December 13, 2007
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Falling Ice and Glorifying God
I had someone comment on my last post asking if I had ever gone to URBANA. URBANA is a student missions conference through InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. I went in 1990 as a student and then staffed it in 1993, 1996, and 2000.
In 1990 there were over 18,000 students there. We had it at the University of Illinois. Our main session each morning and evening was in the dome shaped Assembly Hall. There are lots of entrances and we usually used all of them. Imagine our surprise when the buses let us off at one entrance. But we didn't think that much about it, really. At the end of the evening, they announced that we all had to leave out that one spot just like we came in. We had had major ice storms and the ice was melting. It was falling off the domed roof and there was concern that someone would be injured. Thus, we all had to use the one covered entrance/exit.
It took me about 3 hours to exit and get back to the dorm. The amazing thing was that the whole time we were all singing praise songs and hymns and laughing and talking. The U of I told the leaders that they would NEVER have tried it with an "ordinary" crowd. Praise God!
That is a fun memory.
Comments (3)
Ahhhh Urbana.....my friend Michelle (these1000hills) also went in 1996. I was in InterVaristy but I never went to Urbana.
Sounds like a great memory. I, too, was at Urbana -- but long, long ago. Many happy memories, particularly of singing. Your IVCF background is cool. I volunteered as staff for three years after college, while working full-time as a graphic artist. Interesting years. Even now, one of my closest friends (a relatively new friend; not one of my college cronies) is an area director for InterVarsity.
My two college sons attended the latest Urbana -- held in the stadium in St. Louis!
Oh, the memories of the stadium and how big it was! I remember walking from that stadium, with the wind blowing our faces off, back to the dorms. Because the winds were so strong we had to look down as much as possible without running into each other. I was a prayer group leader which made it easier to get to know everyone. Billy Graham was the key speaker the year I was there. We also got to listen to Elizabeth Elliot speak which is so special to my heart today. What a woman of God she is : )) Hearing hundreds singing Great is Thy Faithfulness and other great hymns to this day makes my heart swell with the memory. Can't wait to sing in God's heavenly chorus.
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