Moving from Semester-to-Summer

Street Level finished up the UW-Stout spring semester a few weeks ago. As with every spring, the weather got warmer and the UW-Stout students all went home.

Even with the students gone for the summer we will still meet on Monday nights throughout the summer. But our focus will shift towards fellowship (backyard gatherings, some camping, and many 50-cent cones from Burger King…) and preparation for the 2019 fall semester.

This summer includes one noticeable change: we are moving the annual thrift sale from Memorial Day weekend to the month of September.  (stay tuned…)

What the Heck Happened

Here are a few highlights from the semester, including a few changes to our typical routine:

1. We periodically switched locations and held our bible studies at the Blind Munchies Coffeehouse. The fresh scenery was refreshing, and it also gave us the opportunity to utilize the Coffeehouse even more!
2. A large group of Street Level members took a road trip to Kentucky over the spring break holiday to serve at the St. Vincent Mission center. We lived and served together for a week – doing some home repair among other serving opportunities.
3. We had a coffee giveaway and campus outreach in late April. There was coffee, kickball, and calf-injuries. It was fun.
4. We hosted a study night at the Blind Munchies on the Sunday before finals week. Intense mental exertion was fueled by equal parts desperation and free coffee & popcorn.
5. The final night of the semester was a worship night. We ate spaghetti and worshiped God together.

A Great, Big Thank You

Our continued goal as a campus ministry is to provide opportunities for college students and other young people to follow and serve the Lord.  

This is primarily done through committing members to a service position in Burning Dog Radio, Word on the Street Magazine, The Blind Munchies Coffeehouse, and the Creative Team.  

Within these groups the effect is twofold: (1) we can out reach outward to the UW-Stout campus through multiple avenues, and (2) we grow in our discipleship through serving alongside other Christians of varying ages and backgrounds.

This is where the “thank you” comes in: none of this would be possible without the commitment and support of the JFBelievers community members. You all are a MAJOR part of any success that Street Level has.

Thank you JFB for loving us, praying for us, and spending time with us.

  

The Students are Back

Over the past month, college students completed their annual migration  back to Menomonie for the start of the UW-Stout fall semester.

Last week on Monday, Street Level met for our first Dinner+Bible Study! It was an exciting night – we met many new students for the first time, and reconnected with returning students from last year. The food was great; dinner is an amazing time of conversation and fellowship. The bible study afterwards started our fall series in which we will be looking at the lives of Jacob and Ruth…

Busy in the Backyard

Street Level had also spent parts of the summer gearing up for the UW-Stout fall semester by planning a series of EGP’s: Epic. Garden. Party.(s). The goal was to transform our Music on the Hill event from a 1-day blowout into multiple lower-key hang-outs throughout the months of September & October.

We’re two weeks into our schedule, and, as advertised, the first two EGP’s have been, well, epic! (and garden-y..) We decked out the circus tent in the backyard with lights, signs, plants, antiques, free food, ping pong, bean-bag toss, “Rock Band”, one dining room, two living rooms, etc…  Burning Dog Radio supplies the music, and the Blind Munchies goes mobile from the front driveway!

Word on the Street – 75 Issues

This past week’s time we celebrated the 75th issue (if you can believe that!) of Word on the Street (WOTS)  Magazine. There was poetry reading, nachos, and some live music by Ben Noble. The vibe was great: a group of friends hanging out together and celebrating God’s work – and inviting new people into the fun.

Today

The school year has come to a close and most of the international students from UW-Stout and UW-River Falls have returned to their home countries. For some of them this is just a summer break and they will be back again next year to continue their studies in America. Others have returned home for good with only this one year of experiences to form their opinions of what it is like to live in the western culture of the United States. When the school year began, we also began a new ministry outreach at Jesus Fellowship of Believers.

Street Level International Community is an arm of Street Level Ministries that was formed in an attempt to reach out to students from other nations that come to our local campuses to further their education. As the school year got underway, we began the year by holding weekly meetings designed to give students a chance to practice their English speaking and fluency. We were excited when two students from Korea showed up for our very first meeting. We really enjoyed our time with them, and discovered how hard it can be to explain exactly why we Americans speak the way that we do. As the semester went along, we had a number of students from China attend and were able to start building some friendships that lasted throughout the year. Some of these students heard about our meeting because they were matched with host families that attend JFB. Others were invited by members of Street Level that connected with international students in their classes on campus. As the semester wore on, the need for practicing their English diminished as their skills and confidence increased. As a result, our outreach efforts shifted more to hosting events such as snow tubing, bowling, and meeting at friends and neighbors houses for meals.

The Past

Looking back on the year, it seems to have gone by very quickly and the amount of time that we were able to spend with each student seems brief. It is easy to wonder if we were able to have any impact on their lives for the kingdom at all. But it is my hope and belief that what they were able to experience while engaging with our group was the kind of warmth, love, and acceptance that can only come from Christian believers who are able to reflect the nature and personality of the one true God. Many of these students come from countries where their belief system does not center on the idea of a personal loving God. Their faith rather is based on deeds to do, concepts to believe, and traditions to follow.

Most of the students that we met don’t follow these beliefs anymore, viewing them as the old ways followed by their grandparents. Most of them come to college with no personal belief or participation in spiritual things. We are prayerful and trust that God will use this interaction with American believers to challenge their thinking and touch their hearts. We were blessed this semester to meet a few students who came from their home countries already born again with a strong belief in God. It was a unique experience to be able to hear stories of how they practice their faith at home, and how that compares to what they experienced here in the states. It was a privilege for use to be able to encourage them in their faith while they were here, and we were sad to see them go.

What’s Next

As the summer comes on, it is a time for us now to look back at lessons learned and to seek God and his direction for this ministry next fall. I wanted to thank all of you what lent a hand to us last year, we couldn’t have done it without you. I would also request your prayers as we dream and scheme for next year that we would fall in line with how God would have us move forward in reaching out to international students.

God Bless, Andy

Street Level finished up the spring semester as the UW Stout school year came to a close. It was an exciting semester with new faces and people getting involved in the Blind Munchies Coffeehouse, Burning Dog Radio, Word on the Street Magazine, and the Creative Studio. We had some graduates – some of whom will stay in Menomonie and others who will move on to God’s next adventure in their lives.

At the end of April a large group of Street Levelers left for a shirt term trip to the Philippines. They did day camps for kids and older youth’s. They also joined forces with Street Level Cebu for some city outreach via: two radio broadcasts, a WOTS giveaway, a rooftop part at Teofel, and SLMC’s normal Friday night bible study.

Later this month Street Level will host it’s annual Thrift Sale at the SL House. (May 25-26) Proceeds from the sale will go towards an in-country trip to the Store Vincent Mission in David, Kentucky during Spring Break in 2019.

The remainder of the summer will involved hangouts and prep work for the upcoming fall semester.

Street Level Ministries is now accepting donations for their annual Thrift Sale.

Donate your unwanted thrift sale items by calling 715-233-2063 and making arrangements to drop off your items. Please only donate sell-able items. No undergarments please.

The Thrift Sale will take place May 25-26

at the Street Level House
1009 6th Street, Menomonie, WI

All Proceeds go to Local Missions.