School Year 2018-2019

It has been an eventful year and a busy year as staff and volunteers with Cru Omaha! So much so, that we have not even been able to take the time to post very often here! We'll share a few photos here to capture some of what has been happening this year, along with a collection of quotes from students during this past school year. 

(The quotes shared will be a random selection from students at our various campuses, not necessarily related to the specific photos themselves.)

"Cru has helped me strengthen my relationship with God. Before I joined Cru, I was sad, lost, and lonely. But now I have found love in God and in a family with the Cru members."

"Listening to Ron (Cru volunteer) makes me feel like there's hope ... helps me understand life."

"Cru helps me get involved with other students and come closer to God in a place where He is not always welcome."

"I am taking my first steps into Christianity, and being a part of Cru has unlocked realizations I do not think I will find elsewhere."

"I like Cru because it's an opportunity to be a light to my peers, and it reminds me how great God is."

"Cru has been an amazing opportunity to access the gospel on my high school campus. It allows students to grow through deeper connections with believers and nonbelievers and start gospel centered conversations at our school."

"I learn about God at Cru and I can talk to people here."

"School doesn't teach about Christ. Cru let's you talk about Christ with your peers on campus."

"Cru helps me to come near to the Lord and to trust that He's always there for me."

"I like Cru because it gives the youth a chance to learn about God and the Bible."

"Cru has helped me understand and apply the Bible to my life."

"When I first started coming to Cru I didn't have much of an understanding of what Christianity was and

"Cru has been huge in developing me as a leader and in my faith."

"Cru has helped me by teaching me about God. Thank you."

"Coming to Cru enriches my knowledge and understanding of God's Word. I'm glad to have Christian friends who have the same passion for Jesus as I do who are my age."

"Cru has shown me what my place is in God."

Please pray for the students in these photos, and those represented by the quotes that we have collected from this past school year. We are so grateful for all that God has done in students' lives! 

Cru South Kick-Off

Students at South High gather weekly after school ...

In photo above, twenty-five students attended the first Cru weekly meeting of the new school year. Here a student who came to know Jesus at our Cru Summer Conference in The Rockes is eagerly sharing his story with his peers.

We really enjoy loving and ministering to these students on this ethnically diverse campus. 

Lake Party in late September ...

A record number of 35 students showed up for the annual back-to-school lake party held each September for Cru South students! It was a cooler day, but they were still excited to gather at a nearby lakehouse owned by a former faculty member.

The students listened intently as one of the student leaders shared from her heart about God's love and forgiveness. She gave the students an opportunity to respond to God's gift of salvation, and six students clearly responded and placed their trust in Jesus.

In the photo above, another of the student leaders shares with his peers ...

It was a cooler day, and still, the students loved venturing out on the lake ... a fun and inspirational evening for all!

PLEASE PRAY for South High students this school year!

We pray for many more students to come to know Jesus, and for much growth and discipleship to happen throughout this next school year.

A New School Year of Cru

The summer has flown by, and another year of Cru ministry to high school and middle school students is here! You can see the excitement of these students at South High as they gathered together again the end of August for their first Cru meeting of this new school year!

There were familiar faces, and new faces ... each one full of potential, and each one loved deeply by God. Please pray for many students to come to know and follow Jesus during this new school year at South, and also at each of our other area campuses. 

All signs reveal that God is preparing us for a great school year ahead. Thank you so much for your prayers as we reach out to so many active, impressionable youth!

Snapshots of Students

The school year is flying by, and here are some photos from a few of our Cru campuses ... snapshots of students as they are part of Cru in our area.

Accelere Alternative in Omaha ... students gather each week over their Friday lunch hour. In this photo Ron, one of our Cru volunteers, shares the Gospel with the students.

Bellevue East in Bellevue ... still in the beginning stages, Cru volunteers are gathering students together in their home while seeking permission to meet on campus.

Central High in Omaha - besides their weekly student gathering on Monday evenings at their high school, other gatherings occur as well. Here Gary meets with two students to connect and build into each other's lives.

Marrs Middle in Omaha - two of our new volunteers, a teacher at Marrs together with a UNO student volunteer, have started up student meetings this spring at this multi-racial middle school. 

South High in Omaha - students gather each Monday after school to learn and grow in their walk with God. The two students in front are key student leaders.

Please pray for these students, and the students in our other Cru campuses in the Omaha area.

Summer Venture Finale

It was a great summer for our Cru students ...

Weekly Summer Venture meeting with Omaha South students

Student ministry during the summer looks a bit different than during the school year. Many of the Cru High ministries across the nation do not meet regularly during the summer months, but several years ago we began what we call Summer Venture in our Omaha area. 

Under the leadership and coaching of our two part-time staff guys, Andy & Jake, eleven college volunteers played an active part in our Summer Venture program these past few months. Andy & Jake met with the college students (most of them former Cru High students) each Monday night, and then the following evening the college students divided up into teams to lead groups of high school students - in Blair, Fort Calhoun, Logan View, and at Marrs in Omaha. 

