Last Friday afternoon Sydney University recommended to all clubs and societies that they should cease on-campus activities, effective from Monday morning this week. This was a surprise to all, since we thought such action might still be several weeks away. The EU student Executive made the decision on Friday night to take all EU ministries on-line from Monday morning. EU student leaders and the EU staff team worked hard over the weekend to get all bible study groups, student and staff training groups, Public Meetings, one-to-ones, team meetings and staff meetings online by Monday.
Steep learning curve
This week has been a steep learning curve for all of us as we experimented with online ministry.
It has been encouraging to see students taking initiative in using online platforms to proclaim Christ and encourage each other in innovative ways. Lots of people have commented that they appreciated being able to watch a Public Meeting on Facebook, discuss God’s word in an online Bible study group or pray together with their prayer triplet over the internet. I estimate that somewhere around 250-300 online EU meetings have taken place this week.
Staff meetings via Zoom
EU Bible Studies Online
Public Meetings online on Facebook. Join us on our Facebook livestream.
How to have fun at an online Afternoon Tea after EU Public Meeting? Answer: do the crossword together
Testimony from a first online Bible study group, ‘Honestly one of the best small groups ever.’
Our prayer is that, despite this weakness of not being able to meet together in person, the Lord might show His mighty strength and bring more students to saving faith in Jesus in this time, that we might see greater growth in Christian maturity amongst EU students, and that there might be deeper appreciation amongst the Christians at Uni for the challenges (and opportunities) that Christians in other parts of the world regularly experience who are unable to meet together in person.
God’s kindness
Since the announcement to clubs and societies last Friday, the University has now announced that all classes will cease on campus at the end of this week. So, by God’s kindness, the EU is ready to continue ministering to USyd students despite the fact that they won’t be on campus.
EU staff pastoring and teaching online
Almost all of EU’s weekly ministries are continuing, albeit now in an online form. Whereas the EU staff used to walk around campus from a Bible study group to training students to Public Meetings to prayer groups to student ministry team meeting, now these are all happening online, with the EU staff connecting via video streaming from their homes. The ministry opportunities have not lessened amongst the EU students, but there are new challenges to face as the EU staff team adjust to hours and hours of video pastoring and teaching every day.
Many questions still remain about EU ministries later in the year (Annual Conference, End-of-year missions, etc). Unfortunately, EU’s 90th Anniversary Fundraising Gala Dinner (scheduled for early May) has been postponed until early next year. This will introduce some funding issues for the EU GradsFund ministry, since we were looking to this event to build our financial base, plus we have some increased costs associated with moving all the ministry online. If you feel like you would like to assist financially, please click here or contact our Administration Manager
(9351 7496; administrator@gradsfund.org)
Navigating in new ministry waters
When this week started, we felt as though we were having to press ahead of our sisters and brothers in churches into the virtual online realm. However, with developments as the week has progressed, churches and para-church ministries across Australia are all finding themselves having to navigate ministry in the online world. We do not know for how long this mode will need to continue, although most suggest at least until September this year.
We will keep you informed through updates in the Flood newsletter, and in prayer points from individual staff. Our great comfort in all this is that our heavenly Father has all things in His loving, sovereign control. Jesus is still Lord – and He forever will be! We will keep proclaiming this to the University that needs Him, and to one-another as a source of comfort, hope and eternal joy.
Warmly in our Lord Jesus’ service,
Rowan Kemp
EU Staff Team Leader
CEO, The EU Graduates Fund
