June/July Snapshot

Making a Difference

Here's a video one of Cru's media teams made to say thank you. I hope you realize how important you are! God is using you to build His kingdom.

Together We Are Making A Difference

Mid-June update

Hi Friends! Below you will see May's Snapshot.

I am writing to you from Charlotte, North Carolina, on my way to Orlando for my summer assignment. I am so excited to take seminary classes through Cru's Institute of Biblical Studies! I'm a little less excited about living in a dorm room... in the Orlando summer heat... but I'm sure I'll survive. My next update will come after I return to Pittsburgh. I hope you have a great summer!

April Snapshot

March Monthly Snapshot

Here's this month's update. I pray the Lord will draw you close to His heart as we celebrate Easter this week. 

^{Under the Old Covenant, God's presence dwelt in the Most Holy Place, behind a curtain in the tabernacle/temple. Only the high priest could enter, and he only once a year, after he had made sacrifices to atone for sin.}

 ³¹ “Make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker. ³² Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases. ³³ Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the covenant law behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place..." - Exodus 26:31-33

The Old Covenant was just a shadow of what was to come, a way of preparing us for the day when God Himself would dwell among us on earth, out in the open. When Jesus died on the cross to pay for your sins and mine, the curtain that had once separated us was torn. 

³⁷ With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. ³⁸ The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. ³⁹ And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” - Mark 15:37-39

Because He died, rose from the dead, and returned to His rightful place in heaven, the division between God and man has been destroyed. When we come to faith in Christ and surrender our lives to Him, the Spirit makes His home in us. Our bodies become the dwelling place of God. We enter into a relationship with our Creator! That's so crazy! 

¹² He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. ¹³The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. ¹⁴ How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! ¹⁵ For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. - Hebrews 10:12-15

Praise God for Easter!

It's Official!

Hi friends!


Some big things have been happening in my life, and I'd like to bring you into the loop. Back in December, the regional leadership asked me if I would like to be considered for the opening Missional Team Leader position in Pittsburgh. You may recall that my teammate, Jon, and I have been leading the team on a temporary basis this year, as the team leaders were in Australia and are now transitioning back to Pittsburgh with a new baby.


After a series of conversations, a self-evaluation, and references from my entire staff team plus my roommate and other friends, the process is complete. Last Wednesday, the region officially offered me the position of Missional Team Leader in Pittsburgh. And I accepted! That means I will be staying in Pittsburgh for another 3-5 years to offer direction to the staff team and Cru movements.


I am so excited. During my time as the interim/temporary team leader, I've realized that my passion has shifted from primarily being on campus and working directly with students to giving direction to the movements and training and encouraging the staff team so they can step onto campus fully equipped and prepared for success.


Though little will actually change in my life as a result of this decision, I will be going through a new training process to better understand my roles. This summer I will take the second year of required seminary classes in Orlando, including Biblical Interpretation and Communication and God/Bible/Holy Spirit. Next year, I will spend the summer going through six weeks of Missional Team Leader training.


Here is the email sent out by the region:

"On behalf of our entire regional leadership team, I'd like to introduce Kirstin Heyne as MTL for the Pittsburgh Metro Team.  Kirstin and Jon Mathieu did a wonderful job leading the Pitt team this year while the Weimer's were on STINT in Australia. We are thankful for their leadership and know that God moved both in and through them. We are excited to see how God continues to work in the Pittsburgh area as Kirstin steps into this role to lead with Jason Weimer. In sharing this news with the region, I want to say a special thanks to Maria Weimer who has brought incredible leadership and influence to that team as the AMTL alongside Jason these past years. As she is now a mother of 2 sweet girls and she has felt led by God to transition out of this role and to be a part of the team in other ways. She is confident in Kirstin's ability to lead with Jason and also excited to see what God does in Pittsburgh.

Here is a little more about Kirstin:

Kirstin first understood the concept of a personal relationship with Christ through Cru at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Her plan in college was to become a high school social studies/history teacher, but she dropped the education bit before student teaching because it would conflict with ministry. She ended up with a B.A in History (with a twentieth century world focus) and a minor in Sociology.

After interning at IUP, Kirstin joined staff in 2007. She spent roughly three years in MPD and finally finished on April 15, 2010. Tax Day has a special place in her heart.

When she moved to Pittsburgh in 2008, she was pleasantly surprised to find that city life is awesome! One of her favorite pastimes is exploring the neighborhoods of Pittsburgh and soaking in the rich history and culture of the area. She is convinced Pittsburgh is the best city in the world, and the world agrees. (In recent years, it has repeatedly been voted one of the “Prettiest Cities in the World”, the “Most Livable City in the US”, and “Best of the World”… and not just by local Yinzers.)

Kirstin’s passion in life is reconciliation and restoration. Her favorite part of ministry is seeing men and women enter into life-changing community where they experience healing, grow in their understanding of the people they were created to be, and step out in confidence to fill the Kingdom roles only they can fill.

She is known to watch movies over and over again to make sure she doesn’t miss anything and almost always has a camera in hand. She prefers to only read nonfiction because she automatically internalizes all typed information as truth, and things like the Hunger Games mess with her mind.

(And just to clarify, her name it pronounced “curse tin hine.” It’s a “curse” because no one can pronounce it. Get it?!?)

Please join us in thanking God for Kirstin and praying for her as she makes the transition to this role."

YAY! Celebrate with me!

Happy Leap Day!

Posting this month's Snapshot on Leap Day was my goal. I mean, it's only every four years you can do something on Leap Day. Ministry got in the way, though, as it often does with less important things. So here it is, on March 1.

And here is the Pittsburgh Metro newsletter, as promised in my email.