The Campus House has served students in the Greater Birmingham Area for more than two decades. It sits a few blocks south of the UAB campus and hosts gatherings, worship, small groups, weekly meals, campfires, and a place to connect. It is a big, old house sitting on the corner of 13th Ave. S and 15th St. S serving as the gathering place, worship facility, ministry office, and center of our campus outreach. Johnny Lieske has served on Encounter's staff as our Campus Minister and Director of Campus Ministry since 2015. Please read more below for updates on this exciting adventure.
If you would like to support Johhny's work you can help fuel the ministry by making a one-time or recurring tax-deductible donation at the button below.
If you would like to support Johhny's work you can help fuel the ministry by making a one-time or recurring tax-deductible donation at the button below.
Dear friends and family,
The Fall 2018 semester has been full since the students returned.
Semester Highlights: (Also see our website at https://www.encounterministriesonline.org/campus-house.html and our Instagram account, instagram.com/thecampushouse for more.)
-More students have attended Tuesday night meal and worship services than any year I’ve served (Some nights over 50 students join us). Thursday night Small Groups have seen deeper participation for the students also. All 6 of our Campus House Student Leadership team members (3 girls and 3 guys) are growing while leading others into deeper study of God’s word focusing especially on themes relevant to the students’ college life.
-We have served 4 times partnering with Homewood Church of Christ serving meals to Birmingham’s homeless. It is an eye-opening experience for students that serve, and generally after they have done it once, they come back again in the future.
-Continued Partnership with the Horizon School: We served Horizon’s school with their move-in day for students. This allowed us to meet new students (some of whom have joined the Campus House community) and their parents. Horizons does great work in providing life skills to young adults with learning disabilities. We are thankful to love and serve their students.
-Food Pantry: A new partnership this year with The Church at Southside has let us stock a food pantry with items for our students to access free of charge. This has seen more than 25 students monthly address occasional food deficiencies and receive food such as oatmeal, chicken breast, tuna fish, crackers, peanut butter, water bottles, cereal, and more.
-Jillian’s Senior Night: Jillian Tinglin (a senior and student leadership team member), has been at Campus House since her first semester of college. She played her final Division 1 Volleyball game for UAB on November 8th. As a group, some of us went to support her in her last game. We had a banner made for her which we signed post-game.
-Student Participation Leading Worship: In addition to our regular volunteer worship leaders, Jesse, Joseph, Johnathan, and Grace, we have had different students lead worship also. There is much musical talent in our group and seeing students emboldened to lead is a beautiful thing.
-Thanksgiving Meal: Students brought in food potluck style and shared what they are thankful for. Reports of students growing/feeling closer to God, stronger relationships with one another, and overall thankfulness to be involved in the Campus House community were some of the more common shares. Nights like these always reinforce the reminder of how important the work is that is being done here at UAB in these young adults’ lives.
-Visiting a student in the hospital: One student had a minor heart related surgery and stayed overnight in the hospital. Still dressed in Halloween characters from our costume party that evening, a group of us made our way to the hospital to be with and pray over her. It was a surprise for her to see the door open and in enter Kermit the Frog, Bob Ross, the Scarecrow, and more.
Group Outings: We have had group outings to local forest preserves (Moss Rock, Turkey Creek, etc.), Rec center nights (racquetball, pool, and ping pong), movie nights at the House itself, pumpkin carving,pancake brunches, and more.
Personal Updates:
-Though this has been a season of growth, it has also been a season of loss and sadness. My beautiful mom, Betsy, whom so many loved dearly, went on to be with Jesus after a less than one year battle with cancer. She died September 29th. We held a memorial service for her October 27th in Rockford, Illinois. Going on without her has not been easy. I am thankful to know she is with Jesus and we will see her again one day. She was a huge encourager in my work with Encounter and she is deeply missed as mother, friend, and editor of newsletters.
-Since suffering a herniated disc at the end of August my time with students has looked different. In place of the typical physically active means of connection, I have resorted to spending more time taking students to lunch to get to know their stories and share mine, I also have become a personal driver taking many to classes throughout the day.
-Avery and I moved out of the Shack: After 16 months of living married life in less than 400 square feet, we moved to an apartment 20 minutes from downtown. We enjoy having more space for us and our pup Malibu, distance between work and living, and also being able to properly host friends and guests.
-I officiated a wedding for a friend and former teammate of UAB baseball. It was an honor to join Jeff and Amy in marriage in front of God, their family, and their friends.
-I still spend a good amount of time loving the homeless folk that come around the area. It always brings about interesting stories and opportunities to love them like Jesus.
Thank you so much for your support financially and prayerfully as our ministry grows. Seeing the growth among students, our partners locally, and among our student volunteer leadership team has us excited to finish out this semester and prepare for the new one with a winter retreat also to come!
Please pray for:
-Continued spiritual growth, connection for students, and new students to join next semester
-Winter Retreat January 18-20th
-Our family as we establish new normals in life without my mom.
-The stamina and heart of myself and the staff of Encounter
In His Service,
Johnny Lieske
The Fall 2018 semester has been full since the students returned.
Semester Highlights: (Also see our website at https://www.encounterministriesonline.org/campus-house.html and our Instagram account, instagram.com/thecampushouse for more.)
-More students have attended Tuesday night meal and worship services than any year I’ve served (Some nights over 50 students join us). Thursday night Small Groups have seen deeper participation for the students also. All 6 of our Campus House Student Leadership team members (3 girls and 3 guys) are growing while leading others into deeper study of God’s word focusing especially on themes relevant to the students’ college life.
