Christian Union: The Magazine Summer 2017 | Page 60

the spiritual climate on campus
First and foremost, however,
UCW is a spiritual community. Sam
Kim ’18, who serves as the ministry’s
presider, describes UCW as “a stu-
dent-led, pastor-resourced church that
also serves in the capacity of a campus
ministry through weekly events,” and
as “a tight-knit community of students
pursuing Christ together in love,
grace, and truth through discipleship,
prayer, and depth in the Word.” With
weekly activities and church services
on Sundays, UCW serves both as a
congregation and as a space for stu-
dents to grow closer together.
On Sunday afternoons throughout
the school year, UCW members de-
part from their meeting point at the
Hall of Graduate Studies to make
their way to the New Haven Meth-
odist Korean Church, which is ap-
proximately a ten-minute drive from
campus. Students are led in worship
by their pastor, Jeff Kraines, and gath-
er for a meal after the service.
Throughout the week, students come
together for small groups, service, and
just to spend time with one another.
A typical week includes prayer on
Mondays and Thursdays and serving
at a soup kitchen and fellowship on
Fridays. UCW also offers weekly Bible
studies: “Froshpod,” for freshmen, and
“Godpod,” for sophomores and above.
Beyond regular campus happen-
ings, students are also able to cultivate
their faith at multiple retreats hosted
throughout the year. In describing
UCW’s atmosphere, Kim remarked
how “students are able to share life in
Christ in a way that they may have
never experienced before, and are able
to push and be pushed through more
intentional relationships with fellow
brothers and sisters.”
Most of all, UCW has made a
sizable impact in the lives of its stu-
dents, helping shape their time at Yale.
Because the ministry is nearly solely
student-run, most UCW students are
very invested in the community.
When reflecting back on her first year
at Yale, Jessica Lee ’20 described
UCW as a community that “I have
received love and care from, time and
time again. I have grown a lot with
some of the people in UCW, and it
is one of the defining groups that
shaped my freshman year.”
Kim shared similar sentiments
concerning his experience with UCW,
remarking that “I’ve not only found
friends and mentors who have been
willing to invest in my spiritual and
relational growth by keeping me root-
ed in spiritual disciplines, but I’ve also
found a family who is always willing
to walk with me through the tough-
est of times and celebrate in the most
joyous moments. I’ve found friends
who have prayed through a rough
patch with me, explored tough theo-
logical questions with me, studied
with me, and enjoyed my favorite
foods with me.”
Whether sharing a homemade
bowl of bibimbap or words of spiri-
tual encouragement at “Godpod,”
students of UCW at Yale have suc-
ceeded in merging a cultural home
with a spiritual one. | cu
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y a l e ne w s - in - b r ie f
Debate Features Keller
and Kronman
58
In March, The Veritas Forum at
Yale brought pastor and renowned
author Tim Keller to campus
to debate Yale law professor
and author Anthony Kronman.
During the discussion, entitled
“Disenchanted? Reimagining
Belief and Identity,” both speakers
addressed ways in which meaning
and belief are possible in our
modern reality. Keller represented
the Christian theocentric view,
while Kronman argued for a
sacramental vision of the world
devoid of any revelation. The
forum drew a large audience, with
attendance nearing a thousand,
consisting of both Yale students
and members of the New Haven
community.