A: Campus Renew is ultimately a way of living our faith- of reflecting on our lives, of sharing with one another how God is working in us, and of discovering how we can put our faith into practice everyday. It is comprised of several small communities- groups of 8-10 students that meet weekly to pray, read scripture, and share faith. Each semester students involved with Renew join one of the small communities and together these students share their faith with one another.
Q: What do you do at a typical Renew meeting?
A: A typical Renew meeting flows something like this: The group opens in prayer. The gospel reading for the upcoming Sunday is prayerfully read aloud a couple times and members are given a chance to respond to the passage. A reflection is then read to further the gospel's message. The final section of a Renew meeting is called the "Beckoned to Action" section and members are given suggestions on a spiritual assignment to accomplish in the week leading up to the next meeting that helps them put into practice the discussions of the week before. They then close in prayer.
Q: How often does a Renew group meet?
A: Once a week for one hour or as long as the group agrees to meet.
Q: When does Campus Renew meet?
A: Campus Renew offers varying times of availability throughout the week to allow interested students to fit Renew into their usually busy schedules. The exact times are determined each semester and vary from semester to semester, but groups generally meet on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays anywhere from early afternoon to late evening.
Q: My friend leads a Renew small group. Can I join their group?
A: Yes you may as long as the meeting times for that specific group work for you.
Q: Will my Renew group carry over semester to semester?
A: Renew groups are given the option at the end of every semester whether to remain a group for the next semester or to disperse into new groups.
Q: What do I do if I cannot meet at any of the available times?
A: Campus Renew is committed to offering every student the chance to join a group, however there are limitations to when we meet based on small group leader availability. If you cannot meet at any of the scheduled times you can still let us know when you are available and that you are interested. If enough students desire that time we will make every effort to provide Renew at that time Also keep in mind schedules change semester to semester so a time not offered in the fall might be available in the spring and vis-versa.
Q: Where does Campus Renew meet?
A: The meeting locations for small groups are determined by the small group leaders that run them and agreed upon by all members of the group. Leaders will be flexible to the needs of students who cannot make it off campus or cannot make it on.
Q: How do I sign-up for Campus Renew?
A: Renew holds a "Sign-Up Sunday" each semester and makes a table available after all Sunday masses that week. Interested participants will fill out a card of availability times and personal information to be kept on file, and the Renew Leadership will pair up groups after that. You will then recieve a call from your group leader telling you the time and location of your first weekly meeting.
Q: Who are these "small group leaders"?
A: Small group leaders are chosen by Renew Leadership and are comprised of students from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Each small group leader is a member of the group they lead seeking to grow in their own faith with their group.
Q: Does Renew cost anything?
A: Renew does not have a "membership fee" or any type of "dues", but we do require all members to contribute $5 each semester for the booklet they will use each week in their meeting. Outside of that, Renew costs nothing.
Q: Are Renew groups Co-ed?
A: Campus Renew offers All Male, All Female, and Co-ed groups.
Q: How many people can be in one small group?
A: If you count both of the small group leaders, Renew groups work best in units of 5 to 10 members and those are both our minimum and maximum respectively. This means a minimum or 3 or maximum of 8 non small group leaders per group.
Q: Do I have to be Catholic to join a Renew Group?
A: No! While Campus Renew is sponsored and run by members of St. Thomas More, being Catholic is not a requirement to be a member of Campus Renew. We welcome anyone who wishes to be in a small community environment and have fellowship with other faith-filled college students.
Q: I am an Upper Classman and have not been in Renew before. Should I join?
A: Renew groups are offered to anyone and everyone because anyone and everyone can get something out of Renew, even if only for a semester or year. Every community is strengthened by each member's varying experiences in life and an Upper Classman will offer valuable gifts and insight to any group just as a new freshman would.
Q: Who would I contact about getting involved with Campus Renew?
A: The best person to contact about Campus Renew is our Advisor Roy Kammer. You can e-mail him at here.