These four Summer Venture groups, as well as the Omaha South group (which was led by adult volunteers) all went through the study The Gospel Centered Life. It was a time of growth for the students, as well as the leaders. 

And on August 6th, the three groups that were in more close proximity to each other (Blair, Fort Calhoun, and Logan View) gathered for a fun Summer Venture finale evening. They started off their time together by dividing into four teams for some competitive games ...

Four teams ready for crazy, fun competition!

After the games, they gathered back indoors for a time of worship ...

And to hear one of the college volunteers share his story of coming to Jesus ...

It was a summer of incredible opportunity ... for students, as well for our college volunteers. The students were challenged as they studied and shared together, and our college volunteers had a great opportunity to grow in leadership as they led the meetings. And Jake & Andy did an amazing job of coaching our college volunteers. 

Seven Assemblies at South High

There were nine school assemblies at Omaha South High on Tuesday, April 16. And at each of SEVEN of those nine assemblies, several hundred students were privileged to hear our Cru High National Director, Darryl Smith, share his talk on "making right choices".  Since the school was having a day of testing and needed an assembly speaker each hour for the students who were not in a test - Darryl was given the honor and challenge of speaking all day long, except for a lunch break!

South High student, Allen, introducing Darryl at the start of an assembly

This seven-assembly speaking marathon came about as a result of one of our Cru South students, Allen, who attended our Cru FastBreak Conference in Minnesota in December 2011. He was impacted by Darryl's influence at FastBreak, and took the initiative to invite Darryl to come speak to his friends and peers at South High. Little did we know at that point that Darryl would be willing and able to come to Omaha to speak at SEVEN assemblies at South High instead of the usual one assembly. We thank God for this amazing opportunity - and we also thank God for giving Darryl the energy and strength needed!

Darryl connected deeply with the students, and after each assembly, he invited the students to come back for an after-school pizza party. Where he would share the biggest right choice that he made in his life: to love and follow Jesus.

The students were drawn into his story of how his wrong choices as a teen and young adult ended up in prison time. And how it was there that he made the most important choice of all - to respond to Jesus.

Of the one hundred students who came to hear Darryl share of Jesus, nearly one fourth of them communicated to us on the comment cards that they wanted to make the same choice that Darryl had made. Please pray for these students, and for all the others who heard him throughout the day. And please pray for the South High teachers and staff who volunteer with us, as they follow-up with the twenty-five students, and with other interested students.

And would you thank God, together with us as staff and volunteers, for His Spirit at work in the lives of students in Omaha and surrounding areas. And for the privilege we had recently of having Darryl in several of our schools.

Survey at South High SV

Students at South High in Omaha will be finishing up another school year soon, and those who gathered at the Student Venture meeting a week ago took time to answer a few survey questions for us.

If Student Venture has helped you in your relationship with God, please explain how.

"It has made me realize so many things about me and life. 

The importance of our relationship with God."

"Instead of partying throughout high school, 

it has kept me connected and faith within Him."

"SV challenged me to read the Bible more."

"It helped me through depression, suicidal thoughts, 

eating disorders, abuse, and hopelessness."

"I've learned things I have previously not known."

"I have learned to be able to talk to God as a friend."

These few examples of the answers given are an encouragement to us as to how God is at work in the lives of these students in this very ethnically diverse school.  Please pray for these students to continue to grow and learn to multiply their faith in other students' lives.

Students Share about FastBreak

Omaha South SV

Students from our area who went to the SV FastBreak conference in the Twin Cities between Christmas and New Years, shared their experiences with their peers back home at their next SV meetings. The top two photos show the meeting at South High School in Omaha, and the lower two photos were taken at the Fort Calhoun SV meeting. Blair High SV students also shared at their next meeting, but we don't have photos to show.

At South High in Omaha (above), Shayn shared about how we all went to the Mall of America during FastBreak and took the initiative to get into spiritual conversations with shoppers. He said that was a highlight for him, and taught him that he could do that with his peers at South. Josh from Fort Calhoun SV (below) shared things he learned from various speakers and then provided questions for small group discussion of what he learned.

Fort Calhoun High SV

FastBreak was a valuable experience for our students who went from our area. Besides the main teaching sessions and seminars, they also participated in small discussion groups each night back in their rooms. One of our college volunteers, Andrew, shared this about our guys small group that he led each night:

"I really honestly felt small groups went well this year. The group was very open and honest throughout the whole experience, and I really felt great progress was made spiritually for the students this week. There were real walls being broken down. I also know that the Blair and Fort Calhoun guys were talking about starting some sort of accountability group because of the week, so that may end up being really awesome, too. I think the most important thing we talked about this week was really being bold and courageous and I think that these guys will really achieve that."

Omaha South SV in the News

Our SV group at Omaha South participates in various serving projects during the school year, and one of these projects was mentioned in the Omaha World Herald newspaper!

The photo above was included, along with a short write-up:

"Omaha South's Student Venture club tied fleece blankets. Some were donated to a family in need, and others were given to the Stephen Center, a shelter."