89 UMCMA Issues a $170,000 Appeal for Katrina Campus Ministry Recovery

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: September 26, 2006
Contact: Bill Campbell
Wesley Foundation at
Middle Tennessee State University
216 College Heights Ave.
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
Phone: 615-893-0469
wesleyfoundation@comcast.net


Many stories have emerged about individuals and churches impacted by Hurricane Katrina, but a missing story is the story of the gulf coast United Methodist campus ministries damaged and adversely affected by Katrina.

Wesley Foundations and campus ministries in Mississippi and New Orleans suffered storm damage and disruption of vital ministries to students on several campuses. Max Zehner, United Methodist Campus Minister at Tulane University in New Orleans, reports “the Wesley Foundation at Tulane University received several inches of flood waters as the result of Hurricane Katrina.”

“Since returning to New Orleans in late September of last year, I was faced with mixed emotions. The good news was that our newly added building space faired quite well structurally against the winds of Katrina; but the bad new was that the following flood waters advanced as high as a foot in parts of our building. Our building needed to be gutted on the lower level, we lost all our flooring, and all our furniture,” said Zehner.

The building housing the Wesley Foundation of the Perkinston Campus of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Perkinston, Mississippi received such structural damage that it was declared unsafe for occupation. Land was donated for a new multi-purpose building, and efforts are underway for a new home for the Wesley Foundation.

“Several months following the storm … six students from campus were killed in one traffic accident returning from a Bogalusa club. Our Dean of Student Service, Michelle Sekul, and I were talking of the need for a home for the Wesley Foundation and a place for students to gather with friends,” said Susan Vuyovich, United Methodist Campus Minister.

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College began as an agriculture school, and one of the oldest buildings on campus, the 100 year old Perk Barn was lost to Hurricane Katrina. Sekul and Vuyovich came up with the concept of a new barn to house the Wesley Foundation and provide events for students. “With the death of our old Perk Bard – birth the idea of a new barn; barns are usually for new birth – what a better place to house campus ministry!” said Vuyovich.

The United Methodist Campus Ministers Association (UMCMA) issues a church wide appeal of $170,000 to assist in the recovery of crucial campus ministries along the Mississippi and Louisiana gulf coasts. After contacting United Methodist campus minister colleagues in this region, the Coordinating Committee of UMCMA arrived at the $170,000 goal; of this total $115,000 is needed for building construction at the Wesley Foundations at Tulane University and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, $55,000 is needed for program needs at Tulane, Dillard University and the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College campus ministries.

Due to declining apportionment dollars, more than half of a campus ministries’ operating budget must raised by the local Wesley Foundations has become the trend across the country. “To raise funds for campus ministry, Wesley Foundation boards and campus ministers turn to individuals and the community surrounding a campus for the strongest support. When an entire region is devastated, a Wesley Foundation is hit especially hard losing not only apportionment money but also the sustaining, backbone support of individuals and area churches,” said Bill Campbell, Co-Chair of the United Methodist Campus Ministers Association.

UMCMA calls upon the entire United Methodist Church to please assist in the recovery needs of campus ministries along the gulf coast. Money is needed for building construction, furnishings, appliances, and ministry program support.

Donations for the Katrina Campus Ministry Recovery Appeal will be received and handled by the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation. Your generous gift is urgently needed today as students have returned to these campuses.

Please make your check payable to the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation and in the memo section write Katrina Campus Ministry Recovery. Send your gift to: United Methodist Higher Education Foundation, 1001 Nineteenth Ave., South, Nashville, TN 37212-2130. Questions about making a donation can be sent to Dr. Thomas Yow, President/CEO, email: tyow@gbhem.org .