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Brett and Cortney Heerwald in Trondheim, Norway
Reaching Students for Christ, Equipping them for Life’s Journey, Sending them out to Change the World.
Please visit our blog for frequent photos and updates, as well as support information: cortneyandbrett.blogspot.com or send us an email if you would like to be put on our bi-monthly newsletter mailing: bcheerwald@hotmail.com.
Cortney's & Brett's newsletter
Currently
Brett and Cortney (Kenow) Heerwald have almost completed their first year in Trondheim, Norway pioneering campus ministry. They are working through Assemblies of God World Missions (AGWM) as Missionary Associates for a commitment of a minimum of 2 years. They are a part of the Students for Christ Europe (known as Chi Alpha Students for Christ in the U.S.) arm of AGWM.
Mission
“To reconcile students to Christ, equip them for life’s journey, and send them out to change the world”. In Trondheim we plan to do this through Prayer & Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship, and Service/Outreach.
Statistics
Norway is a country of 4.6 million people. Trondheim is a city of 180,000 with over 30,000 university students. It has the largest science and technology university in Norway (NTNU). In the Universities of Scandinavia there is very little or no Christian witness or outreach in the universities and most students know little about Jesus in their affluent but materialist and unfulfilled lives. As one of the wealthiest and most privileged countries in the world, and once one of the greatest missionary-sending nations, Norway and its universities have the potential to send out thousands of students that will change the world. Think how the continent of Europe and the world could be changed if they were reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and lived missionally wherever God sent them! Europe as a continent is considered by most to be “post-Christian” and there is a greater sense of secularization and rejecting of God than on almost any other continent in the world. There is a great need for workers and God is drawing hearts back towards Europe.
History and info on Brett & Cortney:
- Cortney has been a member of and involved with WLC her entire life. Her parents- Renee and Charles Kenow, sister- Danielle; and grandparents- Ray and Arline Kenow, are also members. She was actively involved in Sunday school and youth group growing up and was confirmed at WLC. She has been a sent missionary (along with Brett) from WLC to university students for the last 3 years both in Duluth, MN and now in Norway.
- Brett is a 2005 graduate from Gustavus Adolphus College with a religion degree and Cortney is a 2004 graduate from the University of MN, Duluth with a degree in English Literature and minor in Environmental Studies. Brett and Cortney met in high school (both attended Woodbury Senior High School) on their first mission trip to TN.
- Following a year of friendships and several mission trips later, they dated for 6 years and were finally married July 29, 2005.
- They both became involved with the campus ministry UMD Chi Alpha Students for Christ through Cortney’s involvement with the group all through college at UMD.
- Upon graduating, Cortney came on staff as a full-time supported missionary intern in 2004. In 2005, after marriage, Brett joined the staff full-time as an intern and Cortney remained full-time staff. Woodbury Lutheran Church and other friends and family supported them financially and prayerfully through this time.
- In 2005, both participated in a mission trip through Chi Alpha to the universities in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden.
- December 2005 they were asked by the founding pastor of Duluth Chi Alpha, Chuck Haavik, to lead a team to pioneer university campus ministry in Trondheim, Norway. Chuck has a relationship with the pastors of Betel Pentecostal Church in Trondheim over several years, and they gave an invitation to send a team to help them reach university students. This was to be the first team in a vision to place teams to pioneer student ministry in all of Scandinavia. There currently exist no other AG missionaries and none doing student ministry in all of Norway.
- By the hand and grace of God, they and another friend from Duluth, Kelly Larson, received training and approval by AGWM, as well as financial and prayer support from Woodbury Lutheran Church and friends and family, and moved to Trondheim, Norway July 26, 2006. They are overseen by both a regional and area directors from AGWM. Because there is no missionary already in place in Trondheim, Chuck Haavik and his family spent 5 months helping them get adjusted and Chuck tries to return at least twice a semester for follow-up and support. They remain in contact on a frequent basis oversees.
Students for Christ Europe: www.sfceurope.org/index.html
UMD Chi Alpha Students for Christ: www.d.umn.edu/~chialpha/