USA (MNN) — For the first time in decades the largest student missions event in the world is changing venues. Urbana ’06 is heading to St. Louis, Missouri. Because of the change in venue, Urbana, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship’s Student Mission Convention, spent yesterday introducing itself to Christians in the community.
Intervarsity’s Urbana Director Jim Tebbe says, “We want to be a blessing and a help to the city and it’s more than just a convention that’s coming here, taking place, using the facilities. We’d love to see some lasting affects come out of this.”
St. Louis Pastor George Stulac is excited that Urbana is coming to his city. “There’s just nothing else like Urbana. It’s an unparalleled event for gathering together all the resources of world missions in one place where people from our churches can hear speakers and contact any mission board they want to contact. I’m very excited that it’s going to be here in St. Louis.”
A breakfast at the Missouri Athletic Club and an open house at the America’s Center were the kick off events yesterday.
Registration for the December 27-31, 2006 event should go live on the web by the end of the month. Tebbe is praying that 25,000 students will participate in the 21st triennial Urbana convention.
InterVarsity has staff on several local college campuses, including Washington University and St. Louis University. St. Louis pastors are already familiar with the work of InterVarsity as a result of its ministry on college campuses and its partnership with New City Fellowship in the CityLights urban renewal ministry in the West End of St Louis.
