The Process 

It all starts with the people.  No social, political, or economical entity that has withstood the tests of time started from an iron-fisted leadership.  No one person or group of persons dictated how things would be.  They sought the opinions of their constituents.  The people fashioned the entities into what they wanted.  When they deviate from the wants of the people, the people put them back on track.  It all starts with the people. 

One person has an idea.  Be it an idea for an activity, service, or product; someone conceives an idea.  That person shares the idea with others.  Those people jump on the bandwagon to make that idea actually happen.  The founders then invite others to join in implementing the idea.  Finally, the idea becomes a full-blown reality that is continuously gaining momentum and supporters.  That is the Grassroots Movement; the process by which synergistic movements gain their perpetual motion.

Beginning Feb 15, there will be no new posts to this site.  Instead please visit bcmcheyenne.org.  This site will contain all new postings realting to Baptist Collegiate Ministry at LCCC.

Thank you,

Aaron Bell

You gotta build from the ground up

When one builds something – a building, home, bridge, etc. – they start with the foundation.  The land and the support structure are the first thing built, not the last.  Likewise, governments, social groups, political movements and Christianity have grown in such a grassroots way.  When “building” a church you don’t start by spending hunderds of thousands of dollars on a building to have a once a week Sunday service; you start by meeting with individuals.  You found a small group.  Members of the group invite friends, then they invite friends.  You then have one large group that is trimmed down to be several small groups.  The last thing built is the “building” we often call ‘the church.’

 My freshman year in college, my dorm RA was trying to come up with an activity for everyone on the floor to “just hang out and relax,” something that would promote community.  I rapidly suggested the title.  She loved it and we started promoting Tea & Talk every Thursday night; making hot tea and coco in the foyer for all who wished to partake.  The program gained momentum and was continued into the next year.  However, at the end of my sophomore year, everyone involved moved out of the dorms – including myself.  Everyone who attended Tea & Talk moved in with someone else who attended in one way or another (we were a really close knit dorm floor).  After one semester of being without each other’s company, I and another former attendee revived the weekly night of community.  There were many nights of just the two of us having tea and cakes at her place, but we soon grew to having old and new friends regularly attend.

I am now working on continuing the “community promoting” event as I work to minister to college students.  Every Thursday night at 8 PM in front of the LCCC library, I have hot water for tea, coffee and coco with cakes and other snacks on occasion.  So come and join us as we talk about life experiences, complex scientific theories, recipes, home projects, the latest in entertainment, and anything else you may have cross your mind.

Cooking Pancakes

As a welcome back event, BCM helped cook and serve pancakes to the returning ResHall Students at LCCC.  Over 100 students came and enjoyed the free food.

This is BCM’s third late night breakfast this school year.  It has been fun getting to know several students and then seeing them on campus.

Pictures of the night are uploaded at our flicker. com site.

Thanks to everyone who came and helped.

As we end another semester of ministry it is time to pause and reflect on all that has happened. From my brother joining me as an assistant to my wife, Melody, having hip replacement surgery, to amazingly successful Harvest Fest, these past five months have been busy.

This past fall, my brother, Matthew, began to serve as my assistant director. He has been extremely helpful. Carrying out various events and Bible Studies. The greatest help is to have someone on campus while I care for my wife and son. The biggest difficulty for him and his wife is finances. Matthew serves as a self funded missionary. Please pray for their finances.

Melody had surgery on her left hip in early November. Since then, she has been recovering well and is ahead of schedule. This is a great praise because in February she will be having surgery on her right hip. Both surgeries were caused by medication she was placed on during her pregnancy with our son, David.

My days have been filled with meeting both the demands of college ministry, assistant pastoring of the Warehouse, caring for Melody and David, and working as a substitute teacher. This last area has become very rewarding in the past weeks. Two elementary schools have placed me as a preferred sub and call me regularly to fill in for teachers. It is enjoyable working with students, yet those days I work are long for all of us. Please pray that God provides us all the strength we need to get everything done each day.

David has celebrated his first birthday in style. We went down to the aquarium in Denver with our extended family. David enjoyed watching the fish swim back and forth. He is very advanced is development. Already working on walking, talking, and eating solid foods. He has met all the typical twelve month milestones. Considering that he was ten weeks early this quite a praise. Melody and I are looking forward to seeing what he will do with his life.

