A New and Living Way

One of the key elements of a Newman Outreach Project trip is faith sharing. Each night while we are in New Jersey, our group will engage in different types of reflection, prayer, and discussion. We use this time to digest what we've experienced during the day, to share our thoughts on Scripture, and to support and encourage one another as we put our faith into action.

Last night at our weekly meeting, we used the following passage as the basis for our faith sharing reflection:

Hebrews 10:19-25

A New and Living Way

"Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near."


Our discussion brought out a lot of questions about how we, as young Catholic adults, can stimulate others to love - to love each other, to love themselves, and to love Christ. We are each called, with our different gifts and talents, to lead by example and to let the light of Christ shine in all that we do. What an exciting opportunity! It's a difficult challenge, but especially during Lent and as we prepare for our trip to New Jersey, we will be there to support and encourage each other in this faith adventure.

We left our discussion with the question, "how can I do more to stimulate others to love and good deeds?" We hope you will continue to walk with us as we explore this question and do our best to spread God's love through our thoughts, words, and actions!

and the gifts we are given, we are given to share...

We hear in Scripture about the "different kinds of gifts of the same Spirit" - but what does that mean to us as college students? What gifts have we been given, and how can we use them - especially in a group?

Sometimes it can be uncomfortable for us to talk about what we're good at - we don't want to brag about ourselves or seem arrogant. We also don't always see our gifts as positive things at all - it's often easier to recognize the "shadow sides" of these talents. But after taking the Strengths Finder evaluation, we all have a common vocabulary to talk about the unique gifts we've been given, and how we can develop them together.

At our group meeting this week, we did an activity to help refresh our memories about what our groups' Strengths are and how they'll use them during our week of service. Each of us is called to use our God-given talents, whether we are Includers or Maximizers or Learners, for the betterment of our group and the communities we will be serving. We can't wait to see how the Lord is able to work through us during our week in New Jersey. Stay tuned!

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON!

In just 21 days, our Newman Outreach Project trips will depart for a week of service in seven different sites across the United States and Mexico. By the end of the semester, the Newman Community at Virginia Tech will have sent over 120 students, faculty, and staff on alternative winter and spring break trips. We're so excited to be a part of the fifteen students that will travel to New Jersey to aid in Hurricane Sandy relief!

Our group has been meeting weekly since the beginning of the semester, to learn about each other, our mission, and where we will be spending our spring break this March. We've gotten to know everyone's names and favorite movies. We learned about Catholic Social Teachings, and how they apply to our trip.  We've taken the Gallup Strengths Finder evaluation, and last weekend, our group had a chance to learn more about our own Top Five Strengths. Leisa, our facilitator, did a fantastic job helping us realize where our unique, God-given talents lie, and how to better use them as individuals and as a group. We're so excited to see how God is able to work through us to make a difference in the communities we visit!

We began our Lenten journey together this Ash Wednesday, and reflected on how we can support each other in this walk with Christ. We invite you to join us on this journey, and follow this blog as we update it with photos, videos, and reflections from our group - before, during, and after our trip.

If you would like more information about the Newman Community at Virginia Tech, the Newman Outreach Project, or how you can get involved, please contact us or visit www.vtcatholic.com. We'd love to hear from you!

In Him,

The NOP-NJ Team:
Kelsey Oesmann - koesmann@vt.edu
Craig Gorsuch - gorsuchc@vt.edu
Ashley
Emily
Darien
Joe
John
Eric
Emily
Brandon
Leah
Chris
Sandra
Phillip
Sandy