Campus ministries pursue their own facilities

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After more than 30 years, the Ecu-menical Center, 680 S. Florence, is changing its name and losing most of its tenants. The center is now called the United Ministries Center, named for the tenant that bought the building, United Ministries in Higher Education.|ret||ret||tab|

The purpose of the center under UMHE will stay the same: to provide a place for students from Southwest Mis-souri State University, Ozarks Technical Community College and Drury Univers-ity to hang out and to provide a meeting place for worship. |ret||ret||tab|

The center previously was home to UMHE, the Episcopal Campus Ministry, the United Methodist Campus Ministry and the Catholic Campus Ministry.|ret||ret||tab|

Donna McNiel, an Episcopal chaplain, said that while there isn't enough funding to purchase a home for her ministry, the students still needed a place to call their own. So the ministry is renting the 2,600-square-foot Canterbury House at 817 S. Kimbrough.|ret||ret||tab|

"It has enough space for my office, a study room for students and a chapel, all upstairs," McNiel said. "Downstairs, there's a living room, dining room, bathroom and kitchen."|ret||ret||tab|

The United Methodist Campus Ministry is moving its office from the United Ministries Center to the Wesley House, 816 S. National, which it bought two years ago.|ret||ret||tab|

Paul Smith is the director of the Wesley Foundation, a United Methodist-sponsored campus ministry. He said the ministry is making the move because it has outgrown the center.|ret||ret||tab|

Students will have their meetings and other activities in the basement of the Wesley House until the expansion of the house is complete. The ministry owns a lot south of the house where it's adding 6,000 square feet of space for Bible studies, large group fellowship, support groups and social activities.|ret||ret||tab|

Smith and the 12 students who live in the Wesley House will continue living there.|ret||ret||tab|

"The students are pretty excited about the move," Smith said. "They like having everything in one location."|ret||ret||tab|

Approximately 125 students regularly attend the activities sponsored by the United Methodist Campus Ministry.|ret||ret||tab|

Smith said he hopes the leaders and students from all four groups will continue to do things together even though they won't be under the same roof.|ret||ret||tab|

"All four groups are committed to working together," he said.|ret||ret||tab|

The Catholic Campus Ministry is moving into a new 22,000-square-foot space at 847 S. Holland. Like the United Meth-odist campus ministry, the Catholic ministry has outgrown its space at the United Ministries Center.|ret||ret||tab|

The architect for the project is Marshall-Waters-Woody Associates Inc., and DeWitt & Associates is the contractor. Funds for the nearly $4 million project came from fund raising.|ret||ret||tab|

The new building will house a lecture hall that seats 500, classrooms, a library, a lounge, a music chamber (rehearsal area), a counseling suite and a chapel that seats 400.|ret||ret||tab|

Construction on the new building began in July 2000. A dedication is set for Sept. 8.|ret||ret||tab|

Father Eddie DeLeon, director of Catholic Campus Ministry, said, "This is a very exciting time in the Catholic Cam-pus Ministry. This isn't an end, but a new beginning."|ret||ret||tab|

UMHE is the only campus ministry staying in the former Ecumenical Center.|ret||ret||tab|

UMHE is provided by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the United Church of Christ, the Presbyterian Church USA and the Evangelical Lu-theran Church in America. It provides programs and opportunities for students interested in ministry, as well as communion, Bible study and community service.|ret||ret||tab|

UMHE already has built a few Habitat for Humanity homes, and the students will start on a new five-bedroom Habitat house next month. |ret||ret||tab|

Howard Cavner, campus minister for UMHE said the United Ministries Cen-ter is a great place for their ministry. "There have been as many as three people working in our office at once," he said. "So now, we can spread out and have more room."[[In-content Ad]]