Date: Sep. 12, 2016
Inspired by the completion of the renovation of our ministry building this summer, this semester we hit the ground running with our outreach efforts, much more than we have usually done in the past. It has been our persistent prayer to share the good news of Jesus Christ and make him known at IIT. The outreach events were hosted by the IIT Bible Club with support from the iitubf ministry, and included 3 events during the first week of classes.
Outreach efforts began about a week before school started, Weds, Aug 17th with a booth at the Student Involvement Fair across the HUB. There was a sign-up sheet where interested students could write down their email address. The first 20 students to sign up received a 16 GB usb flash drive. We had 36 students sign up that day.
The first event was held on Sunday night Aug 21 at 6pm. The event was a welcome night to welcome students to the new semester. There were food, games and prizes. Chinese food was catered in from Triple Crown restaurant near Halsted & 31st. 13 new students showed up for the event that night. The first game was a post-it war where teams had 30 minutes to design and create a work of art using post-it notes. The winning team received Starbucks gift cards. The second game was a memory game, where you tried to match 2 pictures randomly scattered on a grid. The top 3 individuals who found the most pairs won portable USB speakers.
The second event was an Ultimate Frisbee outing, for something more active. The event took place at Siegel field, right on 33rd and State in front of Crown Hall, Weds night Aug 24th at 6pm. None of the students from the welcome night were able to make it, but we met 3 new students that day who joined for a couple rounds of intense Frisbee. One student was actually a part of a Frisbee League, and brought some amazing skill. He even played in style in a dress shirt, vest and tie. After Frisbee we hung around for some ice cream!
The final outreach event of the week was titled The Rising Life, held at our ministry building on 32nd and Indiana, on Friday Night Aug 26th at 7pm. This event was to connect students with alumni, many who have continued to serve the ministry even after college. It was entitled The Rising Life, both to encourage students to rise through each year in college, and also to show how our lives could rise through faith in Christ. 6 students came, some from each of the previous outreach events. The night kicked off with Chicago style (!) stuffed pizza from Lou Malnati's. Afterwards 5 alumni shared their experiences in school and beyond, and showed the ways in which God had been and continues to be faithful to them.
Thank God for blessing each of the events, to make them an encouragement for the ministry and for students. Thanks to all who gave their time to support the events, from getting the handouts and prizes, to the planning, the food and facilitation of each activity. Thank you to the students, both old and new, who took the time to join in all of the events. We hope that this ministry may be a place where students can worship God, grow and learn more about him – through joining worship services at the Chapel at Sundays at 10am, getting together with the Bible Club weekdays around lunch to study the Bible, and/or meeting for one-on-one personal Bible study.
More outreach events are planned for this semester – please stay up to date here or on our Facebook page. Below are a couple of pictures from each event. For more pictures from the outreach events please also check out the Bible Club's Facebook page.
