Matt 29:19-20: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

At the beginning of the year, the EU seeks to welcome new students on to campus during what has formally been known as O-Week and Week One. This year with the name changed to Welcome Week, and Senior Staff, Howies and Students were eager to see many people welcomed into the EU to hear about Jesus. The EU’s Welcoming Project (WelPro) seeks to make the EU visible on campus to invite Christian first year students to join bible studies as well as any student who would like to investigate Jesus.

Throughout Welcome Week, the EU opened three main stalls: near the quad, on eastern avenue and at Charles Keenan Reserve in Redfern on the way to university. The stalls were strategically placed to help new students hear more about the EU’s activities of small groups, public meetings, Equip and Ancon. 150 volunteers helped to give away prizes, played handball, chalked and offered free BBQ’s. Despite the weather, students and staff were filled with joy as they formed new relationships with incoming students.

During Week One, EU students could be seen everywhere on campus in their green EU T-Shirts with “Jesus is Lord” boldly on the back. Students aimed to create a presence of the society as well as asking students to consider reading the bible on campus. Advertising for public meetings involved encouraging students to “unlearn” their negative connotations about Christianity and “#relearn Jesus”. The Spontaneous Pizza Banquet was a highlight during Week One, in which students were asked to bring in camping chairs and tables to create a long banquet table down Eastern Avenue. Many students flocked to join the table, creating real conversations between students as they shared a pizza lunch.

Over 550 new contacts were made over WelPro, including 150 international students, many of whom are investigating Jesus for the first time, and many local students who were also interested in reading the bible to investigate Jesus. Students and staff have been excited to see many of these new contacts joining small group bible studies and visiting public meetings. Please pray that new connections made during this welcoming season would come to know Jesus as their Lord and grow deeper to love him as their God.