Students

Escape to freedom

As the weather turned colder and torrential rain hit Leeds Uni campus, we knew this could only mean one thing – it was time to put up the marquee, dust off our table cloths and coffee makers and round up our team of enthusiastic CU members to put on a whole week of events with the aim of taking the gospel to the campus.  This year however, university building work planned for 2010 moved us forward from the snowy month of February, so that Escape to Freedom week took place at the beginning of December.  Praise God for Peter Dray who agreed to be our main speaker at short notice and for the logistics team who made the café and lunch bars come together.  Praise God also for a great publicity team, who ferociously drew several plans, doodles and pictures until we finally decided on the eye-catching design at the top of the page.

In the marquee we hosted a daily café with plenty of CU members to sit with, and chat to, the guests.  We challenged our friends and visitors with an apologetics talk each lunchtime ranging from “Why does a God of love allow suffering?” to “Isn’t God a psychological crutch for the weak?” There were various different events in the evening, with cell groups putting on Pub Quizzes and Music nights, some student testimonies and on the Friday night, an opportunity for regular visitors to come back and find out what it actually means to become a Christian.

In retrospect, the visitors to the marquee were mostly unknown to the CU as there were fewer friends brought along than in previous years.  This presented a challenge to us to get alongside and build relationships with those who were asking questions.  As we enter the New Year, we’re planning a Christianity Explored Bite size course as follow up from the events of Escape to Freedom week.  Please be praying for personal invitations to be accepted and for guests to come with open hearts to engage with the topics.  Pray too for the CU members who get involved that they will be bold in their discussions and that guests will see the need to respond to the call of Christ.

We’re extremely fortunate as a CU to have the support, manpower and finance to put on such a week.  Thank you to all those who have been praying for us, and who continue to remember us in prayer.  Please pray that our focus on Mission Week and follow up won’t distract us from continually living and speaking for Jesus with our friends and fellow students in day to day life.