Austin Wesley Foundation launches capital campaign

By Michael McDonald
Texas Wesley Foundation
The Wesley Foundation of Austin kicked off its “A Time to Build Up” capital campaign Feb. 1 for the construction of a new Wesley Student Center near the University of Texas campus.
A kickoff program featured a video of current and former students discussing what “The Wesley” campus ministry meant to them and how it affected—and continues to affect—their lives.
Former student and committee member Bill Frank told the gathering that the dream of a new Wesley House began 10 years ago. He spoke of the call that the board of trustees had answered to get to this point.
Dr. Noble Doss Jr., chair of the campaign steering committee, reminded everyone of the important role spiritual development should play during the college years.
“We are not building a new Wesley Student Center for our own egos,” Doss said, “not for the past students or really even for the current students. This building is for future students, the ones we would miss without a larger facility.”
The Rev. Rusty Teeter, Wesley Foundation director, wrapped up the evening by reiterating, “The vision of the Wesley Foundation is to be a community that builds up generations of Christians who lead and serve.
“As we continue to grow, building a new Wesley Student Center is vital if we are to be true to this vision and answer God’s call to ministry. As it says in Ecclesiastes, for everything there is a season, and we feel that this is A Time to Build Up!”
Held at the Baptist Student Ministry building and the current Wesley House, the kickoff event was attended by the Campaign Steering Committee. The committee includes more than 40 people from Austin, San Antonio, Houston and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
Committee members are United Methodist clerics and laypeople, university professors and administrators, former students, and parents of current and former students who are members of “The Wesley”—all people with a heart committed to college ministry.
The Wesley Foundation of Austin is a campus ministry unit of the Southwest Texas Conference.