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The Gathering
"Gathered to Grow. Sent to Serve."
The American Baptist Campus Foundation at the University of Michigan
The Gathering at the University of Michigan is a an
interdenominational student Christian faith community, sponsored by
First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor and the American Baptist
Churches of Michigan. The ministry is led and served by our
Campus Ministers, Paul and Stacey Simpson Duke, who also serve together
as Co-Pastors of First Baptist Church.
The purpose of The
Gathering is to provide a Christian atmosphere for spiritual growth and
discipleship among undergraduate and graduate students. Toward that
end, we offer Bible study, social events, opportunities for prayer and
spiritual growth, and missions/service projects.
Students are invited to worship at First Baptist on Sunday mornings at
10:00 and to be a part of our young adult Church School class
afterwards.
Weekly gathering
On
Wednesdays during the school year, we gather at 5:30 in the evening for
a free home-cooked meal, prepared by members of First Baptist Church.
Following dinner, we stay for music, study, discussion, and
prayer. We are usually through by 7:30, but students are always welcome
to stay and hang out in the living room afterwards.
For the Fall 2007 Semester we are working through the book "Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith" by Rob Bell. Books are available, free, to any interested student, and each session will include a review of the readings. The last Wednesday night gathering of each month will have a different focus. In September and November, we will have services of prayer and worship. In October, we will have a Halloween party and in December, we will have a Christmas party.
Service
In addition to our Wednesday gathering, we occasionally meet during the year for service projects, such as Vespers, First Baptist Church's hunger ministry, and the local CROP walk, which raises money for hunger relief. Worship In addition to our September and November Wednesday night services of prayer and worship (called Evensong), students are invited to worship at First Baptist Church on Sundays at 10:00 (followed by a Second Hour class for Young Adults). On October 14th, we will celebrate Campus Ministry Sunday at First Baptist Church, with the students planning and leading all facets of worship. This has become an annual tradition each fall and is always a highlight of the year, both for the campus ministry and for First Baptist. Faith, Film, and Fellowship One Sunday night a month, we gather for Faith-and-Film night. We order pizza, watch a movie, and have a discussion about issues the film raises about faith and meaning. Additionally, this year we have plans for other outings, social events, and a retreat. Look for a calendar to be linked to this page soon!
Our Campus Ministers
Paul & Stacey
Simpson Duke serve as our campus ministry team. Their offices are
located in the Campus Center and each of them is available for
appointments throughout the week. They may be reached at 663-9376.
If you are interested in joining our e-group, contact Stacey at .
Baptist Campus Center
We
are located west of State Street, on East Huron, next to First Baptist
Church. The Campus Center is in one of Ann Arbor's historic buildings,
built in 1854.
Access
to the Campus Center is available through three separate entrances. The
front door of the house is located at 502 E. Huron St. You can also
enter off of the church's Washington Street parking lot either by
passing through the church building, or by following the sidewalk
around to the Garden entrance directly into the Campus Center.
We look forward to seeing you!
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