Have you ever wondered what it takes to pull off a 700-person, five-day conference? As a staff member on the Evangelical Union’s Annual Conference (Ancon) team, I’ve had the opportunity to be part of that effort alongside a team of dedicated students taking on real responsibility

During this experience, I’ve been consistently impressed by the students’ innovation and creativity. The experience of an Engineering student, James Lang, as an Audio-visual technician, led him to suggest several exciting new ideas for Ancon 2014. This included a wifi-accessible intranet to complement the conference as it unfolds.

The Ancon team often requires students to take on things they’ve never tried before. Tara Keyser, a fourth year Pharmacy student, was unsure about overseeing the production of the main promotional video for Ancon. But with the support of the student leader, Stephanie Judd, who studies Arts/Law, she was able to pull together a team, form a creative vision and execute a high-quality video.

The Ancon team similarly calls for a high level of leadership. Reflecting on this experience, Stephanie Judd noted that despite the challenge of balancing both trust in the team, with the need to provide direction, it has been a joy; “I get to see team members step up and take ownership over delivering things and developing skills they never knew they were capable of.”

Although I have often felt uncertain of the best way to support the students through this huge task, I have seen the way that the staff partnership gives the students confidence to pursue new and bold things while they continue to juggle other responsibilities. “The staff members,” Steph commented “help us remember that we’re not just completing tasks; we’re working with people, as a team, towards an end that we pray will benefit hundreds of other people.”

Praise God for the many servant-hearted students in the EU; may these opportunities further equip them to bless his Church and bring him honour.