NCU Embraces The City

EUGENE, Ore.  - Embrace The City Day, an annual day of service at Northwest Christian University, took place on September 23rd with over 200 volunteers from the NCU community participating. The event took place on a Friday afternoon for the first time, moving from its normal Wednesday slot.

On this particular day, all NCU classes are cancelled in the afternoon, giving every student, faculty, and staff member the opportunity to participate. This year NCU served at 13 different sites including Child Evangelism Fellowship, South Hills Rehabilitation Center, the Eugene Mission, the U of O, Gilham Elementary, Food for Lane  County, Hannah's House, St. Vincent de Paul, Bosco House, Free People of Eugene, Hosea Youth Services, and the Pearl Buck Center.

Britni D'Eliso, NCU's Assistant Director of Campus Ministry said, "This year, ETC day required extra flexibility, but regardless, God was definitely moving in a number of different locations.

At Hannah's House, a one-year residential training facility for women over 18 with life-controlling problems, a group of seven NCU women went to help lead their weekly chapel service. According to D'Eliso, "the women really opened up to connect with the NCU team, joined them in prayer and shared their stories."

The instant bond that developed was so strong that when the NCU team went to begin their other project, helping to weed the house's garden, the women insisted that they scrap the project in order to come back inside and spend more time chatting.

A group of 40 people was set to spend Friday afternoon joining with Chi Alpha, a missions group from the University of Oregon, to help UO students move into their dorms. These plans fell through, however, as nearly all of the students were moved in on Thursday. Fortunately the group was able to instead visit Gilham Elementary School where they assisted with the school's Jog-A-Thon. 30 people went to pass out water and cheer on the runners while a few other NCU members were able to still go to the University of Oregon campus to hand out flyers with Chi Alpha to invite new students to a Christian event that evening.

D'Eliso said, "Overall, the day was a great success. I firmly believe our Lord is pleased when his children seek to love our community in His name, and he was faithful to bless our efforts."