Each year, the week before semester one classes commence, the USU (University of Sydney Student Union) runs a three-day Welcome Fest. This allows USYD clubs and societies to meet new students and invite them to join them in their activities. The EU has been involved in Welcome Fest for many years, and 2026 was no different.
This year, we hosted a stall over three days, with nearly 60 EUers volunteering their time to welcome people to the EU. Our volunteers invited new students to join us in studying the Bible and be part of our faculty communities.
In the midst of a busy Eastern Avenue, there were many encouraging conversations with Christians who were looking to sign up for the EU, as well as with others who had great questions about Christianity. The three days also saw us meet and welcome many international students, who we invited to be part of euFOCUS, and read the Bible with us.
During the three days, we gave away 600 cups of iced matcha, over 1,400 donuts, and hundreds of Zooper Doopers. The opportunity to give away food provided a great catalyst to engage with people in conversations, especially those who had questions about Christianity.
During the stall, we also gave away Bibles and short Christian books. There was a genuine interest in receiving free literature – many were surprised that we were giving them away. For some of these people who were not Christians, these free books provided an initial starting point for them to consider the claims of Jesus.
Across the three days, we had nearly 200 newcomers provide us with contact details for us to follow up with them. While this number is slightly lower than in previous years, the trend seems to be that more newcomers sign up prior to attending Welcome Fest.
The EU Welcome Stall is a great opportunity to engage with the campus publicly and to provide a significant, welcoming presence. It is also a very fruitful opportunity to have great conversations about faith and who people think Jesus is. Please pray for the many students whom we met over these three days, that many would come and be part of the EU, and consider the claims of Jesus.
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