Co-OP Update Newsletter - April 2013

APRIL 2013 U P D A T E N E W S L E T T E R

*The Co-Op at ECU partnered with the CSF at

UNC, and CBF partner churches Oakmont

Baptist Church (Greenville, NC) and Metro

Baptist Church (NYC) during our Spring Break

Mission Trip to New York, March 10-15*

My mission trip experience was without a doubt one of the best experiences I have ever had. I had been

to New York a few times growing up, but I had never really been exposed to all of the different parts that I was able

to experience during Spring Break. I had seen all of the tourist attractions, but this trip made me realize that God is really working in some of the

different areas of the city that no one

thinks about like: Hell's Kitchen, Harlem, and the Upper West Side.

One of our projects for the

week was working with an after school Christian organization known as Operation Exodus (operationexodus.org). This particular organization targets...

continued on page 2...

THE CO-OP @ECU

Spring Break 2013: New York City by: Katie Bowers, Sophomore, PCC

... Spring Break Mission Trip Recap... continued from page 1

... young Latino kids in the Upper West Side who speak very little English and need some extra help with homework.

They meet in the basement of a Presbyterian church, and help kids from the age of 5 all the way up to 17. Operation Exodus has young

volunteers that help with homework, read to the kids, feed them and who worship with them on a daily basis. My

absolute favorite part of the entire trip was seeing

these kids from all different backgrounds worshipping our

God. Some kids sang in Spanish, some in English,

but it was apparent that God was right

there with us and has great things planned for Operation Exodus!

Operation Exodus wasn't the

only program we worked with, but it definitely made the biggest impact on my life. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to go and serve with some

awesome college students, and I pray someday that God will lead me back to Operation Exodus!

Working with Operation

Exodus and going on this mission trip

has taught me to be thankful for what I

have, and to NEVER be ashamed to step

out in my faith. This trip also reassured

me that God is ALWAYS faithful, no

matter what!

Katie is currently a student at Pitt Community College but has been accepted to East Carolina with plans to begin there in the fall majoring in Early Childhood Education.

She moved to Greenville last year with her parents after attending the University of Central Arkansas. She attends The Memorial Baptist in Greenville where her dad serves as the Senior Pastor.

“THIS TRIP ALSO REASSURED ME THAT GOD IS ALWAYS FAITHFUL, NO MATTER WHAT!”

We’re official! March saw our group take a HUGE step: we moved from our founding location at Immanuel

Baptist and stepped onto campus at East Carolina. When we began our Co-Op journey last August, the students and I

were just excited to be together and did feel a call to reach the campus with the message of Christ and yet, I don’t think we could have imagined the move that

took place last month!

After months of planning, attending various meetings, writing a

constitution, and prayer, the Co-Op at East Carolina is now meeting on campus in our new location: Bate 1015!

I’ll admit, change for us has been bittersweet: we feel the blessing of being on campus and know that this opens doors but have made memories at

Immanuel that will always be with us. We’ve learned, together, that change is hard and yet, in the midst of it, God can

do some great things.

I was proud of our student leadership when they decided to use our prayer-focused meeting in March to

prayer walk around campus. We started at the main walkway of campus and moved all the way around the mall praying for everything from the dorms to

the student center. We spent some time praying for not only the Co-Op’s ministry but the collective ministry of all

the campus ministries on campus. It was great to see students with an understanding of the power of prayer

and a real desire to seek God’s guidance in what we are doing.

We are on the verge of something even greater than what we’ve

experienced to this point and I am thankful and excited

to be able to share our Co-Op journey with you.

Thank you for your support! -Lp

Our Big Move by Lawrence Powers, CBFNC Campus Minister

PHOTOS FROM THE MONTH

PRAYER WALK ON CAMPUS

VISITING ONE OF OUR PARTNER CHURCHES

CO-OP WORSHIP BAND LEADING WORSHIP AT

IMMANUEL ON A SUNDAY

FIRST WEEK ON CAMPUS!FINAL MEETING AT IMMANUEL BAPTIST

MORE PHOTOS FROM OUR MISS ION TRIP

On Thursday April 25, The Co-Op will be at ECU’s Barefoot on the Mall Street Fair. This will be our first major event

where we will be advertising to students about who we are and why we exist.

We are not allowed to sell

much but we can sell BAKED GOODS and so we are seeking help from our partner churches to help obtain those

desserts. With each baked good we sell, we will also give out information about the Co-Op at our booth that day.

Some of our students will be preparing some of the baked goods but we could use the help of our partner

churches to donate baked goods as well.

If you know of people in your churches that would be willing to

donate any baked goods for this event, please let Lawrence Powers know ([email protected]) by April 22 and

have them bring them to your churches no later than Wednesday April 24. We can pick them up from there on

Thursday! Thank you for your help!

Barefoot on the Mall - We Need Your Help!

UPCOMING:

• APRIL 7 - ECU DAY OF SERVICE

• APRIL 18-20 - CO-OP BEACH

RETREAT @EMERALD ISLE

• APRIL 24 - FINAL MEETING

OF THE SEMESTER

• APRIL 25 - BAREFOOT ON

THE MALL @ECU

• APRIL 26 - PITT COUNTY RELAY FOR LIFE