- Home
- Who We Are
- Evangelism & Church Growth
- Leadership
- Welcome
- Higher Education and Campus Ministries
- Communications & Information Technology
- Conference Core Leadership Team
- Conference Nominations & Leadership Development
- Conference Board of Laity
- CTC Board of Ordained Ministry
- Task Force on Inclusiveness
- Clinical Pastoral Education
- Committee on Episcopacy
- Episcopal Residence Committee
- Committee on Counseling
- Administrative Review Committee
- Committee on Investigation
- Events, Training & Scholarships
- Meet the Team
- Mission Support
- Finance
Energizing and Equipping Local Churches
in Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World
Student discerns call to ministry
1/12/2010
UTA student Kim Westlund’s experience at the Wesley Foundation has helped her discern her personal call to ministry
“I’ve met some of my best friends at the Wesley,” says University of Texas, Arlington student Kim Westlund about the Wesley Foundation campus ministry at UTA.
The senior from Dallas says, “The Wesley has always been a comfortable place to go whenever I have been upset or needed someone to talk to. Most importantly, this ministry helped me develop my leadership skills and become someone others can come to.”
That experience and The United Methodist Church’s Exploration 2009 event held last November in Dallas helped her in discerning a future in ministry. “My experience [at the Wesley] has helped me discern my personal call to ministry,” she said as well as having her questions about going into ministry answered at the Exploration Conference.
“It helped me feel more comfortable and driven … I am really looking forward to the Wesley’s planned mission trip to Mexico over spring break, and am excited about leading a Bible study for women during the spring semester.”
“Great things are happening at the Wesley,” states Rev. Joseph Nader who became a campus minister for the first time in June 2009. He and his wife Mary Kathryn had the opportunity to sit with the four students from the Wesley at UTA as they explored their futures in ministry at Exploration. “It was rewarding for us to sit with our students during meals and hear how God is working in their lives to call them into ministry.”
Rev. Nader’s call on area congregations to partner with the Wesley Foundation in helping to make disciples of Jesus Christ on the UTA campus is being answered. “We are celebrating the giving hearts of our local congregations and friends of the Wesley. Many churches and individuals have donated food, time and financial resources to Wesley in this past month.
“Our kitchen is full of food (“brain food” and sweets) that has been donated to make sure our students have a place of respite at the Wesley during exams. We have a steady flow of students studying and resting here. A ‘Secret Santa’ sent us a Nintendo Wii,” he said.
While similar relationships are building on other campus ministry units in the Central Texas Conference, Rev. Nader says, “I am blessed to be serving as the director of the UTA Wesley Foundation, and I am in awe of God’s work in our lives.”