Hey friends of Joe and Kim Whitchurch, Graduate & Faculty Ministries of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in Indiana, and friends of various evangelical professional school (MBA, CLS,...) ministries, 

You've got to see our cool new Graduate and Faculty Ministry DVD show.  I linked to it on my AV menu at http://ingradiv.com or just click the link below to view it directly, knowing that it is in QuickTime (which you likely have, but if not it is a free download here).  Click the link below and look for the little sideways arrow on the lower LH side under the Babylonian artwork to click play.  It's about 3 minutes but you'll like it and find it 'calling' affirming. View it directly at http://ingradiv.com/gfmvideo.asp 

Everyone asks about Urbana.  Yes, it is no longer exclusively 'an undergrad thing' for missions.  The "Open for Business" track is for entrepreneurs & MBA students.  E.g. Non Marxist students who take Jesus, the academe, missions, business, markets, and development seriously will not be beat up & will feel at home. Yes Virginia, such types do still exist in Western Universities. Open for BusinessRegister for the Dec 27-31 conference and this track at http://www.urbana.org/go/ofb and if you do so before June 15, 2006 as a GFM affiliated student, use Code# G11449 to save $50 and if you are a student leader and register online before May 31st, 2006 use Code# C10847 and get a $100 discount.  Faculty and/or Practitioners get a $50 discount if they register by 6-15-06 using Code# G11384 and GFM Alumni get a $50 discount using Code# A11023.  But, and this is NOT important, if you use html code, you get no big deal here.  (-:   Are you interested in other summer evangelical graduate student and/or faculty conferences? Just click here for several cool options http://ingradiv.com/conferences.asp and check them out! 

Thank you for praying for our  weekend retreat this last weekend.  We had graduate students and graduate staff from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana present in Madison participating in Bible study and culture-shaping seminars and discussions with Andy Crouch of 'Christianity Today' and the 'International Justice Mission' and other presenters.  We met in the armory (and were safe at the UW Madison LOL) which is right next to the Union.  For photos of the Union and the beautiful terrace where we had a couple break times and a meal, check out the first 3 pictures at this site commercial site!Want to see loads of pictures and videos and listen to mp3s streaming of that weekend?  Of course you do.  Click http://www.gfmuiuc.net/madison-conference06/Site/Welcome.html to enjoy.  Pray for Eliot, Tom and me to be faithful to put into practice the things we learned together.

Sidebar comment:  The three of us were housed together by a Math Ph.D. graduate student from the UW Madison.  I was impressed at his hospitality and liberality with time and his apartment space.  I asked where he did his undergraduate Math and he said Wheaton.  A friend and former Graduate IVCF student leader from Purdue , who did his Ph.D. in Math at Purdue now teaches at Wheaton so I asked if our host knew him.  He not only knew him but stated enthusiastically that he was his very favorite professor!  I thought you might find that as encouraging as I did.  Keep up the good work and ministry you alums! 

Kim and I are from the 1st Evangelical Free Church in Rockford, Illinois.  Our home mission base church is Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) here in Lafayette, there are no established Free Churches locally.  A few weeks ago I asked you to pray for a sermon I'd be giving at all three services here at ECC.  Thank you for praying!  Feedback on the message was quite enthusiastic and some of you have asked to hear it.  Fortunately the church taped the message and has it up online in mp3 format so you can listen to that 30 minute message if you need a spiritual Lift.  Click at this site http://www.ecovenant.org/sermon_recordings.htm and look for the April 30th message which should be there today or try here http://ingradiv.com/images\mp3s\joessermon.mp3 .  I hope you enjoy it and find it motivating for continued edification ministries, education, evangelism, and empathy ministries personally and through your varied fellowship(s) and home churches.

If you've read this far you truly are a wonderful support team partner.  Thanks .  As you know our fiscal year ends June 30th and we basically have one month left in that year.  My supervisor tells me that my operating fund has been pretty solid this year and for this I give thanks to God and to you dear friends who pray and support us.  As of the end of the month of April apparently I'm showing a support deficit of $3,207 and your potential extra year-end support would be greatly appreciated here late May and the month of June, as God may lead and enable.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support for this ministry.  May God help us penetrate and permeate the University and through it the entire world with the wonderful savor of our matchless Savior who was crucified as a blood atoning substitutional sacrifice for our sins, is risen bodily from the grave, and is coming again soon!

Joe and Kim Whitchurch   /   Graduate InterVarsity Christian Fellowship   /   State of Indiana Team Leader

Here is a good Pop culture resource on my web for you, if interested http://ingradiv.com/davinci.asp  

Want to support our ministry via an online gift?  Try here http://ingradiv.com/donateonline.asp   Prefer U.S. Mail? Send check made out to 'IVCF' with a note "for the ministry of Joe Whitchurch" to IVCF. P.O. Box 7895. Madison, WI. 53707.  Want to drop us an email and say HI?  jbw@insightbb.com  Want to publicly comment on some of my culture critique comments via a blog?  Try here http://pgfoot.org   Blessings intended!