From December 27 to January 1, 16,000 people—15 from Knox—travelled to Illinois for Urbana, InterVarsity’s annual conference, to learn about critical global issues, worship with thousands of other Christ-followers, and hear how God has been demonstrating his faithfulness all over the world. Our own Ann Chow was particularly engaged in this event: As Urbana Canada Operations Coordinator, Ann was raising this baby long before anybody else got a peek at it. (Weird metaphor, granted.) Some of her reflections from Urbana 09 follow. (But first: pretend-you-were-there features! Watch the videos, check out the photos, read the testimonies.)
Bus rides, big crowds, and barrier-busting: reflections on Urbana 09
Go Through Black Spruce and live to tell about it
Knox loves a good read. The evidence? Our very own book club. On February 25, at 7:30 p.m., in Alex’s cozy, book-lined lair/office, Ali Symons and Lauralee Bielert will be guiding a group of bookworms (among whom you’ll want to count yourself) through a discussion of Joseph Boyden’s Through Black Spruce.
Here’s Ali’s promo: “In this 2008 Giller-winning novel, a Cree man and his niece head out into two kinds of wilderness. Will is a battle-scarred bush pilot, running from his crimes up to northern Ontario. Annie chases her missing sister into Manhattan’s modelling scene. Along the way they find love, mystery, and someone eats a Canada Goose in downtown Toronto.” This novel won the 2008 Scotiabank Giller Prize—y’know, if you’re impressed by that sort of thing.
If you have any questions, email Ali or Lauralee. And get reading.
Calling all weekend warriors
The UYAM winter retreat is THIS WEEKEND. You have LESS THAN TWO DAYS left to register—that is, until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday. You are probably all aware of this, since Alex is a master cajoler (in person and over email), but let me join him and encourage you to sign up if you’re at all inclined to. There’s something wonderful—and wonderfully peculiar—about a group of slick urbanites crammed together in a charming old house in what feels like undiscovered territory. And you’re bound to learn something, about you or your friends or Jesus. Or maybe all three. Patrick Voo will be leading the charge at Crieff Hills. Learn more here.
(True story: At the 2007 retreat, I discovered an ancient dictionary on the second floor of the House of the Dove. That same year, I became a lexicographer. I’m telling you, the place is magical.)
