Exciting News!

Big changes are happening and God has been working!

Author

Elizabeth Fortune
October 04, 2023

Hope You’re Sitting Down

I know that it hasn’t been very long since my last update, but I couldn’t wait to inform you guys. Over the past couple of months my campus minister, Daniel, has been recommended as campus minister at Clemson University in South Carolina. He has been undergoing interviews and examinations with the presbytery committee to see if he is the right fit for the campus. Pending presbytery approval, the Hightowers will move before the end of this year in order to start the spring semester at Clemson, and I will be joining them!

This decision to go forward with the process has had a lot of prayer and thought put into it. Even though I have only been working with JSU students since August, I have grown to love them so deeply and am sad to leave them, but I am so hopeful in God’s plans for them and for me.

So What Now?

When we told ministry team students on Sunday, one asked, “Is RUF done at JSU?” Thankfully, Daniel was able to reassure him as I will reassure you that RUF lives on at JSU! The presbytery committee in Alabama has been hard at work finding a replacement campus minister for JSU. They are already interviewing someone, so be in prayer for the committee’s decision and the new candidate.

Something that we have considered is “What if they don’t hire someone by January?” Daniel and I have talked to the students on our ministry team about what it would look like if there was no campus minister for a semester. Daniel will continue to be in contact with them as they administer a student-led ministry plan. Our student leaders are hard workers, love Christ, and love RUF. They have already expressed the ideas they have for a student-led semester, and I believe that God will work through them if need be. This is the mission of RUF, “To reach students for Christ and equip them to serve”. If it comes down to it, I believe they have been well-equipped to lead.

You may be wondering if this transfer will mess with any donations or giving that you guys are so graciously providing. It will not. There should be no change in the giving process for you guys, but if you have any questions, please reach out.

I know that this is a lot to process, and you may have tons of questions. Please feel free to call/text/email me with any questions or concerns. I’d love to help you all process this! I pray that you will continue to go on this journey with me and see how God is working at JSU and at Clemson!

Prayer Requests

  • Please pray for the students at JSU. I know that they are still processing and are feeling a lot of emotions.

  • Pray that the students and I will continue to see and believe that God is at work!

  • Pray for me as I try to find housing mid-school year.

  • Pray for the Alabama committee as they tirelessly look for a campus minister for JSU.

Again, thank you all so much for your support! I really could not do this without you. Please reach out if you would like more information about this process!