April 4-5, 2025
Your faithfulness endures to all generations. — Psalm 119:90
On April 4-5th, we celebrated 50 years of God’s faithfulness to the Study Center. This time was full of the testimony of God’s faithfulness declared from one generation to another.
We are so thankful for the many, many friends who have labored with this ministry over the last 50 years and we look forward to God’s plans in the next 50. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Opening Plenary | "Staying in Place”
On Saturday morning, Andy Crouch spoke about the important difference between “space” and “place,” and why it’s so essential that the Study Center is truly a place.
Listen to our recording of Andy’s talk at the link below.
Keynote Address | “Deep Change”
Listen to remarks from Marta McKinnon, Bill Wilder, and Ken Elzinga.
On Saturday evening, Andy Crouch helped close our celebration by reflecting on the role of time in the life of an institution, the significance of generational thinking, and why the Study Center has the potential to be a lasting institution.
Listen to our recording of the keynote address at the link below.
Morning Devotional | “The Secret to a Satisfying Prayer Life”
On Saturday morning, Jodie Berndt shared wisdom and testimony on the power of prayer and even more—the power of praying scripture over ourselves, our family, our community, and beyond.
Listen to our recording of Jodie’s devotional at the link below.
Breakout Sessions
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How It All Began
Dr. Charles Cotherman explored the origins of the Study Center movement and how it reshaped evangelicalism’s approach to education, culture, and faith in a university setting.
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Study Center Retrospective Panel
In this reflective session, panelists from multiple generations of the Study Center’s ministry—spanning from the 1970’s to the early 2000’s—shared their personal stories and experiences. This panel reflected on the history of the Study Center, its evolving ministry, and the unique ways it has shaped spiritual life at UVA over the decades.
LISTEN TO THE RECORDING HERE. -
Faith on Grounds Today
What does it look like to be a Christian at UVA today? A panel of UVA faculty, Grounds ministers, and students shared their experiences of faith and spiritual life at UVA, highlighting stories about both the signs of spiritual renewal they witness and the challenges they encounter on Grounds.
This panel was not recorded.
From our home to yours…
Our celebration welcome bags included a sample of coffee from a local Christian roaster that we use daily to supply the coffee in our building. You can learn more about them or purchase coffee with the link below.
The cookies in our farewell gift bag were indeed made with love by our student interns and the one and only, Larry Mueller. If you’d like to make some at home, you can find the recipe with the link below.
View a PDF version of our full celebration program at the link below.
Thank you to our wonderful speakers!
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Andy Crouch
PARTNER FOR THEOLOGY AND CULTURE, PRAXIS
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Bill Wilder
STUDY CENTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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Ken Elzinga
STUDY CENTER CO-FOUNDER, ROBERT C. TAYLOR PROFESSOR OF ECON., UVA
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Jodie Berndt
AUTHOR & SPEAKER
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Rob Batton
Col ’27
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Josiah Carey
CAMPUS MINISTER, RUF
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Charles Cotherman
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, GROVE CITY COLLEGE
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Lane Cowin
Col ’03
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Jan Gruetzmacher
Col ’82
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Katie Mead
Engr ’24
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John Owen
PROFESSOR OF POLITICS, UVA
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Wendy Ligon Smith
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN ENGAGEMENTS PROGRAM, UVA
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Beat Steiner
Col ’73, Law ’80
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Corey Widmer
Col ’99