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2:8 Update
September 17, 2013
The 2:8 House has joined several other groups to host this event! We encourage you to pray for this event on Thursday evening. Discussion will continue with an informal meeting at the 2:8 House next week.
September 17, 2013 

Dear Friends,

 

The fall semester is well underway. We have hosted several events and a special lecture, shown above, is scheduled for Thursday.

 

For those of you on the Southwest Oklahoma District, we encourage your church to participate in the district-wide back-to-school offering for the 2:8 House. The original offering was scheduled last month, and we have received contributions from Mustang, Norman Community and SouthPointe churches. You could encourage your pastor to show the two-minute introductory video and include a prayer card in your Sunday bulletin. Both of these resources are available on our website.

We mentioned in last month's 2:8 Update we were in need of a financial blessing. That need is discussed in an article below. We also mention a new campaign on Facebook to build awareness and new donors.

 

God is at work! Thank you for your continued, prayerful partnership with us.

 

LOVE IS. 


Dave, Rhonda, Mary and Jonathan Kyncl
Craig, Anita and Jude Shepperd 
Fall semester activities continue

 

The Fall 2013 semester is in full swing, and the 2:8 House is hosting a variety of activities this semester, including:

 

Fat Tuesday
We host free lunches the first Tuesday of every month. It is a great way to meet new people and support other ministries of the 2:8 House. Even though this is a free event, donations will be gladly accepted.

Fireside Chats
We will host regular discussions about the inter- relationship between faith, calling and the academic community. We hope to coordinate these events with a group of Christian graduate students and host the discussions in our living room.

International Friendship
We encourage local families and students to participate in existing friendship programs with international students.

Scripture Memory
We encourage students to begin the process of scripture memory. The first set of cards were distributed to students this week.

Discipleship/Mentoring
We meet students individually to "spur them on" in their faith journey.

2:8 Recovery
meets Thursday nights during the semester. The evening includes dinner, small and large group meetings.
 Financial need continues, Facebook campaign begins
As of today, the 2:8 House is in need of $6,100 to increase our funding to our budgeted level for the year. To date, we have received 61 percent of our annual budgeted income, while spending 63 percent of our annual budgted expenses. We are now 67 percent through the year.

"God continues to provide for the financial needs of this ministry through the generous support of individuals, Nazarene churches and districts," David Kyncl said. "Many of our donors have supported this ministry for years."

In an effort to reach new donors, the ministry began a 50/50 Campaign on Facebook. The goal of the campaign is to add 50 donors in the next 50 days through the Facebook page. To participate, you should first "like" the28house Facebook page. You can then share the need with your Facebook friends who may be interested in supporting the 2:8 House. Donations may be given through the 2:8 House website or mailed to the address listed below.

"It is important our friends realize that we are raising ministry team members while we are raising financial support," Kyncl said. "We encourage our friends to follow God's leadership as they participate."

This partnership is discussed in the following quote from Henri Nowen's "A Spirituality of Fundraising, pp 24-25:

"Fundraising is a very concrete way to help the kingdom of God come about...Even a seemingly small act of generosity can grow into something far beyond what we could ever ask or imagine: the creation of a community of love in this world and beyond this world; because wherever love grows, it is stronger than death. So when we give ourselves to planting and nurturing love here on earth, our efforts will reach out beyond our own chronological existence. Indeed, if we raise funds for the creation of a community of love, we are helping God build the kingdom. We are doing exactly what we are supposed to do as Christians."
international students w flags
Host families sought
New international students enroll at OU every year, and the 2:8 House staff and friends are working to recruit families to participate in an International Friendship program at OU.

This program facilitates friendships between international students and American families. It is a great way to get to know a student from another country. Students enjoy getting to know an American family.

"For several years, Bronell and Paula Greer, who served as missionaries in India for decades, hosted OU students from India." Dave Kyncl said. "They would hold monthly fellowship dinners at the 2:8 House, which also helped us connect with the students."

We encourage any interested families to contact us to learn more about this great opportunity.

Shown below is a beautiful Chinese wall hanging that was presented to us by a graduate student about a year ago. He asked a family member who is very well known in China to produce Ephesians 2:8 as a personal thank you to the 2:8 House. Ephesians 2:8 states "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."
You will now find this piece of art in the entry way of the 2:8 House.
Even though 1 Thessalonians 2:8 is our official theme verse, this is another great 2:8 verse!
In This Issue
Activities in full swing
Financial need continues
International friendship opportunity
Happy New Year
Mission Statement
Happy New Year!
By Dave Kyncl

"We loved you so much that we gave you not only God's good news but our own lives, too." 1 Thessalonians 2:8

I realize the calender indicates it is mid-August, and New Year's day is more than four months away.

However, when you live around a university campus, the new academic year begins this month. Actually, it begins tomorrow. So, in many ways, this is our new year.

We begin our 16th year on campus after saying "see you later" to several of our students who completed their undergraduate and graduate degrees. We know that God will continue to expand the influence of his ministry as these graduates begin their careers.

We also know that we will be meeting several new students. Both Craig and I will be teaching in the freshman college. Rhonda has already had a couple of phone calls about her composition class. And, we will be faithful as Christ's ambassadors at OU.

Thank you for your partnership with the 2:8 House. It makes a difference for ETERNITY.
2:8 House Statement of Mission
The mission of the 2:8 House is to serve and build relationships with the University of Oklahoma community, its students, faculty, and staff, in the following manners:
  • Making the person and work of Jesus Christ known, including proclaiming, by word, and demonstrating, by deed, the reality and love of God;
  • Acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God;
  • Supporting the ministry of the local church; and
  • Making Christ-like disciples of those in the nations.
Deuteronomy 32:1-2 (The Message)
Listen, Heavens, I have something to tell you.
Attention, Earth, I've got a mouth full of words.
My teaching, let it fall like a gentle rain, my words arrive like morning dew,
like a sprinkling rain on new grass, like spring showers on the garden.
For it's God's Name I'm preaching--
respond to the greatness of our God!
Contact Information
David & Rhonda Kyncl, kyncl@28house.org
Craig & Anita Shepperd, cranita@28house.org
www.28house.org
700 Chautauqua Ave.
Norman, OK 73069
405-447-7027 
 
Donations may be sent to: 2:8 House, P.O. Box 3211, Norman, OK 73070.

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