Author: River Falls Ministry

February 19, 2022 River Falls Ministry

It’s been a fun month with the University of Wisconsin River Falls students back on campus. Keep reading to find out what we have been up to.

Street Level

The first week that the UW River Falls students were back, Street Level packed into a 15 passenger van and headed over to Menomonie. We met up with Street Level Menomonie and Street Level Twin Ports for fellowship and a good old-fashioned game of Broomball. That Friday evening we hung out at the Street Level house, met and learn about a missionary from India that grew up in Hayward, WI, and woke up the next day to join the Broomball tournament.

On Monday nights back in River Falls, we have continued through the Alpha video series that we started last semester. We spent a few weeks learning what it looks like to hear from God. This can be a challenging topic for people, so it was good to be able to spend a few weeks discussing it.

Radio

We started bringing a bigger Burning Dog Radio presence to the university this semester. So far this month, we brought the radio booth down to campus twice. The radio booth was set up outside the cafeteria on campus for a live broadcast. Some of the Street Level students had the opportunity to join us for part of it as well as a few people from Menomonie.

Coffeehouse

At the end of January, the coffeehouse set up a booth at the Taste of River Falls. It was a fun opportunity to engage with the community. There were about 50 other businesses that attended. We gave away coffeehouse coupons, sold cold brew and hot coffee.

The coffeehouse also started a limited-time drink special that is only on Thursday evenings. We are serving Iced Caramel Frappes. And yes, we know it is the middle of winter.

Campus Church

Believers campus church is now meeting again on campus with the University being back open for school. We are meeting in the Trimbelle River room and continuing through the book of John.

PRAYER REQUESTS

  • For people to desire take the next step into service
  • To continue to meet new students and community members

FURTHER INFORMATION

January 19, 2022 River Falls Ministry

The New Year has come and gone, and we have been in prep mode while the students have been gone on Winter Break. We have continued to hold church on Wednesday nights, participating in the Menomonie Rewind discussions. In addition, we have been focusing on organizing, building, and planning.

Take This, Organize That

We are putting some of our past experiences from the Menomonie “upper room” organization to work – if you know what I mean. As you may know, we don’t have much extra space within the coffeehouse, so it is our task to get creative. Organizing, paired with our new storage unit, makes room for growth in the ministry. For example, we would like to turn our storage room at the coffeehouse into a more functional space. We spent time organizing the storage room and putting up new shelves.

Small Improvements, Fun Outcomes

We have a few new updates inside of the coffeehouse. One thing we created is a plant propagation wall. There has been a lot of interest in the past with our plant-related events, so not only does this update our decor, but it may allow for more ministry opportunities. We worked to put up a wall to grow clippings into plants that we could sell. We also switched out the rest of the round tabletops for square tabletops. The tables give a bit more space for people that want to hang out and study.

Looking Ahead

Looking ahead, we have some outreach events planned for the coffeehouse, radio, and Street Level. This week the coffeehouse is attending the Taste of River Falls. It is an opportunity to let people know about the coffeehouse since we are still pretty new to the River Falls community. We will be selling hot coffee, cold brew concentrate, and coffee beans; and giving away coupons to invite people back to the coffeehouse. Also, the students will be heading back to campus this weekend, and we are all excited to have them back and see where God will take our group!

Prayer Requests

  • Continuing to meet new people this semester
  • For those returning students. For their passions for God to be enflamed and turned to action
  • The various outreaches coming up over the next month for Street Level, the coffeehouse, and radio

For Further Information

December 19, 2021 River Falls Ministry

What do church, gingerbread houses, and cookies have in common? This is how we ended out the semester in River Falls. Keep reading to find out more!

Church in the Heart of Campus

We recently had our final meeting of Believers Campus Church for the semester. We’re thankful to have the space on campus this semester and meet a lot of people looking for church. Many came and went, but some stuck around to hear God’s word taught each week. Complying with the university mask mandate is a relational barrier that we’ve needed to overcome, but people have really made the best of the now-familiar strangeness.

Christmas Party

This is where gingerbread houses and cookies come in. Street Level ended the final meeting for the semester with a Christmas Party. With the students help planning and executing, we baked (and ate) cookies, had a gingerbread house making contest, played trivia, ate pizza, and overall had a good time of fellowship. The party was during finals week, so was a good way to spend the last meeting together.

Looking into 2022

Overall, 2021 has been a challenging and blessed time. We’re thankful for work God has done in our lives and others, and now we have another year ahead of us. We will be using winter break to pray and prep for 2022. Before we know it, Campus Church will be back in our familiar room, Street Level will be fellowshipping, and we’ll no doubt have new stories to share about God’s work.

Please pray for….

  • The Spirit to work in individuals lives, giving them a desire to fully serve God.
  • Wisdom as to what and how to plan for the next semester.
  • The effectiveness of coffeehouse ministry to both disciple and outreach.

For Further Information

November 19, 2021 River Falls Ministry

Over the past month we have been involved in the missions season which consisted of two trips to Louisiana. Because of our involvement several people have stepped up to support the ministry and fill the gaps for those travelling. Many thanks go out to those people and we are very thankful for those who have made our involvement in missions season possible.

Campus Church and Street Level

One Wednesday we met at the coffeehouse with the students to watch the Free Burma Rangers video. There was discussion and a lot of thoughtful questions. The material was difficult to process and it was a good challenge for all involved.

Matt came down from Duluth on a Wednesday evening to teach in church on Campus. We continue to have new students come to both the Monday study as well as church. As we draw closer to the end of the semester, it can often be easy to coast into the Holidays. Please pray for consistency in attendance and desire to for fellowship in the church community.

