead the students into evangelism.”

God has equipped and is sending this class to help develop the next generation of world changers. We are praying that God is glorified through ��Ƶ’s new staff members’ preparation this summer and ministry on campus this fall!

Click on top photo to see what the ONS class of 2012 looked like just before the action photo was taken.

News Keywords

staff

ONS