As we look forward to the coming semester, many things are our minds. I have already mentioned Melody’s surgery. Another area is the spiritual and mental health of LCCC. In the last month of school three students committed suicide, each a week apart. There are many unanswered questions for students, staff, faculty, and parents. Please be praying that the spring semester will bring hope into the lives of students.

Another area of prayer is what I will be doing as a job after this semester. At the end of May, my time as a US/C 2 Missionary will end. Currently, I do not feel God leading us to a new town. Rather, that the past five years have lead up to a new opportunity that He has yet to reveal. As we pray as a family the path God is showing us to start a college church at LCCC. With less than 10% of Cheyenne attending any church on a Sunday, there are many who need to hear the message of hope that Jesus brings. Please be praying specifically for this opportunity, as we explore it.

That summarizes this past semester that is not covered in the blog we now maintain. It is at bcmcheyenne.wordpress.com. You can always view the most recent articles at bcmcheynne.org.

Thank you for you’re prayers and support this past year.

Sincerely,

Aaron Bell

BCM Director at Laramie County Community College

            The lights are turned down low.  Mood setting music plays just loud enough to hear it.  All eyes are locked on the object of their affection as their hands intertwine.  Free food, free drinks, but all anyone in the room cares about is what’s in front of them.  Suddenly, a loud victory cry followed by an up roar of crushing defeat and laughter erupts.  The first LAN Cram at Laramie County Community College is underway.

            On 5 December 2008, Baptist Collegiate Ministry and the LCCC Student Activities Board hosted a LAN party.  It was ten hours of adrenaline pumped action as students played Internet computer games nonstop on a local network.  In attendance were two students, my wife and myself.  Although it wasn’t our target attendance of fifteen, we still had fun and there were plenty of prizes for all.  There were DVDs, CDs, and stickers from PurePwnage.com and BAWLS soda as giveaways and consolation prizes.  The grand prize for the highest game score was a new AMD Phenom quad core donated by Penn Starr Systems in Laramie.

            The primary goal for the LAN Party was to meet students and increase relationships.  This was not accomplished with meeting new people.  The two students were ones whom I have been hanging out with regularly.  The goal was accomplished by making these relationships rock solid.  Gaming has proven to be a way to connect with students.  As such, I will be working with these students to build a bigger, better LAN party as I seek to be intentional in sharing Christ.

waffles are good

This past Sunday, Dec. 14, BCM helped the LCCC ResHall cook breakfast for students. This a chance for everyone to take a break from studying and to have fun. And we sure did.

The evening was full of problems. From no milk to tiny spoons to errors in reading the mix directions. Inspite of it everyone was happy to get a free meal and to hang out.

Pictures have been uploaded to our Flickr page. Take a look.

    On 27 November Baptist Collegiate Ministry hosted a Waffle Night at the Laramie County Community College (LCCC), Cheyenne Campus, Residence Hall.  The residence halls houses 200 students this year.  Not knowing how popular a FREE food program would be, we anticipated only 50 people to attend.  We drastically underestimated.  After only 1 hour of serving, we had run out of all our food – waffles and toppings alike – with plenty of people still wanting waffles.

    Our purpose for hosting this event was to meet students in the dorm.  Most folks ate their waffles and didn’t hang around long enough to chat.  To remedy the situation, we caused a situation.  Actually, it was an accident.  Due to an oversight of the affect of leavening agents, waffle batter flowed out of our over full jug like a baking soda and vinegar volcano.  When setting the container down, the contents splashed and several drops landed on the student’s hair, shirt, and binder.  After scrambling for paper towels and many apologies, conversation continued and we got to know that student, an aspiring architectural engineer, a little better.

    We were also asked back to help with a late night waffle breakfast during finals week.  Watende, the Residence Hall Coordinator, had been thinking about having a late night snack program.  Our willingness to do a waffle bar provided him a way to know how successful a late night snack would be.  Because the smashing success, the decision was made to have a finals week late night snack.  We are also discussing with Watende another event like this to welcome students back from winter break.

Over the weekend, sevearl students went out hunting for a Christmas tree.  The tree is now set up at the LCCC ResHall.

Nine students in all went up to Centinnal, WY.  Most of the time was spent playing in the snow.  Everyone had a great time.

Pictures the adventure are avalible here.