The Wesley House at UMR

Starting the Semester on the RIght Foot

2007-01-08T13:09:00.000-08:00

This morning at Wesley students gathered to have breakfast together and pray before classes. While eating breakfast everything from Christmas break to plans for the new semester was discussed. Over break people were doing everything from skiing in Colorado to just bumming around and relaxing at home.

Last night the student leaders met for the first time this semester. Plans from before Christmas break were reviewed and a couple of new ones were added. This semester there is going to be several bible studies again, along with hangout nights on Friday evenings and the occasional day trip on Saturday to somewhere fun and exciting. There are also plans in the works for having a campout over St. Pats break again this year, which proved to be very fun and relaxing last year when we did it.

Halloween

2006-11-14T15:11:00.000-08:00

For Halloween this year we held a party at Wesley. It ended up being more of hanging out and lounging than an actually party but it was still fun. We had some quite interesting costumes this year. Several of the guys dressed in drag for Halloween. There was everything from mini-skirts to formal dresses. Several of the gals at Wesley went as guys and a very fun time putting makeup on the guys in drag. We ended up taking a trip down the street to the formal wear shop to get pictures of the guys in dresses in front of it. There were also pumpkins that were carved and candy which was going to be handed out but no one stopped by so we ended up eating it. Despite the chilly weather everyone had a very fun and entertaining time.

Friday Bible studies and evening activities

2006-10-11T17:49:00.000-07:00

This year on Fridays at lunchtime, Wesley has been hosting a men's only and women's only bible study. The men's bible study is lead by Travis Duncan, one of the student leaders and Mike Wondel has been leading the women's bible study. This has provived a laid back and friendly atmosphere in which students are able to freely discuss their faith and thoughts on religion.

In the evenings each week there are different fun activities. There has been everything from board game nights and urban assult mini-golf (mini-golf done around town and on campus) to a chick flick night and cookie baking. A little bit of something for everyone, and a lot of fun to be had by all.

Wesley Float Trip

2006-09-21T20:59:00.000-07:00

This past weekend (September 15-17) 12 students from the UMR Wesley House went on a float trip with students from Wesley Houses all over the state. Over all there was somewhere between 150 and 200 people there. Friday night we hung out talking with people and singing songs along to guitar playing. Saturday we spent the better portion of the day floating, which included everything from racing, splash wars, and canoe tipping. At our lunch stop there was even a rope swing that we were able to use. That evening we had a river side sevice where one student was baptised in the river, it was quite a moving experience. Afterwards we had dinner at a local church which the members there had cooked for us. This was followed by another night of campires, singing and fun. Sunday morning we had a short service before packing up and heading back to our respective campuses. All in all a very fun experience.

St. Pats Done Wesley House Style

2006-04-24T12:41:00.000-07:00

For many people in Rolla, St. Pats is seen as a time to let loose, go drinking and party hard. At the Wesley house the Student Leaders saw St. Pats as a time for fellowship and helping others.

On the Wendesday of St. Pats week we went on a camping trip which was planned and run by the Student leaders. We left late afternoon and traveled down to Montauk State Park. Dinner that night lasted for over three hours, partially due to the cooking time but also because of how tasty the food was. We ate everthing from corn grilled over coals, meat and potatoes cooked in foil packs to smores and roasted marshmallows. Several of us went walking around after dinner enjoying the scenery and quite that is sometimes so hard to find amid schoolwork. Most of us ended up hitting the hay early. The next morning we were all up by 6:30 am due to the alarm clock that is the sun. We then procedded to cook breakfast for the better portion of 2 and a half hours. Once again it was a quite tasty meal. Thanks to Mike we tried out cooking eggs within orange peels right on the coals which turned out to be very yummy. After breakfast we packed up camp, visited the spring and headed back to Rolla.

On Saturday, before and during the St. Pats Parade, many of the students at the Wesley house along with help from memebers of several local churches helped prepare food for a fundraiser. Since plans fell through on having a mission trip down to areas affected by hurricane Katrina, the Student leaders decided to help raise money to send down so that we would be able to help at least in some way. We made everything from eggs and bacon to pancakes dyed green. A decent turnout showed up and it was a quite enjoyable experience for all.

Wesley Olympics

2006-03-08T14:05:00.000-08:00

Boys use hockey sticks and a hockey puck; the real men use a croquet mallet and a small ping pong ball. It’s not the hockey your mom and dad played, it’s Wesley House hockey. Maybe some day it will be as big a fixture in the Olympics as the sport those guys from Canada play… or maybe it won’t.

Thousands of the world’s best athletes descended on Torino, Italy in mid-February for the 20th winter Olympic games, but only a brave few were strong enough to arrive at and survive at the Wesley Olympics that ensued on February 10th 2006.

During the opening ceremony of the Olympics, a strange happening was brewing at the Wesley house in rural Rolla, Missouri. Men and women tried to keep paper off the ground by sucking it in with a straw. Moments later those same people were trying to defend a goal with a tennis racquet and croquet mallets. The games played were quite different, but the intensity level was deadening. With each shot, with each save the room grew louder. The competing teams snarled, the game grew tense, and finally a winner emerged, but the games weren’t over.

