The Need to Evangelize Every human being should have an opportunity to respond to an invitation to follow Jesus Christ in His Church, and we are blessed to have approximately 35-40 Catholic Campus Ministry students who have taken various steps to respond to Jesus. Yet the Fall 2020 student census at NMU indicated an enrollment of approximately 6,700 students. Since Jesus is necessary for eternal salvation, how do we reach the remaining 99% of students on campus? Without additional steps, it is unlikely that CCM will reach much more than 1% of the student body.
The Next Step for CCM: FOCUS FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) is an organization that sends missionary teams to college campuses. Generally, a four-person team is sent for an initial two-year commitment, after which FOCUS and the sponsoring Campus Ministry can renew the commitment yearly. At CCM, we plan on hosting a FOCUS team for the long-term; FOCUS has demonstrated the ability to make significant impact in over 100 college campuses.
Several months ago, CCM began to create a financial plan for bringing a FOCUS team to NMU in a couple years. However, in an unexpected turn of events, FOCUS contacted CCM and informed us that, if we were ready, they could send a team of missionaries now. After consultation, we accepted that offer, and the missionaries are now on campus.
We are very excited because the CCM students are ready to receive what FOCUS has to offer. So many things came together in a matter of a month that we truly believe God is at work here. We humbly ask for both your prayerful and financial support in this new endeavor to reach all NMU students on campus. This is happening much faster than expected, and we need your investment in this mission to make it a reality!
Samuel, Maria, Alek, Fr. Dustin and Jessica take a hike to Wetmore Landing while waiting for students to arrive for the Winter 2021 semester.
how can i help???
We have a three-pronged approach to supporting a FOCUS team for Catholic Campus Ministry at NMU, both now and for years to come:
Immediate Need: A four-person FOCUS team costs $68,000 per year. Bishop John has committed to a 1-1 matching gift challenge of $136,000 (which covers two years of FOCUS). If we are able to make this challenge, four years of FOCUS will be funded. If we are successful in matching this generous gift, this will give CCM time to build our financial support base through our "Living Faith Society" monthy giving (#2) and the CCM Endowment (#3).
Monthy Giving: Now is the time to join our Living Faith Society, our team of CCM supporters who commit to a monthly, recurring financial gift. Increased monthly giving creates financial stability for CCM.
CCM Endowment: Excellent programs such as CCM and FOCUS require substantial, consistent, and permanent funding. By making a one-time donation or leaving a planned gift in your will, your legacy will help CCM grow and flourish for years to come!
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