-We have served 4 times partnering with Homewood Church of Christ serving meals to Birmingham’s homeless. It is an eye-opening experience for students that serve, and generally after they have done it once, they come back again in the future.
-Continued Partnership with the Horizon School: We served Horizon’s school with their move-in day for students. This allowed us to meet new students (some of whom have joined the Campus House community) and their parents. Horizons does great work in providing life skills to young adults with learning disabilities. We are thankful to love and serve their students.
-Food Pantry: A new partnership this year with The Church at Southside has let us stock a food pantry with items for our students to access free of charge. This has seen more than 25 students monthly address occasional food deficiencies and receive food such as oatmeal, chicken breast, tuna fish, crackers, peanut butter, water bottles, cereal, and more.
-Jillian’s Senior Night: Jillian Tinglin (a senior and student leadership team member), has been at Campus House since her first semester of college. She played her final Division 1 Volleyball game for UAB on November 8th. As a group, some of us went to support her in her last game. We had a banner made for her which we signed post-game.
-Student Participation Leading Worship: In addition to our regular volunteer worship leaders, Jesse, Joseph, Johnathan, and Grace, we have had different students lead worship also. There is much musical talent in our group and seeing students emboldened to lead is a beautiful thing.
-Thanksgiving Meal: Students brought in food potluck style and shared what they are thankful for. Reports of students growing/feeling closer to God, stronger relationships with one another, and overall thankfulness to be involved in the Campus House community were some of the more common shares. Nights like these always reinforce the reminder of how important the work is that is being done here at UAB in these young adults’ lives.
-Visiting a student in the hospital: One student had a minor heart related surgery and stayed overnight in the hospital. Still dressed in Halloween characters from our costume party that evening, a group of us made our way to the hospital to be with and pray over her. It was a surprise for her to see the door open and in enter Kermit the Frog, Bob Ross, the Scarecrow, and more.
Group Outings: We have had group outings to local forest preserves (Moss Rock, Turkey Creek, etc.), Rec center nights (racquetball, pool, and ping pong), movie nights at the House itself, pumpkin carving,pancake brunches, and more.
Personal Updates:
-Though this has been a season of growth, it has also been a season of loss and sadness. My beautiful mom, Betsy, whom so many loved dearly, went on to be with Jesus after a less than one year battle with cancer. She died September 29th. We held a memorial service for her October 27th in Rockford, Illinois. Going on without her has not been easy. I am thankful to know she is with Jesus and we will see her again one day. She was a huge encourager in my work with Encounter and she is deeply missed as mother, friend, and editor of newsletters.
-Since suffering a herniated disc at the end of August my time with students has looked different. In place of the typical physically active means of connection, I have resorted to spending more time taking students to lunch to get to know their stories and share mine, I also have become a personal driver taking many to classes throughout the day.
-Avery and I moved out of the Shack: After 16 months of living married life in less than 400 square feet, we moved to an apartment 20 minutes from downtown. We enjoy having more space for us and our pup Malibu, distance between work and living, and also being able to properly host friends and guests.
-I officiated a wedding for a friend and former teammate of UAB baseball. It was an honor to join Jeff and Amy in marriage in front of God, their family, and their friends.
-I still spend a good amount of time loving the homeless folk that come around the area. It always brings about interesting stories and opportunities to love them like Jesus.
Thank you so much for your support financially and prayerfully as our ministry grows. Seeing the growth among students, our partners locally, and among our student volunteer leadership team has us excited to finish out this semester and prepare for the new one with a winter retreat also to come!
Please pray for:
-Continued spiritual growth, connection for students, and new students to join next semester
-Winter Retreat January 18-20th
-Our family as we establish new normals in life without my mom.
-The stamina and heart of myself and the staff of Encounter
In His Service,
Johnny Lieske
Welcome to the Campus House! I’m Johnny Lieske, the Campus Minister and Director of The Campus House. It’s been a joy to serve here. I am excited to start my fourth year in this role. I am originally from Northern Illinois, and my journey to Birmingham is still teaching me that God’s plans are different, bigger, and more adventurous than anything I could have dreamed.
My dream of playing professional baseball took me from Illinois State University to Heartland Community College and finally to UAB for my final two years where I received my degree in Communications, but my baseball career came to an end.
Through the invitation of a UAB baseball teammate, I was introduced to the Campus House. It had such and impact on me that upon graduating UAB I accepted an offer to become the full-time Campus Minister. It is amazing to look back at what God provided in my life just by being a part of the ministry, and how a simple invitation from a friend turned into a such a larger story.
My mission is to provide a place where students of all backgrounds can come as they are and be connected to each other and God in a community of Christian faith and ultimately serve and love others like Jesus did. I know what it is to feel confused, lost, spiritually down and out, and alone on the journey through college. Campus House provides a place to connect with others battling the pressures of college life.
Since settling into my role as Campus Minister in 2015, I have gotten married to my beautiful and fun-loving wife, Avery, we own two pups (Leo and Malibu). If not around the Campus House you can find me at the Rec center climbing the rock wall with students, serving others around town, watching Lord of the Rings, or having conversations about God and life around campus or our firepit.
Come and see for yourself as we strive to provide a Christian environment where we grow together serving and loving students, our community, and beyond.
See you soon!
Johnny
Director and Campus Minister
The Campus House
www.campushouse.org or follow us on Instagram “The Campus House”