A makeshift scooter board and cheaply rigged course made for the next Olympic event. Racing against the clock, a few brave souls put there belly to the scooter board and used their hands to propel themselves around the track, and, as with hockey, a winner emerged. Metals were awarded to all; there was no Bode Miller in these Olympics, only winners.

And then it was over.

These Olympics ended without the triumph of a Ricky Martin song, and without the dancing of hundreds of individuals in somewhat fruity outfits. It ended with a pat on the back and a laugh.

That’s what Wesley is. Its not an worldwide stage, it’s merely a building with a lot of people who want to have fun, and in one night there was more fun than could be found in 16 days of the “real” Olympics. There was no Michelle Kwan controversy, there was no disappointed US hockey team, there was only fun, and maybe some blood, sweat, and tears.

2006-02-01T18:39:00.000-08:00

New and Improved Lunches

For the past several years the Wesley House has hosted free lunches on Wednesday and Friday for students. Several of the student leaders felt that the fellowship at these lunches was good but that they were lacking in other areas. So this semester during the Friday lunches two bible studies are taking place along with lunch. Travis Duncan is leading one on the Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. Samuel Coulson and Daniel Viers are leading another study on questions of faith. Atendence at both is high and the participants enjoy the topics discussed. The students leaders are hoping to make this a permanent part of the Wesley House experience because its not all about fellowship with friends, its also about getting to know and come closer to God.

2006-01-23T16:51:00.000-08:00

Mission to Mississippi
Daniel Viers

Over the Martin Luther King Jr. day weekend over 60 students, including many members of the Pike house, and myself, traveled to Gautier, Mississippi (just a short ways from Biloxi) to help with hurricane Katrina clean up. We helped with roofing, painting, clearing debris from yards, and putting up draw wall. We were also given a chance to visit some of the areas struck hardest by the hurricane and many of us were overwhelmed by the amount of damage that is still present five months after the hurricane struck. Although the damage was severe, we managed to touch people’s lives and make a difference. The house I worked at most was the residence of an older lady named Levida whose son also worked along side us. He told us that he was expecting to get her back into her house in a year from now but thanks to our efforts he told us that he now is only looking at a few months before he’ll be able to get her back in. Several of us were so moved by the experience that we’re planning on returning to help out again over our spring break.

Happenings in 2005

2006-01-22T12:33:00.000-08:00

Burnt Bridges

On November tenth, disaster struck the home of Edna Bridges. Her home caught fire and burned down. Thankfully Edna and her family are fine. Currently Edna is residing at 11895 A Country Rd. 3450; St. James, MO 65559. Several students from the Wesley house helped to move her into her new home, where she will be staying for the next three months or more. Edna is currently looking forward to her family coming home for Christmas and feels blessed to be alright.

Helping Hands for Hurts from Hurricanes

In January of 2005 a group of 48 students along with Mike Wondel, went down to Florida to help clean up the aftermath of hurricane Ivan. In January of 2006 over Martin Luther King weekend Mike is taking a group of 80-100 students down to Mississippi to help with the clean up of hurricane Katrina. Another trip over spring break is planned to go to Mississippi again and continue helping.

Chrysalis Journey
By Daniel Viers

Going into this weekend I did not know what to expect to happen. All I knew about Chrysalis was that it was a church retreat. I have been on several youth retreats but nothing like this before. From the moment I got there it was astounding to see the love of God at work. From the start of the weekend we were told about this 72 hour prayer vigil that was taking place while we were at Chrysalis and how the people in the prayer vigil were prying for all of us present by name all the time. We received letters from churches all over the nation telling us that they were also praying for us. I was astounded and amazed by how all these people, who didn’t even know me and who had never met me, cared enough about me to take the time to pray for me, by name no less. I was moved to tears several times this weekend by the awesomeness that is present in God’s love.

Something else that affected me greatly was personal prayer. I’ve been in the habit of praying every night, but so often it has only been habit and not true prayer. This weekend I was shown what prayer is really about. It was also through prayer that I heard God’s call for me and finally answered that call. For some time now, several years actually, I have been praying to God to show me where I should go with my life and what I can do to carry out his will. Each time I get the same answer, and that is that God wants me to go to seminary and then on into ministry. Every time God has told me this in the past I’ve always responded with how I don’t have the skills and that I’m too afraid to be able to carry this out. This weekend when I was praying the same thing, asking God to show me the direction my life should take, he gave me the same answer, but also showed me, through the actions and words of others around me, that if I give my life over to him that he will give me the courage and abilities needed to fulfill the role that he has set for me. So I let go of my life, gave it up to God and am now living it for him instead of myself.

