Are you looking for a way to multiply your visibility and impact during the upcoming year?
Have you considered eating lunch in the cafeteria on campus?
While some things have changed on the landscape of university life, other things haven’t… students (especially first year students) are required to have a meal plan — which lands them in this centrally located eatery multiple times a day.
But how often do we take advantage of this fact?
If you’re anything like me, it can be easy to rationalize NOT choosing the cafeteria for your mid-day meal — whether the prices seem too high for what you’re getting, or the food seems too greasy, processed or mass-produced for your liking (some of which may be true, some of which may not be true) — but the reality is that the cafeteria is a great, convenient location at which to eat, connect with students and multiply your ministry efforts.
First, we’ve all got to eat lunch… so why not choose the location with the MOST students in which to eat it? Sure, there will probably be times when it makes good sense to get off campus with a couple of students, or even eat in your office in order to take care of pressing business, but if at all possible, why not make this one of the most fruitful hours of your day by putting yourself where the MOST students are!
Second, connecting with students is central to our ministry efforts. Connecting with students on campus can sometimes be a challenge. Often they are on the move, from one thing to another, but when they stop for lunch they’re often blocking out an hour of their day to sit and enjoy this meal. What a great opportunity to connect, and re-connect, with students that you’ve recently met. It’s also a great way for students who may not know us to gain familiarity and comfort with us — as they see us interacting with their peers.
Finally, if choosing the right lunch location has the potential to multiply our ministry efforts, than doesn’t our decision on a lunch location become an issue of stewardship? It seems like it would fit into the ‘work smarter, not harder’ category of life/ministry choices! As we put ourselves into close proximity with students, and meet the friends of students that we’ve already connected with — on their turf, it’s hard to imagine how God wouldn’t choose to exponentially grow the length of our reach.
As a classic introvert, and 35-year-old trying to stay in shape, it can be tempting to use my lunch hour to run errands or grab a quick work out. But this year I’ll find another time for such things. So, if you’re on campus and looking for me over the lunch hour (or want to join me) just head over to the caf… I’ll (hopefully) be sitting with a group of students!
How about you?
- Do you utilize your lunch hour for ministry with students? What benefits have you reaped from using your lunch hour this way?
- Do you frequent the cafeteria? Why or why not?
- Are you more likely to take the lunch hour ‘off,’ grab lunch with a 1 or 2 students in an off-campus location OR enjoy lunch with a group of students in the caf?
Thanks for sharing your insights and experiences!
[p.s. – it may be worth talking with the food provider at the institution your serve as they may be willing to offer you a discounted rate on meals and/or a meal plan]
7 thoughts on “A Lunch of Opportunity”
I consider the cafeteria at our small school one of the best places (even better than the student center) for connecting with students. A number of our faculty and res life staff members use the cafeteria for one-on-one or small group meetings with students. I try to keep my hour free but still eat there. I have met more students and made more lasting connections with them through the caf than through events or dorm visits. There is something powerful about eating with people. I can sit down with one person that I know and suddenly I am introduced to their friends and then their friends. It can also be a great way to get into various subgroups on your campus. I find that many of our athletes, international students, etc. tend to eat together.
I have the benefit that with a deal between our food service provider and the university, I have seven meals each week as a part of my contract. I eat most lunches there and then sometimes an evening meal as well (which tends to be an even better time to connect with students because they are not rushing off to something else.) Students also appreciate it when my family joins me for an occasional meal as well. Our caf isn't always the best meal around but I can pick and choose and the relationships made and nourished make it worth eating there.
Frank,
Thanks for your comments! You confirm a lot of my own hunches, and past experiences, and it makes me really look forward to re-entering this '3rd place' space. We're currently in conversation with our food service provider about obtaining a discounted rate, deal or complimentary package of meals to help with the costs of this kind of ministry. I love the JBU has made this a part of your compensation package!
Good post Guy! Getting into the swing of things, I need to become visible on campus and as you pointed out, everyone has to eat. So I think this fall I'm gonna be at the caf and student union as much as possible. What do you think about trying to get involved in fall welcome weekends? Is that easy to do or am I pretty far behind to get in on that this year?
Hey Tom! Any updates from a year later? Did you find the caf to be a strategic location for you? Have you made plans to be involved with Welcome Week this year? Had any vanilla lattes lately? 😉
I’d love to hear how things are going!
Thanks, Guy, for this good reminder! I did this so frequently at Asbury, but have gotten out of the habit for the reasons that you mentioned (plus a few more). But…it is absolutely the best place to connect with students in a casual setting. Again…a great word!
Ashlee, you are so right… it was such a part of the culture at Asbury (well, that and the fact that Wilmore did NOT have a lot of lunch options). It's funny how different practices like this can be vary so widely from one campus to another.
Tom, I would HIGHLY encourage you to do what you've suggested… especially as someone who is starting up a college ministry at your church. Being present on campus is SO crucial to connecting with students. In regards to your question about welcome week activities – yes, you may be too late for this year, but you should definitely talk with the folks in Student Affairs (or Student Development) at the campus near your church. There may still be opportunities for you to be involved during this important week on campus. [I'll post some other thoughts on having a presence during Welcome Week next Monday in my 'Ideas for August' post… so be on the lookout!]
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