The Holy In-Between

It started with a waterbottle.

Every weekend, WVU hosts “Up All Night”, where students hang out, enjoy food, go bowling and…stay up all night. But John Jarman (Jr, Computer Engineering) noticed that there was a disconnect between the care given to students up at the Mountainlair, WVU’s student union, and what was provided for those making the trek downtown to High Street for late-night snacks and dancing. That’s when the Lutheran Mountaineers stepped up!

John set up a table on our Chapel stoop, grabbed some water, and started greeting people as they walked by. He called Chaplain Ben and some of his friends, and thus began our weekend waterbottle ministry! The goal is simply to help students hydrate and know that on our little stretch of University Ave there are people looking out for them. A simple, common grace that God multiplied as students held impromptu compline, learned more about the Lutheran Campus Ministry at WVU, and even started coming to Mass!

The Holy Spirit is powerful like that, calling us to serve the in-between spaces that might otherwise be overlooked. That’s what the LCM@WVU is: an in-between space where young adults experience tremendous growth as they transition from home to their adult lives. And that is where God has called us to serve, this holy space that holds so much opportunity to share God’s love. Even through a waterbottle! +