United Methodist ministries on seven campuses around Michigan will soon welcome all students, offering opportunities for fellowship, faith-sharing, and service.

KAY DEMOSS
Senior Content Editor, Michigan Conference

Colleges and universities across the state are welcoming students back to school. Nine United Methodist campus ministries are ready to serve as a spiritual home away from home for those students.

What can you do? You can let your children and grandchildren know about these opportunities to find support, friendship, and refreshment. You can pray for the leaders of campus ministries. You can learn more about ways you can participate in ministry with young people.

A few words about what each has to say about their ministry. Click links to learn more.

• Adrian College Student Organization …  this student group serves three purposes: (1) to meet regularly for mutual support and discussion regarding issues of call, (2) to provide a place for visiting seminary representatives and others with wisdom regarding different church vocations to share their experiences, and (3) to attend retreats and events that help students wrestle with God’s call to ministry.
  
• Big Rapids Wesley House … Ferris Wesley House is a campus ministry that ministers to the Ferris State University campus and community. We build strong leaders by involving students in leadership through the campus ministry, in local churches and on campus.
• Michigan State University Wesley Campus Ministries, East Lansing … MSU Wesley Campus Ministries is a Christian Community of young adults that loves without exception, serves without judgment and rejoices without restraint. Our students engage a mission field of young adults from Michigan State University, Lansing Community College and Greater Lansing. Raising principled leaders for the church and for the world is at the core of our mission.

• NMU Wesley Campus Ministry, Marquette … Wesley Campus Ministry’s mission is to build and maintain a presence on the campus of Northern Michigan University for the purpose of positive support, encouragement, and connection through the lens of the United Methodist faith tradition. These objectives are met through activities such as Sunday night dinners, mid-week casual social gatherings, weekly worship, mission trip opportunities, and outdoor activities. 
• Wesley at CMU, Mt. Pleasant … Wesley@CMU is an open, authentic community building disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. A wide variety of weekly and special events builds community among Christians, those of other faiths, and those with no faith, drawing people in to Christian worship and study. Intentional leadership development for Christians helps incoming freshmen become effective leaders of the program and in the church before graduation. Our Leadership Residence houses up to eight students in an intentional Christian community.
• Wesley Fellowship at Grand Valley State University, Allendale … We are a campus ministry at Grand Valley State University which is committed to the United Methodist Wesleyan traditions and actions of social justice and the inclusiveness of all people; the spiritual formation and soul tending of students, staff and faculty; and missional experiences which include reflection on the actions.
• Wesley Foundation at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor … The Wesley Foundation at the University of Michigan is a United Methodist campus ministry providing varied opportunities and programs for all students and other campus-related persons. We are a pluralistic community academically, theologically, and by age and interest. All students from nearby universities such as University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, Concordia University, and Washtenaw Community College are welcome. We are also a community of persons committed to caring, sharing, serving, learning, and growing with each other regardless of ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital or economic status, disability, or other human differences. Our common bond is God’s love shown through Jesus Christ. Our emphases include concern for the social implications of the gospel in the world and personal growth as Christians.
• Wesley Campus Ministry at WMU, Kalamazoo … Wesley of Kalamazoo is the United Methodist campus ministry serving Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, and Kalamazoo Valley Community College. Wesley welcomes all persons through a variety of invitational and hospitable events and ministries, affirms all person through the reconciling and anti-racism practices, equips all persons through discipleship, acts of mercy and works of justice, challenges all persons through leadership development based on grace and mutual accountability.

How important is campus ministry? The entire Methodist Movement began on campus. While a student at Oxford, John Wesley and his brother, Charles, started a group dubbed The Holy Club. Joe Iovino notes: “They studied the Bible, prayed, and worshiped together. They also served together, reaching out to those in their community who were in the most need. The Methodist movement was, in a sense, a replication of this group to help others grow as leaders in discipleship for the church.”

Who knows what world-changing movement might emerge from the action of young people involved in campus ministries today?

Last Updated on January 31, 2024