Our 4th year of our Citywide mission has come to an end and what a week it was!
This year themed “Victory” Belfast, the 3 CUs of Queen’s, Ulster Belfast and Stranmillis came together to host a week of events on campuses to share the good news of the gospel with their friends and course mates. It was so encouraging to see so many of the students across the 3 CUs get behind the week and there was a real sense of excitement that people had brought their friends along and were having good conversations.
Each stay started with prayer at 8am which provided great opportunities to be able to hear stories and conversations that were happening throughout the week across the 3 campuses and to be encouraged by how God was moving and working. Each campus then headed out in various ways to flyer on their campus and to find ways to try and engage students in conversation about the topics and invite them along to the events.
The lunch events saw many students coming along whether for free food or for the question, these were really encouraging throughout the week. Prayers were answered on Stranmillis campus after the first day not seeing many non-Christians attend, throughout the week more students came along, initially for free food, but stayed to hear the talk.
On Ulster Belfast campus, despite logistics of difficult room bookings, God was so faithful in bringing people who were searching to their lunch events. On the Wednesday, only 4 guests came to the lunch along with some CU students serving. So, while we looked around initially and seen the room quite empty and could be disappointed, the 4 students who came all had so many questions afterwards. They all asked questions aloud which provided good discussion, and all stayed afterwards to have 1-1 conversations with CU students and took a copy of Luke’s gospel. Please pray that these 4 students would keep coming back with their questions and that God would use His Word to speak to each of them.
As in previous years, we hosted “International Meal and Message” events for our international students. It was an encouragement to hear the discussions that were had and to see some students staying for the evening event afterwards to hear more. It is also an encouragement that many students who attended throughout the week have now began to attend some weekly ministries were there are further opportunities for discussion and Bible studies.
The evening events finished off each day with students from all over Belfast gathering where we had interviews with students and professionals on the topics of identity, justice, suffering, purpose, and community. This year we introduced having a piece of art commissioned for each of the evenings and it was exciting to see how God uses art in His mission and to speak to people. Chris McBurney then spoke using Luke’s gospel each evening and helped students to think about how Jesus is the answer in each of these areas of life and provide opportunities to ask questions. This led to many discussions happening each evening.
It is always difficult on a big-scale Event’s Week to hear all the stories of what God is doing, but as I reflect it was such a blessing to be involved in what God is doing in this way. Our prayer going forward is that this week will have just been a catalyst for mission, not the end point. We pray that these conversations continue, that CU students will keep inviting their friends and that God will be watering the many seeds planted throughout the week!
Written By Olivia Bailey, Belfast Staff Worker
