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^{Urbana News Release #3
For Immediate Release}

(Madison, WI) – Registration has begun for Urbana 09, ������Ƶ’s 22nd triennial Student Missions Conference. Urbana 09 will be held December 27-31, 2009, at the Edward Jones Dome and America’s Center in St. Louis, MO. College students, church leaders, and anyone else interested in pursuing God’s global mission are invited to Urbana 09. Online registration is available at

“Urbana changes lives,” says Urbana director Jim Tebbe. “The commitments students make at the conference set life trajectories that have transformed our country and the world. These changed lives not only bring others to Christ but have helped shape society to better reflect the principles of God’s Kingdom.”

The plenary speakers for Urbana 09 are more internationally diverse than ever before, reflecting the fact that today’s college students live in a much more globalized culture. As the internet shrinks the world and opens up new cultural connections, more and more students are participating in international internships, study abroad semesters and summer programs overseas.

Urbana 09 speakers will help Urbana attendees better understand how God’s mission is being pursued on other continents, as well as in North America. They include:

• Ramez Atallah – General Director, The Bible Society of Egypt, Cairo, Egypt
• Oscar Muriu – Pastor, Nairobi Chapel, Nairobi, Kenya
• Sunder Krishnan – Senior Pastor, Rexdale Alliance Church, Ontario, Canada
• Ruth Padilla DeBorst – General Secretary, Latin American Theological Fellowship, San Jose, Costa Rica
• Shane Claiborne – Founding Partner, The Simple Way, Philadelphia, PA
• Brenda Salter McNeil – President & Founder, Salter McNeil & Associates, Chicago, IL
• Patrick Fung – General Director, OMF International, Singapore
• Antoine Rutayisire – Team Leader, African Enterprise, Rwanda

Urbana 09 attendees will be able to select from which will offer specialized focus on specific mission challenges, such as Business as Mission, International Poverty, Domestic Poverty and Advocacy. The Advocacy track is new for Urbana 09, and will be guided by leaders from ������Ƶ, Sojourners, World Vision and International Justice Mission.

The theme for Urbana 09 is “He dwelled among us” (John 1:14). The theme underscores the events of John’s Gospel, chapters 1-4, where Jesus is shown moving into people’s neighborhoods, giving them access to God in a new way. Urbana challenges today’s young adults to be good neighbors wherever God has placed them.

������Ƶ’s first Student Missions Conference was held in 1946 in Toronto, Canada, shortly after the end of World War II. Conferences were then held at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign until Urbana 06, when the conference moved to St. Louis. More information on Urbana 09 is available at

������Ƶ is an interdenominational ministry with over 32,000 students involved on 550 U.S. college campuses. Urbana 09 is also sponsored by Inter-Varsity Canada and Groupes Bibliques Universitaires et Collegiaux du Canada.

For more information contact:
Christy Chappell
Urbana Communications Director
608-443-3671