Claire Umstead Ministry Updates

     Hello! Happy November! really has flown this year. The picture above is from our Fall Camp this year! I talk about it more below.      Thank you for your continued support. As always, send me any prayer requests or updates on your lives. Let's jump in! Keep Focus Growing What is this about? Our missionaries raise support, but it takes a lot more than that for us to do ministry! Outreach activities/materials, administrative support, planting new campuses, health/retirement benefits, etc. This is about being around for the long haul and expanding our reach. What does our theme, “Faithfully Local,” mean? One of our core convictions is that we go TO the students and do ministry where they live, eat, study, and play. We move into the neighborhood, so to speak. We contribute to the good of the campus, seeking to improve the culture and experience of each place, and we do so for the long-haul–something especially unique at community colleges that have few long-standing student organi

  Hello! I hope all has been well with you. Above is a picture of one of our first Thursday Night FOCUS meetings. Already we have such a sweet group of students joining our community. I am so excited about what this school year holds for us! Thank you for investing in these college students!!  As always, feel free to send me any prayer requests so I can be praying for you and your life.  Staff Retreat     At the beginning of August, all of FOCUS staff went to Riverbend Retreat Center in Glen Rose for our annual Fall staff retreat! I was looking forward to it this year because I know most of the staff and what to expect during our retreats.      We had a lot of fun together as well as some good teaching to reflect on and ready our hearts for the school year. Some of the topics we talked about were Self-Denial, and Loving from the Heart. They were helpful reflect on going into school year. Leadership Training     When we got back from Staff Retreat, we had leadership training for our stu