From Memphis to Chattanooga to Cookeville to Knoxville to Nashville back to Memphis.

5 days, 4 Universities and over 900 miles!

What an awesome week I had visiting with 4 UKIRK ministries on the campuses of the University of Tennessee at Chatanooga, Tennessee Technological University, University of Tennessee-Knoxville and Vanderbilt University.

What is UKIRK? Glad you asked…

UKIRK is the campus and collegiate ministries network of the Presbyterian Church (USA). UKIRK stands for University Church (Kirk is Scottish term for church). You can find out more about UKIRK by visiting www.ukirk.org

So why am I spending time visiting UKIRK ministries? Well you may not know but the CPC is entering into a partnership with UKIRK to provide a home for CPC students. About one year ago I reached out to Presbyterian Church (USA) about forming a partnership in campus ministry. You can read the formal statement about that here.

One thing that some folks don’t realize is that we’ve partnered with PC(USA) campus ministries for awhile now. Tennessee Tech and Middle Tennessee State University are just a few campuses that the CPC and PC(USA) have had partnerships. But though these connections have been in existence for awhile many of our young people don’t attend those schools. They go to many colleges and universities all across the United States. Our hope is that we can now begin a more formal process to have a home for our CPC college students on many campuses. Now we are still a long way off from being called true partners in UKIRK but we are moving towards that and this tour was one step towards that goal.

I had the privilege this past week to visit four UKIRK ministries. I got to see the radical hospitality being offered by the Hope House (UKIRK) on the campus of UTC. How they invite people from all different faith backgrounds around a table to discuss scripture and share a meal on Sunday nights. I heard about the struggles of students at UTC and how many of them are classified as “food insecure” and how the Hope House through generous donations by local churches provide free lunch on Tuesday afternoons.

I heard about the struggle of the Presbyterian Student Association at Tennessee Tech over the past couple years and how things are beginning to turn around through new leadership and commitment by local CPC and PC(USA) churches. How they gather together for dinner and bible study on Monday evenings. I heard that a majority of the students who are finding a home at PSA are new students from CPC churches.

I got to spend time at the UKIRK house at UTK. On Wednesday afternoon I got to visit with CPC students at UT and share with them the ministry that is taking place at UKIRK UTK. I got to hear about another campus ministry at UT who began a food pantry and how UKIRK at UTK has planted a garden to begin providing fresh vegetables to those who visit that food pantry. I got to eat dinner and worship with students and share communion together as we heard a wonderful message about how we are all better together.

I got to eat and worship with UKIRK Nashville that welcomes students from Vanderbilt, Belmont and even had a student from Lipscomb University in a beautiful Episcopal church on the campus of Vanderbilt University. I got the chance to share communion and hear their thoughts on the Gospel of Mark chapter 1.

I’m grateful to Rev. Tricia Dillon Thomas, Terry Parris, Josh Depree, Rev. Andy Phillip Morgan and Rev. Lindsey Groves who are the ministers to a diverse group of students at these universities. I’m also thankful for their willingness to welcome all students including CPC students into their ministries.

If you know of young people at these universities or other schools and they are searching for a faith community I encourage you to share with them about UKIRK. I look forward to visiting other UKIRK ministries and continuing to build a meaningful partnership with UKIRK.

For more info about these UKIRK ministries or how to find a UKIRK on your campus visit www.ukirk.org