Campus Ministry Happenings
March 25, 2020
This Week in Campus Ministry
Grounding: Drop-In Meditation
Monday, March 30, 2:00–2:15 p.m. PST on Instagram and Facebook
Join Campus Minister for Retreats Anna Robertson for a quick, fifteen-minute guided grounding and meditation activity focused on relaxing into the spaciousness of the present moment during times of contraction and fear. We'll be live-streaming this on our social media accounts, so follow us on Instagram (@sucampusministry) or on Facebook to tune in.
Lunch on the Couches (Virtual Edition)
Tuesday, March 31 and Thursday, April 2, 12:00–1:30 p.m. PST
Who doesn't love a good lunch on the Campus Ministry couches? We can't be physically in the same space this quarter, but we can still gather from our own respective couches for community and lunch (or a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack, depending on where you're dialing in from). This week, everyone's favorite Campus Minister for Liturgy JoAnn Lopez will be hosting lunch on the couches from her couch in Campion Hall, where she also serves as a Resident Minister. Drop in with your lunch (or without it) to catch up with JoAnn and other friends who make an appearance. Visit ConnectSU for more information or connect directly via Zoom.
Read the transcript of Victoria's message here: https://bit.ly/2wsIIWL
More Resources and Ways to Connect
If you or someone around you is experiencing an emergency or are in a crisis, please call one of the numbers below to get in touch with someone right away:
- 911
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - 1-800-273-8255 (1-800-273-TALK)
- ULifeline - Text START to 741-741
- National Domestic Violence Hotline - 1-800-799-7233 (1-800-799-SAFE)
- National Sexual Assault Hotline - 1-800-656-4673 (1-800-656-HOPE)
- King County Crisis Clinic - 206-461-3222 or 866-427-4747
- King County Sexual Assault Resource Center - 888.99.VOICE
Student Leader of the Week
This week's Student Leader of the Week is Emma Summerour! Emma is a second year Humanities for Teaching and Spanish double major, and works through the CCE at Bailey Gatzert Elementary School, as well as volunteering at the Youth Detention Center. "Working at Bailey Gatzert is always my favorite part of my week. I really want to be a teacher, and I really love how at Bailey Gatzert we're able to get one on one interaction with students." Emma works in the after school program, and also appreciates that in addition to getting to work with students on building skills, she is able to develop relationships with them. "It's created a community for me not only with my coworkers, but with the community that lives around us," Emma explains. Emma has also been involved in the Mexico Immersion through Campus Ministry, and recently participated in the Search Retreat. "I've gone to Mexico a lot with my church throughout my life, and I love Tijuana so much, and I really wanted to go in a different way. I thought Campus Ministry was really lovely in the way that they think about immersions [...], thinking about that in an ethical way." How have you found opportunities to build community through service and solidarity?
Reflecting with Sunday's Scriptures
March 22, 2020: Fourth Sunday in Lent
Reflection by JoAnn Lopez (Readings)
“Keep your eyes on Jesus,” a friend told me, when I said I couldn’t figure out what to make of such a long Gospel story. So on this Fourth Sunday in Lent, I keep my eyes on Jesus, the Light of the World. Our Gospel is bookended with two moments of Jesus reaching out to the man born blind. First Jesus offers healing touch – making clay from spit and mud, touching the man, bringing sight. Then, much later, when the man is cast out of community, the Gospel says “Jesus found him.” I imagine Jesus, hearing of the rejected man’s plight, and seeking him out. I keep my eyes on Jesus, who reaches out in compassion to encounter, heal, dialogue, to find all who are on the margins and bring them more deeply into the heart love.
Spend a moment picturing Jesus, coming to encounter you – reaching out with healing touch to you – perhaps with an embrace, or a hand in yours. Imagine Jesus coming to seek you out, to talk to you. To be in your company in whatever you are feeling in these days. What do you have to share with Jesus? What does he share with you?
Lord Jesus Christ, your light shines within us, let not my doubts or my darkness speak to me. // Lord Jesus Christ, your light shines within us, let my heart always welcome your love.
“We’re in unchartered territory.” I think I’ve said this about 20 times in the last week to students, colleagues, family and friends. There’s no roadmap, and I can’t quite see the path ahead. Some days I feel calm as I look out to the future – I believe the Holy Spirit is active, can bring something creative and life-giving for us in these days. Sometimes the unknown makes me feel afraid and anxious – I don’t know what will come, I worry about the future for myself, and many others. I listen to the words of scripture today reminding me “You are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth.” (Eph. 5:8-9). I pause in my ruminations and return to my heart, paying attention to Christ’s promise of presence in my heart, as light and love. I picture the light that I bear becoming stronger, surrounding me in light, extending outwards into the world, enfolding all the people I care about, and every living being on the planet, in the love of God. I picture that light illuminating the path forward, helping me (and all of us) to make concrete choices in troubled times, choices to be like Christ – choosing what will be best for healing, kindness, inclusion, and what will allow us to live in solidarity with the most vulnerable.
Gently you raise me and heal my weary soul, you lead me by pathways of righteousness and truth, my spirit shall sing the music of your name.// Shepherd me, O God, beyond my wants, beyond my fears, from death into life.
“I’m sad I can’t celebrate the Eucharist,” I said to my spiritual director two weeks ago, when Masses were cancelled. She invited me to consider how I could pray in union with those who often have limited access to the sacraments. So on this Sunday when I would normally be gathered to celebrate Eucharist, I imagine all those who are typically unable to celebrate communion – those who are too sick to travel to church throughout the year; people in prison; immigrants in detention centers; those who live in places without priests to celebrate Eucharist; the folks our Church labels sinners, barred from communion; those who face religious persecution, for whom celebrating Mass together is dangerous. I find my heart opening in new ways to the broken hearted, the isolated, the people around the world who are my family in God, who desire relationship, grace, faith, hope, joy, and peace every day, just like I do. I pray for them, and for myself, that our eyes, ears, and hearts will be open, that we may pay attention to all the ways God is breaking into our world in light and love beyond our imagination.
And the first shall be last// And our eyes are opened// And we'll hear like never before// And we'll speak in new ways// And we'll see God's face in places we've never known.
Community Opportunities
This week's header photo was taken by Anna Robertson. Have a photo of something beautiful you would like to share in Campus Ministry Happenings? Tag @sucampusministry on Instagram or submit it to campusministry@seattleu.edu.