January 7, 2007

I start to feel a wave of excitement as I round the corner from Washington onto Kirkwood. The stop signs and traffic are only obstacles to me at this point that must be overcome. With my car parked, I scurry into Trinity Episcopal Church where I know fellow brothers and sisters will be waiting to get the day’s event underway. I am met with numerous familiar faces all characterized by delightful smiles. Today was the first Sunday back in Bloomington after Christmas for many of us involved in the Renovo Sunday lunch. As the clock nears 1:30, we, the volunteers, gather in a hallway to talk over the plans for the day, read some Scripture, and pray together. (more…)

Wow - Heather Nichols is in the Wall Street Journal talking about Urbana!

From the article:

“At the age of 24, Heather Nichols has taught songs to kids in Thailand and has been to Africa twice to assist surgeons. She has led a missionary trip to inner-city Philadelphia and is about to do another. And she closed out her year here in St. Louis with more than 22,000 of her closest friends in Christ.

The convention, called Urbana, has been going on triennially for the past 60 years, but this year it finally outgrew the venue at the University of Illinois for which it is named. So the organizers at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship moved the operation to the St. Louis convention center to accommodate its expanding girth; and Urbana Director Jim Tebbe hopes that St. Louis, as a result, will become known not only as the Gateway to the West but also the ‘Gateway to World Missions.’”

You can read the full article here or check out her Urbana updates here.

Congrats!

Barbara Bandera’s Reflections on Urbana: “I sought the LORD and he answered me…” I found Pioneers and African Inland Mission and their organizations mirror what is on my heart…and here at Urbana, finding that on the first day is a miracle. I am signed up and ready for the next step, Hallelujah!! (more…)

Yesterday, here at Urbana, they fed 750 people every 9 minutes at some points during the 2 hour dinner time! Tonight, we experienced what hunger and relief ngo’s might serve starving people to prevent them from dying. A greenish, slightly lumpy porridge was served (with added nutrients) and 3 packets of sugar. A bottle of water was also given to each participant. The wait staff were even cheering us on! The money that was saved on that meal was then donated to HIV/AIDS prevention and relief organizations. Praise the Lord for that!

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Day One almost to an end…

This morning our hotel along with some of the others all started out with freezing cold showers! Yay for 22,000 students in one city! Today was filled with great worship (including several songs in Spanish, Korean and an African language), dance, drama, time to visit the many exhibits, seminars and a morning and evening session.

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Heather and some others who made the trip to the Urbana Conference will be posting their musings from their time there. Check back daily for more thoughts on what God is doing in the 22,000 students attending Urbana. Here’s the first post from Heather: (more…)

It’s interesting to me the many problems we have in life that are considered “big deals.” The idea of not having a lot of money, not having a significant other, not doing well in school, etc. Don’t get me wrong, these are all very important, however, life is a little bigger than that isn’t it? As a matter of fact, there’s a dilemma so big in the Bible, that it’s scary…

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Day one with the Dog

So
when I was traveling down to see my family in Florida this thanksgiving
I stopped off in Warrner Robins GA to pick up and dogsit my sister’s
dog. The dog is an all black Cockapoo with little white paws…ahhhhhh!
That’s right, the species is a mix between a cocker spaniel and a
poodle thus the name cockapoo. O the story of the cockapoo is never
ending. Did I mention the dogs name is princess? Can you picture me
walking the dog with a pink leash talking to it in a high pitched voice
telling it softly to go potty? I still can’t, but I did and am doing
it…

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