Hi friend!

So, exams are finished... SLC’s over... and you know what that means? *Cue the music…*

We're all going on a summer holiday
No more working for a week or two
Fun and laughter on a summer holiday
No more worries for me and you
For a week or two.

We're going where the sun shines brightly
We're going where the sea is blue
We've seen it in the movies
Now let's see if it's true!

Some of you may get your ‘week or two’ holiday before heading off to work - some of you may get a three month holiday! Regardless, we hope you enjoy spending time with your family and friends!

Hopefully amidst the busyness of December and January you’ll also get a chance to reflect on the year: remembering the good times, the times when you struggled and situations where God was able to really use both you and your friends in ways you didn’t think possible! It’s also an opportunity to look forward to next year - what are some of the dreams you have for 2011, and beyond? How will you make these come true?

Why wait until the academic year starts again before thinking about these things? God has given us heaps of free time over summer, which we won’t have once we graduate and start work. Here are some suggestions for ways we could use these beautiful summer days:

• Perhaps we could take some time away from the noise around us to just rest in God’s creation; seeing if we need to refocus and realign ourselves with God’s plan for us.

• Some of you may have picked up a good book at SLC, or elsewhere! We could spend some time reading these, maybe with a friend, to equip ourselves with tools to serve, encourage and challenge others to investigate Jesus. If you haven’t got one yet, try Maximum Life: All for the Glory of God by Julian Hardyman, or check out Catalyst Books.

• Over summer, we could creatively think about how we and our friends can connect with unreached people on campus next year, using the gifts God has given each of us to make a life-changing impact on other students.

• TSCF is going to Parachute! If you’d like to come with us as part of a team of people who will camp together, run the TSCF stand, meet new students and generally enjoy all that Parachute has to offer then contact Gillian Wildgoose to find out more!

[ SLC: LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP ]

It was great to see so many people at SLC! For those of you who weren’t there, here are some of the highlights of the week; hopefully which will jog the memories of those of you who were…

• This SLC was our largest ever! Though sorry to leave Palm Grove, we are excited about the necessity of the larger venue of El Rancho in Waikanae this year.

• We were blessed to have the medical students from the Christian Medical Fellowship with us, and the inclusion of a track for them. Also for the first time was the inclusion of a postgraduate track, led by Dr. Paul Gould from the States.

• At the Student Forum, student leaders pledged $7150 for IFES on behalf of their groups, and elected the new Kiwi and International Student Coordinators. Afterward, some of us discussed how we can better reach international students from cultures not typically represented in TSCF.

• Pete Collier (Director of the Tim Training course in Christchurch) explored the conference theme with us through chapters of 1 Samuel. Israel’s response to God and his to them was both encouraging and challenging, as we considered the loyalties of our hearts.

• One of the mornings was spent in a seminar on relationships, where we discussed in small groups some of the issues that come up around this topic, in relation to what the Bible has to say. Following this, the guys and girls split, and we thought of some things we wanted the opposite gender to know!

• Over the week, the importance of living an integrated life was emphasised, and highlighted by the presence of guest Debbie Flood, world rowing champion! Debbie’s example of an intense career that is yet fully committed to God was inspiring to all present.

[ RUGBY WORLD CUP ]

And speaking of sport….

You have probably heard that the Rugby World Cup 2011 is going to be hosted by NZ!

‘RWC 2011 is going to be a huge event; the third biggest sporting event of the year. It gives us unique opportunities with friends and with visitors from around the world: to enjoy sport & perhaps get to tell them something about Jesus.’ (Ben Carswell)

Too right, Ben - we would like to encourage all of you to seriously consider volunteering to help at the RWC; the opportunity to bear witness to Jesus is truly invaluable. There are all kinds of things you can do to help out – click here to find out more!

[ FAREWELL ]

Student Coordinators normally serve on the TSCF board for two years, so this will be last time Phil writes for The Loop. In his place, it is our pleasure to introduce the new Kiwi Student Coordinator, Pauline Smith! A current student of Canterbury University, Pauline has just finished her third year of speech therapy; she is also the vice-president of the Canterbury Christian Union. So we welcome her and really encourage you to get to know her!

Here are a few final words from Phil:

I am so thankful to God for the opportunity to have served as TSCF's Student Coordinator for two years. Thinking back on it, God has taught me how diverse the body of Christ is. The way TSCF strives to reach students for Christ and change students for life works out differently for each group, and it's exciting to see some of the creative ideas you come up with! It was also a blessing to have been a Mintern while being Student Coordinator; it gave me more flexibility to visit students at their universities, allowing me to be part of their group for a short time. Many of my highlights over the past two years were where I met people at a mid-year conference or SLC, and then saw how they had grown the next time I saw them. I know that many of you have seen the same thing in your friends! So I encourage you in your community, to continue to grow in Christ - and may we bring as many people to Jesus as we can until our Lord and Saviour returns... I'm looking forward to hearing more of these stories; next year and beyond! Keep doing what you do and God bless! Let me leave you with these verses: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28.’ (Look them up…)

Thanks so much for reading The Loop this year. It has honestly been our privilege to have been part of this, and it has been really encouraging to hear about how you are making an impact on campus! Let’s remember to enjoy our summer, but let us also use it wisely; ‘let us throw off everything that hinders… let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God’ (Hebrews 12: 1b-2).