This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the Jubilee Conference in Pittsburgh. Jubilee is a conference put on by the CCO, the Coalition for Christian Outreach, an organization that focuses on campus ministry for college students. Abby Blankenship, CCO staff and Gannon campus minister, led a group of Gannon students to the conference for a weekend full of opportunities.
Jubilee is a place for college students from all over to gather together for worship with a team composed of very talented CCO staff, and to listen to powerful speakers share the gospel, but putting it in a context that anyone can understand, regardless of where you’re at in your faith journey.
They specifically focus on the beauty of creation, the tragedy of “the fall” and how God, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, is able to redeem and restore us. Not only that, but they also relate to more modern concepts and issues, something that puts these gospel stories and important messages into a relatable context in today’s society.
Following these sessions, students are given time to break into community groups with individuals from their own schools as well as other universities. These groups allow students the opportunity to discuss the ideas they just heard and share their own feelings and opinions on the concepts. In doing so, students are able to process their thoughts on the speaker’s message and maybe even hear an idea from another student that they hadn’t quite considered yet.
Throughout the weekend there are also several breakout sessions, which take place between the large group sessions in much smaller group settings, and consist of a variety of speakers and topics. This can range from current real-world issues, such as racism and human trafficking, to vocational discussions, like getting involved with ministry or how God plays a role in the life of a health care professional, business person or military professional. These are only a few examples; there are so many options and there is certainly something for anyone and everyone.
And if all of this wasn’t already enough of a reason to come to the conference, Jubilee also has tables of exhibitors and their sponsors set up in the conference hall throughout the entire weekend, giving students the opportunity to learn more about various organizations, even some they may be interested in partnering or working with in the future. This includes campus ministry programs, summer camps, nonprofit charities and so much more. In fact, students frequently find internships and even sometimes lifelong occupations by attending the Jubilee conference and visiting the tables of these exhibitors.
Overall, Jubilee is a fantastic and even life-changing experience, offering soulful worship, inspiring speakers, group discussion with other college students and so many other opportunities to learn more about yourself and your faith. The next Jubilee Conference will be held in February of 2020, and I highly encourage anyone who is interested in going or just wants to learn more about the experience to contact Abby Blankenship at [email protected] for more information.
GRACE DENNIS
[email protected]