Move in Day

More than 900 freshmen moved into Rolla on August 13th&14th. What enormous and exciting opportunities await for them. Over the next 2-4 years they will be making choices, and decisions which will shape their lives. Will you join us in praying for this freshmen class? At least 70 of these freshmen have some faith background in a United Methodist, Presbyterian, Disciples of Christ, or United Church of Christ church. And we are praying that these students would continue to grow in grace, and the United Ministries @ the Wesley House can be a part of them exploring their faith in a variety of ways. We pray we can connect with these students and be a part of their continued faith development.
Statistics remind us that at least 300 of these students have no faith connection at all. We are praying to be God’s grace in new ways to this group of students. Last year we saw dozens of students who do not have an organized faith background become involved in service projects, recreational activites and even in Bible studies in their Fraternities and Dorms. We are praying for even a greater connection with this new group of freshmen, and for new opportunities to help them connect with God’s grace.
Last semester one of my student leaders asked, “How many students to you want?” Immediately I answered 4,980 (the most current enrollment figure that I could remember). Jesus calls us to pray for big things, and to reach out in big way. Jesus says, in Luke 10:2 NLT, “The harvest is so great, but the workers are so few. Pray to the Lord who is in chare of the harvest, and ask him to send out more workers for his fields.” Will you pray with us?

Prayer Requests:

- Pray for 70+ freshmen that have a background in UMHE’s denominations
- Pray for the 300+ freshmen with out a faith backgroung
- Pray for the mission trip over MLK weekend to help with Katrina efforts
- Pray for Eric Obert and Daniel Viers as they have accepted God’s call into ministry
- Pray for the students involved in the Wesley House that have been running into the difficulties of taking classes at UMR for the first time

The Wesley House that I Know
By Travis Duncan

There’s no doubt that weird and crazy people go to UMHE at the Wesley House – I’m just one of the many. Without the vast variance in the people that are a part of the campus ministry, Wesley would merely be a building, but thanks to those zany many, it is as fun as it is inspirational.

I began goin to the Wesley House about a year and a half ago, during the spring semester of my freshman year. When I started going I wasn’t looking for everything; I just wanted a place to hang out so that I wouldn’t be sitting in my dorm room wishing I had a life. What I would up getting was much more than I ever really expected. I came into Wesley the first time with a lot of hope, but very low expectations. I started out simply attending “The Simpson’s” Bible study, and then I began getting more involved. Timid and shy the first few weeks, I quickly developed into one of the many loud-mouths that grace (or in some instances disgrace) Wesley with their presence.

When the fall semester began last year my fears about Wesley not doing me any good vanished. Over the next few months I forged many great relationships with many colorful people. I got involved with the Mosaic worship service, Bible studies, and other fun activities. Less and less I found myself bored in my dorm room, and more and more I was out having fun. I was being shot up with a heavy dose of amusement, when I had come in only expecting a small dribble of excitement. From game nights to a slip ‘n slide to random and interesting conversations , Wesley has really provided me with a great source of “stuff to do,” which is important in a town known for its boredom and melancholy.

Although having “stuff to do” kept me from downtime boredom, it wasn’t really enough. Behind every religious organization there has to be, well, religion. I would have maybe once considered myself a solid Christian example, but those days had long passed and I was really struggling with my faith. I didn’t find it exciting, and although it may sound cliché, I needed a serving of God to go with my many servings of fun.

That’s where the in depth Bible study came into play. I’d been to “The Simpson’s” Bible study, but I wanted something that struck deeper into the heart of Christianity, and a deeper study of Hebrews proved to be just right. It didn’t make me a religious scholar or a perfect Christian example, but it did straighten my path and open my eyes wider to God’s calling. I hope that we can build upon the Bible study in the coming semesters and help it become a solid part of the foundation that Wesley provides.

I can’t say I’m completely changed because of the Wesley House, and I certainly still have my rough patches, but nonetheless my faith has been sharpened, at least to some extent, not just by the weekend entertainment, but also that great big entertainer in the sky.

GAD Helping Out

Working under the concepts of knowledge, love, and service, the members of Gamma Alpha Delta (GAD) have been helping their community since 1968. Now at about 30 active members we are trying to increase numbers, our current pledge class is nearly 20 strong, so we can take on larger projects and more of them. Recently we have done projects to help the Salvation Army, Methodist preschool, Habitat for Humanity, and mnay area residents. The members of GAD always do a project to the best of their abilities; even when the task is difficult, one of our members can usually lead a team to produce the desired results. From clearing land to painting houses we can accomplish nearly anything to better our community or help someone in need.

Touched by God
An Alumni’s Story

Ron Slamie was a graduate from UMR in 1991 and was a former GAD president. During his stay at Rolla Ron was a typical partying fraternity brother. At the time he was only involved with GAD as something to do. Ron’s experiences with the Wesley House was one of many seeds the finally took root in his life when he hit bottom in 1996. Ron experienced a conversion of his heart at this time and found himself surrendering to Jesus in many ways. This conversion led to Ron being called into mission work in 1999 when he left his engineering job to become fully involved in missions. This past year Ron and his wife of two years moved back to St. Louis and he was returning to engineering work. The only problem that Ron sees with this is that, “My life is pretty much ruined for the ordinary.”