Pastor Andrea uses "Question of the Day" to connect with students at NSU.

"In my initial introduction when I started [at North Highland], they asked, 'Can we do stuff on campus?' I said, 'Of course, there are ways. We have to figure it out, but of course,'" recalled Rev. Andrea Johnson, pastor of North Highland United Methodist Church in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

Johnson capitalized on her connections with the Northern State University football team through her son, who was a starter, his freshman year on the team. A year later, as she began the Practical Church Leadership  (PCL) program through Dakota Wesleyan University, she decided on her PCL project idea—to extend her congregation's ministry to the campus.

However, as is often the case when following the Spirit, the "plans" took an interesting turn, and this fall, Pastor Andrea officially added "Director of LuMin"—a campus ministry  at Northern State University in Aberdeen, S.D., sponsored by the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America) Synod, to her job title.

The road to this role began when Pastor Andrea met with the previous director of the ELCA ministry as part of her PCL project research.

"We got together for coffee a year ago before school started and just talked about what they do and where things are at," recalled Pastor Andrea. "Through all of that, I decided to partner with her and join with her and kind of see how that went and carry out the stuff for my project through that connection."

Little did she know, but this step toward partnership was laying the foundation for a door that would open later that year. About halfway through the school year, the previous director announced she was leaving the role and encouraged Pastor Andrea to apply. She went through the formal interview process and was selected to take on leadership. United Methodists have a full communion relationship with the ELCA, which allows pastors to serve cross-denominationally.

The position is about 10 hours a week, which Pastor Andrea spends primarily on campus with students.

"One of the main things I do on campus is sit at a table in the student center on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. I have a question of the day – whether it's a ridiculous question or a more reflective question," explained Pastor Andrea. "The question this week was, 'What is a food or song that brings back good memories?' Some of the students reflected on songs from movies they watched as kids and music in those, and then some of them wrote things like great grandma's veggie soup and those kinds of things."

Pastor Andrea & LuMin host a "ThanksMis" worship between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The simple answers opened up conversations about family, memories, and opportunities for deeper connection.

"There's usually a student there [with me]. The students couldn't be there this week, so it was just me sitting at the table, and I thought, 'No one's going to come and talk to me.'  Before I even had the paper rolled out with a question written on it, I had five students stop and ask, 'What's the question? What are we going to do today?'" Johnson described. "It just really proved to me the importance of consistency, of just showing up and being that presence. It just really helps bring that connection. There ended up being lots of great conversations—probably more than I normally would have had just because they felt freer to talk about things that maybe were deeper than they would talk about in front of their peers," she reflected. "It ended up being one of those little God surprises."

Even as God surprised Pastor Andrea through this new ministry opportunity, she wasn't the only one who had to be open to the Spirit's shift from the original plans. Her congregation also said "yes" to the change in expectations.

"They really love the fact that I can be there as a presence on campus with the students," said Pastor Andrea. "They understand that the students may or may not ever walk through the doors of the church. But they feel like their ministry is extended to campus through my being there."

She has also discovered that hosting events on campus rather than at church or another off-site location makes them more accessible for students.

"It's easier to promote and it's easier to get people there when it's in the lobby of one of the residence halls where they're in and out and walking by," said Pastor Andrea. "We try to find spaces where we can be visible and accessible to people there."

A Pumpkin Painting Party provided opportunity for connection and faith conversations.

One example was a recent pumpkin painting gathering with hot cocoa and cookies in a residence hall lobby.

"It was great to have that interaction with all the people, and they're just having fun," said Andrea. "It was mostly just lighthearted, fun connection, which is a really good thing because they are stressed."

As the night went on, the conversations shifted to more profound questions of faith.

"It was a great way to connect and have good conversation and just talk about things of faith," recalled Johnson. "I don't know where any of that leads for them necessarily, but just to have the time and opportunity and connection to do that is important. I don't know where else they would ask those kinds of questions."

As Pastor Andrea continues to live into this chapter of her calling, she hopes to expand aspects of the ministry.

"The students brought up that they want to do some kind of a spring break alternative mission trip, so I would love to see there be some kind of connection like that," she said.

She also looks forward to additional doors God might open for her congregation members to connect with college students. They currently host the football team for a meal twice a season.

"When we do that, they are fully on board. They jump in to be a part of that and be here to support and see all that," said Andrea. "As things come up and there are needs, we'll find ways they can jump in as well.It's growing that partnership and growing that connection over time, and I've seen that."

Last Spring, North Highland and LuMin hosted a Pickleball tournament on campus.

Leaning into ecumenical and congregational connections, as well as the Conference connection, continues to fuel this new endeavor.

"I got a grant [from the Conference and Dakotas Methodist Foundation] last year and this year," said Andrea. "It goes a lot farther when you can pool the resources together, and a lot more can be done together than trying to start your own separate thing," said Pastor Andrea.

Sharing resources and collaboration are just two examples of Kingdom values that she would encourage all churches to embrace, whether in young adult and campus ministry or any outreach.

"I would prefer to have more of a Kingdom focus and Kingdom mindset rather than 'Well, this is the Lutheran or this is the Methodist'," explained Andrea. "If we can have a Kingdom mindset, I think a lot more can happen."

Her advice to churches that are sensing the call to take the step to try something new?

"It's about a lot more than attendance and offering. There's a bigger piece to keep in mind—it's lives," said Pastor Andrea. "What we do is partner with other organizations or other places to be able to bring the love of Christ in tangible ways, and we might not see the result, but that's not what we need to see. We just need to be faithful to what we're called to, and I think that's something that we are all called to do," she said.