erik and kari

Kari's job story ... a year later!

I sent an e-mail to my grad school professors to update them on my new job in ministry. It's so detailed that I decided to post it here, since many people ask how I got to where I am. It's long, so grab a drink and find a comfy seat.

In spring/summer 2008, I was doing my job search in Housing & Residence Life for an Area Coordinator-type position in either KY or TN to be closer to our families and still be in the south. In June, I still didn't have a job, so Erik and I had to move off campus (!!!! - first time ever! I lived on for 11 years!!) so my on-campus apartment could be cleaned and moved in to, even though I still had 3 weeks of work left. We found a townhouse to rent on craig's list. It's 10 miles west of campus. This was an important move, as we needed a place we could easily move out of when I found a job. So then July came and I was officially voluntarily unemployed - weird feeling - and then the dream job opened up at Vanderbilt about a week later. On paper, it was everything we had prayed for. The campus interview was awesome (my would-be supervisor was even at IU grad!), but at the end of the day when I was processing it with Erik, I knew we were not supposed to be there. It was the end of July!!! What was I going to do?!?! Training was just days around the corner!! I just blurted out that "I think I'm going to look into college ministry." I didn't even know what that meant or why I said it!

So on Aug 1, I talked with a contact in UNC Charlotte's religious life office. She sent me some names and churches. I ended up meeting w/ the Executive Dir. of CharlotteONE (charlotteone.org), which is a ministry to reach young adults and singles in Charlotte. Over 600 people come out every Tuesday night uptown to worship and hear a message. There are 30 partner churches in the city to get people connected to a local church. I met with him for a few hours at Starbucks, and then he sent an e-mail to the pastors of the partner churches, letting them know that I was interested in working with college ministry. What we learned is that there are few few churches in Charlotte with a college ministry program, so he got a large response. He put them in order for me as far as location and type of church, and then I met with a few of the pastors over coffee. There was one guy/church I really connected with, and after about three meetings he told me the position was mine if I wanted it. I was everything they had been praying for - no formal interview, no resume, no reference checks. Wow! And crazy! (so unlike ACPA and all the Housing job conferences.)

It was just amazing how God clearly laid out the path I was to take and everything perfectly fell into place. On October 1, I came on staff (part time) as the College Pastor with University City Fellowship (ucfellowship.org), a non-denominational church about 15 mins from UNC Charlotte. And it is the PERFECT job for me! I never ever thought I'd leave Housing, but the reality is that I was done supervising RAs. My job description now is to minister (aka counsel) students, build relationships, do discipleship/bible studies, etc. So basically I'm getting paid to hang out w/ college students! YESSS! I became a RA 10 years ago to work with college students ... I chose to go into Student Affairs to work with college students ... I feel so blessed that I am still relevant and passionate enough to be working with college students! Most of my colleagues have moved up into admin roles, and I never thought at 30 I'd be doing the same thing I started so long ago.

So here's a typical week or two -
Sun - since we meet in a high school, we have to set up and tear down the church. Work 6:30a to 12:30p - 7:30a in the summer! (College students go to service, so I don't have my own meeting on Sundays. I am in charge of the cafe with bagels and coffee and info tables.)
Mon - staff meeting at the church offices. this is typically the only time all week I have to go in the office! I turn in my receipts and do about an hour of office stuff.
Every other Monday is College Dinner. Erik and I have the students over for dinner and games/activities. About 12-15 students come each time. (We are moving this to every other Thurs in the fall, and starting a women's issues/bible study on the other Thurs.)
Tues - Fri - around 5 meetings in coffee shops both on and off campus. Catching up w/ students, and doing a discipleship book series we have. I also meet w/ my pastor for the discipleship book and general ministry updates.
Other - camping trip, fun/cultural events, helping them move, helping them build connections with campus offices/staff, interventions, counseling ... and everything else a college student may need to feel loved and cared for!

One of the coolest parts was redefining some relationships with my old students who I supervised at UNC Charlotte, and doing that discipleship study with them each week - we had time to do that now that we weren't talking about bulletin boards, their residents, incident reports, etc. I also go to lunch on campus with some of my old colleagues every now and then, which is great to keep up that connection.

Mostly this summer, we have other church events that I work, and then the college students volunteer, too, so that's another way we're connecting. A few weeks ago, I got to put on my Housing hat again and do a roommate agreement with three of my girls who are moving in together! Too fun! And next Friday, our group will be helping some of the freshmen move in (folks who graduated from our h.s. ministry and are going to UNC Charlotte, so they'll be in my college ministry.) - AND they are living in the res. hall I was in for 3 years! What a "full circle" event that will be for me!

Outside of working for church, Erik and I are really involved with an amazing small group (15 adults and about 11 kids, with 6 more on the way!). We meet with them formally on Wednesday nights, and informally a lot through the week! They are Charlotte family.

To bring this all around ... God totally wants us here, and that has been so apparent through this journey this year. So, we started looking for a house in November ... and we'll be closing on one this Friday (August 21)! We are thrilled to have a permanent place for our ministry that is right in the heart of the church community - it's 4.2 miles north of UNC Charlotte and 5.5 miles from church, in a town called Harrisburg. It's a 1970 brick ranch with a half acre and a front porch and all the old and Southern charm I need. I plan on reconnecting with my Indiana farming heritage!

I would not be this successful without the experiences I had in Housing, but also in the master's program at Clemson. I am now so glad I picked a counseling program and not an administrative program. So much of my job is counseling! I have students at community colleges looking to transfer to UNC Charlotte = counseling. We talk about following God's will for your life and career (related to a major) = counseling. Boyfriends/relationships = counseling (I wish I took marriage/family counseling as my elective and not law!) Good decision making = counseling. And all this comes so easily to me because of my training, education and experiences.

My "challenging diversity experience" in Multicultural Counseling (fall 2003) was going to church and to a MercyMe concert. It's been an amazing journey in a short time. And it feels so peaceful and comforting to know we are following God's will and not our own. As far as babies ... I just keep telling people "there's work to be done." These college students are so important to us right now, and it is so apparent how and where we're needed. And for some reason, God has kept us very relevant - even past my 20s :) That won't last forever, so we're taking advantage of this stage of our life. And the baby stage will be here soon enough.