5. 9:30 Focus Group (Part 2)

FF: How has Christus Rex improved your faith?

Jane-comfort level, for easy banter, paybacks :). SS, VBS, confirmation - Christus Rex re-affirmed all those things for me. My faith doesn't have to be the same as everyone else. It's ok to talk about everything. Home - after confirmation everyone is gone. Here you see the same faces and the fire they have. Here its safe to talk about faith, and it helps you to grow in that aspect of your life. Being here fills a spot so that you everything covered

Stan -grew up Methodist parents in military where Protestant is Protestant. Always active in church - in a Bible study told him it was not ok to ask questions. Here I find myself explaining what the deacon group is combo of youth group and traditional deacon. An accepting group, and the workload doesn't seem heavy because there are so many of us. It may be ELCA but feels non-denominational, very accepting. Group had given me so much strength, I can converse with people rather than be confrontational, I can talk about my own faith in a way I couldn't before.

Barb - grew up Lutheran, so I have a comfort level of going here. Here away from home I had to find out my own faith, this was a community where I could do that. I learned that everyone has their own faith,

Brett - becoming comfortable with God and faith in general. Back home I went to church, here I converse about it, Tues with Benny - hang out and think about questions of faith and how it relates to life. I didn't think I was missing anything, but now I know I was. I hope I find another church like this wherever I go. Feels good to have that spot filled.

Lillian - broadening. Grew up fundamentalist, lot of judgment. Fun to be involved in a community where acceptance is the rule not the exception

Peggy - strengthened , added breadth and depth. Raised catholic and guilt was a whole big part of that and will be part of my life forever. It's the opposite here. Allowed to quietly in my own way feel out what faith means to the people here and they relate and communicate on a human level that is helpful for me.

FF: What is the genius?

Jane
Stan - Tim and Kathy yin and yang. You are drawn to one of them and appreciate what the other has to give. Work together well. Very creative Tim is always fussing with something to improve it.

Barb - Tabula went from a sunroom to Starbucks (in the planning stages). They always have great ideas, and keep having them keep on working on better things, new ideas

Brett - the ambience, atmosphere. The people here make it what it is. Sun am - donuts muffins juice waiting. People get here early sit around and talk read the comics, make plans, music starts and people gravitate towards the worship center. Sermon has to do with college life and helping us get through college life. I really missed it my first year, my roommate asked me every week. Now I wouldn't miss. I need it to get me through the next week. It's addicting.
Worship here is a lot diff than back home. My parents came here and loved it - wrote me a long email about how great Christus Rex was and so glad about I found it.

Lillian - they work on a new theme for each year. Talk with faculty to get ideas, allow students to shape what's going on. It's student driven, they are valued for their opinions, creativity and then they draw in more students. We asked the campus ministries to help us reshape leadership - these students are the leaders we want as role models
Key no competition. Individual strengths working toward a common goal. Tim and Kathy can share ministry, mesh well together
Students come early and hang out - on Sunday, when they could be sleeping! It's amazing.

Peggy - they are fearless - scary sometimes. Never satisfied with status quo.

Observations/Highlights:

• Leadership development of young adults as Christians in community is central.
• "(The deacon) Group had given me so much strength, I can converse with people rather than be confrontational, I can talk about my own faith in a way I couldn't before."
• "These students are the leaders we want as role models" on the wider campus
• No competition. Individual strengths working toward a common goal.
• Welcoming environment is supported by Tim and Kathy, but carried out as much by the students
• Faith and life intertwine here for the first time for many of these young adults