Associates

Below are a handful of testimonies from some of our Associates. Thank you to all of our Associates - we so appreciate your involvement and support!

Ken and Paula Ball

Why are you an Associate with U-Min? We dedicated our home to the Lord's use and this came up as our bedrooms became empty nests.

How have you seen God work in the lives of college students while being an Associate? I would hope each young person has been encouraged, given a freedom from worry about, "Where will I live?" so they can focus on how they will serve, have been supported, cared for, and been provided a place of refuge and respite.

How has your life been impacted by God by serving as an Associate? I have had company when my husband travels, I am reminded of how a young person processes life, I have had opportunities to share my journey, I have laughed, I have been challenged to care about someone else besides myself, and the Spring Work Days have helped me maintain our yard which I cannot do along.

Amy Youngstrom

I am an associate with UMin because it is a ministry that was instrumental in my own faith. The Annex is really where I came to know the Lord for the first time, and it was also the place that blessed me with some of the dearest friendships in my life. The opportunities that were provided to me as a student were so transformative in my own faith, that if the Lord can allow me to be part of that in someone else's life then that's awesome!

The work that I've seen God do is both hard and fantastic. My primary role has been serving on the Messenger committee. That's a time that you really watch students learn to truly let go of expectations and fear and fully rely on the Lord. Then so many of them go and have their understanding of the Lord deepened by their experieinces around the world serving with other believers and also diving into the lives of hurting people. My favorite though is when they come home and are continuing to process their experience and see what it really means for their life here and what the Lord may be calling them to.

Being part of this experience is also a constant reminder of going through that experience myself, and it always reminds me how good and big the Lord is...sounds cliche, but those are really important things for me to remember.

Stephen Fries

I have been an associate for 4 years-this is the start of my 5th year with U-Min. I became an associate at the urging of this Jim Fletemeyer guy (I took care of his kids since 1980 when I arrived here and was his kids' pediatrician) and his daughter-in-law Jennie, and that Bill guy who is head of U-Min. Jennie suggested I volunteer as an Associate and I thought it was way out of my league. My daughter Maggie moved to Boulder from U of Iowa and I felt the calling then, especially since U-Min was short one adult leader that year. I have been hooked ever since. That other young fellow Don Bachman helped me grow into the role. I have helped cook at the Thanksgiving dinners and have been leading Core Groups and Life Groups since. Our groups have seen prayers answered, I watch these fantastic guys struggle with how to walk with Jesus, and have watched them mature and grow. I have a front row seat to watch them as they face the challenges of the cirriculum at CU. God has been good to me through this whole thing. During my second year, my dad died and my guys were awesome in support. I feel blessed and fortunate to be involved in such a wonderful ministry, and I am looking forward to cooking again this November. This is a picture of this year's Life Group Team.

Chris Rieger

After being a U-Min student in the mid-90s, I have been an associate for about 10 years, serving on the Messenger committee and as a core group leader in various years.

As a student in college, when I made so many decisions about my life's direction, almost everyone I interacted with was also in college. It was really valuable to also know and be mentored by U-Min associates during those years. I absorbed the shared wisdom and life experiences from those men like a sponge!

Since college, it has been a wonderful privilege to get to remain involved as an associate, helping in the ministry that was so instrumental in the early years of my own journey with Jesus Christ. What I hadn't expected was how rich it would be for me to know students as they themselves grow through those same pivotal years in their lives. The freshness of the students' faith has a way of rubbing off. Watching them strive to make Jesus the foundation of their adulthood blows some of the cobwebs out of my own life. In relationships between U-Min associates and students, it is hard to say who will benefit more. But what a great vantage point to watch God at work!

Don Bachman

Why are you an Associate with U-Min? Initially, God called me quite directly! Then my call was confirmed when I took the Network seminar at First Presbyterian Church.

How have you seen God work in the lives of college students while being an Associate? I have seen God do amazing things in the lives of college students during my years as a core group leader and as a mentor.

How has your life been impacted by God by serving as an Associate? I have grown and matured in my faith through Bible study, prayer and accountability in core groups. I have honed and sharpened my leadership skills through my service on the U-Min Committee. I have received blessing upon blessing as I have continued to mentor college guys. We have gotten older together! My life has been filled with joy and hope and enthusiasm in my fellowship with other associates. I have experienced true koinonia and Christ-based relationships in the regular monthly meetings of the U-Min Committee.