"New wine is not put into old wineskins," Jesus says, "otherwise the skins burst, the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved." [Matthew 9:17]

Lutheran campus ministry is actively exploring some new visions for ministry. Evangelizing More Boldly (EMB) represents an initiative to pour the new wine of the Gospel into fresh, new wineskins. With a mission to spawn new campus ministries across the state, EMB began as a pilot project in April 1997, with Bishop Trexler's approval and synod "seed monies."

In the territory of the Florida-Bahamas Synod there are over one million college and university students, which is a huge mission field. Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa are EMB's initially targeted sites, where the possibilities for ecumenical ministries at five campuses have been discovered. Networking with the Episcopal campus ministries, from whom a five-year commitment and some funding have already been received, is a first step. The model is to identify, enlist, train, and maintain local peer ministries and partner congregations throughout the whole state to engage in campus ministry.

Peer ministry is a prime illustration of "new wineskins." In caring for others, peer ministers deepen their faith and develop interpersonal, leadership, social, and communication skills. Guided by pastors and lay mentors, these students, as peer ministers, use their own unique gifts and talents to serve other students while building their own support network. Since the inception of peer ministry at University Lutheran Church in Gainesville in 1994, the community has grown and empowered students in mutual ministry. This year the peer ministers of ULC and the Episcopal Chapel of the Incarnation are facilitating an ecumenical ministry which is blossoming.

Equally important is the ministry of the partner congregations. This could be the congregation who has established a clear mission toward a nearby campus. It could mean inviting congregations who are not in proximity to campuses to respond to God's call to this missionary effort on behalf of us all to our students, Lutheran and non-Lutheran. One example is St. Timothy in Crystal River who is hosting a Paul Todd Concert 22 February to raise funds for EMB.

What do you have to offer Lutheran Campus Ministry? You can.....

• Proclaim that campus ministry is a mission of the whole church
• Include Peer Ministry in the prayers of the people and your own personal prayers
• Realize that the stranger you are welcoming may be a student
• Identify host families to "adopt" students
• Offer worship that is sensitive to the academic community
• Incorporate students in the community as leaders
• Empower lay persons to serve on campus ministry boards or EMB's advisory committee
• Provide scholarships to Peer Ministry Training Events
• Support the Bishop's Mission Fund sending monies designated for campus ministry.
• Send monies directly to EMB in support of the new ministries already begun at JU, UNF, UCF, USF, Rollins and to continuing ministry at UF.
• Use your gifts in the area of grant writing to coordinate EMB's fund raising from sources outside our congregations.
• Serve as a Lutheran voice on the board of Jacksonville Campus Ministries, a six-denomination effort to two campuses.
• Become a partner congregation to support a new ecumenical ministry in Orlando.
• Join Tampa's strong partner congregation, Christ Our Redeemer, in assisting with the reformation/re-location of University Chapel Fellowship, the ecumenical campus ministry.
• Contact EMB for information: Shari O'Brien (352) 371-2652 - emb@afn.org
• check out EMB's web site - http://www.afn.org/~emb

The possibilities are limited only by our collective imaginations and sense of mission. Act boldly and today!!!

---

entered 3/14/98