Campus Church in the Trimbelle River Room
Street Level, Monday Night

Word on the Street

Several students are showing interest in service opportunities and getting more involved in the community. This month there was a writing event for WOTS at the coffeehouse in River Falls on a Thursday night where we hosted the Menomonie crew. The WOTS team from Menomonie will continue to engage collaboratively with the students in River Falls. This is a great discipleship and fellowship opportunity for those involved.

Word on the Street Collaboration Meeting

Prayer Requests

Future planning in River Falls for the winter and spring months to come.

For students who are travelling home for the holidays that there is focus on desire to engage God and other Christians in their community.

Students as they are completing end of semester projects and exams.

Pray for a desire in the students and the rest of the church community to step up their service and commitment to things that God has planned for them.

October 19, 2021 River Falls Ministry

Who is that behind the mask you ask? That’s us! A few of us had the opportunity to be on campus for the “City and Sustainability Sampler” on the UW- River Falls Campus. We brought down two kiosks, gave away coffee coupons, and had a drawing for a few Bible journals. It was a lot of fun meeting students and other people in the community. Keep reading here to see what we have been up to this last month in River Falls.

Street Level Campus Ministry

Besides meeting Monday nights, we have had a few fellowship opportunities. The campus advisor for Street Level UW-River Falls invited us over to his house for a hangout at the end of September. We grilled brats and hot dogs, ate Halloween-related snacks (look up Hostess Scary Cakes), and even got a tour of his award-winning rose garden. It was a great opportunity to get to know each other a little bit more.

Also, A few weekends ago we joined the Street Level Summit in Menomonie along with Duluth. Some of us came for the Garden Party, slept over (who doesn’t like a grown-up slumber party?), and then attended the Summit on Saturday. The main topic was “Jesus is Better than….”. It challenged us to be thinking Christians – able to be faithful in the middle of ever-changing culture. Since there was plenty to chew on, we took some time to further discuss the topic the following Monday at Street Level.

Believers Campus Church

On Wednesdays we’ve been meeting at the university for Believers Campus Church and are continuing through the book of John. We feel really blessed to have the opportunity to be on campus – it’s allowed for us to connect with a lot more people this year. Some have become regulars at church while others have become regulars to Street Level. Over time we hope these two groups grow more connected.

  • STREET LEVEL SUMMIT
  • WOTS MEETING WITH MENOMONIE
  • BELIEVERS CAMPUS CHURCH
  • STREET LEVEL MONDAY MEETING
  • CHALKING
  • HANGING OUT AT OUR ADVISOR’S
  • HANGING OUT AT OUR ADVISOR’S

Prayer Requests

  • Students
    • To want and to seek after being used by God beyond just going to Bible studies.
    • That they wouldn’t get distratcted from God as life gets busier towards the middle of the semester.
  • Coffeehouse
    • That we would continue to meet people in the community, and we would have the opportunity to share who God is with them.

For Further Information

September 19, 2021 River Falls Ministry

Brace yourself; they are coming.

We have been preparing for this semester and are excited to see what God will do. We appreciate all the prayers leading up to the beginning of the semester and hope you all will continue to pray for the various things going on in River Falls.


Over this past month, we ended the summer and transitioned into a new semester. Beginning Believers Campus Church in River Falls, on the UW River Falls Campus brought a lot of change for us. It also brought a flux of new people into our lives.

Street Level Fall Semester

We officially kicked off Street Level for the new semester last Monday, with a new series called Alpha. Alpha is a series that will help bring discipleship and evangelism to the forefront of our minds as the campus ministry.


Also, we hosted multiple events geared toward fellowship and meeting new people. It’s been nice to start seeing some consistency in new faces at these events. Check out the photos we included from the UC bonfire pit, a grill out at the coffeehouse, and a death-defying hike (or so it may appear).

Believers Campus Church

We are on the college campus for Church on Wednesday night and grateful that it’s possible. Now it’s time to see where the preparation and prayer will lead. As you read, last month, we sent out over 1000 postcards advertising both Believers Campus Church and Street Level. Another wave of advertising will go out with the newest WOTS to all the freshmen in the mail and around the campus/community.

On Wednesdays, we are looking to build a desire for God and a hunger for his word through the campus church. We are going verse-by-verse through the book of John during the services and look forward to what God has to teach us through it.

  • Before Church
  • Believers Campus Church
  • Fellowship after Campus Church

Coffeehouse

The coffeehouse is still used as a hub for a lot of our ministry opportunities. These first few weeks have been a rush. We have seen higher numbers and an excellent response to the postcards. We also handed out about 800 free coffee coupons to students.

The Tuesday after the Church campout, we had the opportunity to be on campus and hand out several hundred iced coffees, and a few hot coffees. Of course, it was a hot day, so I don’t blame people. We had some help from a few Menomonie volunteers, and a couple of River Falls students also stepped in.

  • Selling Plants
  • Coffe Giveaway on Campus
  • Freshman Move in Weekend
  • Do people like coffee or what!

Prayer

All in all, we have a lot to thank God for and trust he knows what he is doing. But, of course, we are always grateful for your prayers and help as well.

  • Thanks. We are very thankful for those we have gotten to meet and the support of a Church. 
  • Fruit in students’ lives. People are starting some good consistency, but we pray this continues throughout the semester.
  • Service. We are hoping that students are interested in serving God and people. Those students can receive the true love of God and want to share it.
  • Events. We have more events coming and some that are not set yet. But that we would see fruit, not just some short-term enjoyment from them.

For Further Infomation…