Doing Discipleship at The Wesley Foundation at Memphis 3625 Midland Avenue · Memphis, Tennessee 38111 · 901.351.5808 www.wesleymemphis.org • Facebook: Wesley @ Memphis • Twitter: @WesleyatMemphis

“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” --

August 2015 We look to you to help us continue our service In this issue of Doing Discipleship, we will show some of the many settings for ministry that are parts of our work at Wesley. You make this outreach to young adults possible with your gifts.

Our needs are ongoing. You can continue to support us with a gift returned to us in the reply envelope that accompanies this newsletter. Alternatively, you can go to our website: www.wesleymemphis.org and click through on the “Donate” link and make your gift there.

Our needs are ongoing

You can contribute to our General Fund, that supports the day-to-day programming at Wesley. Or you can give to the Clarence Hampton Memorial Endowment Fund, which solidifies our long-term financial picture. You can make a contribution to either fund as an honorarium or memorial. Wesley will acknowledge these to the individuals or families.

We ask that you hold our work, our Board of Directors and our Ministry Team in your prayers, so that the 2015—2016 year can be our best ever.

Intern’s hobby becomes learning opportunity Wesley intern Hannah Smith is around Wesley a lot. Hers is one of the most recognizable faces in our building. And, if you see Hannah, you see her knitting needles. Hannah learned to knit a couple of years ago. Since then, she has been creating her own hats, scarves and other garments. People have noticed. Folks frequently comment

“Why don’t you teach them?

on the high quality of her work. “I wish I could do that” is a common phrase heard around Hannah’s work. After one such instance, Campus Minister Rick Pinkston said to Hannah, “Why don’t you teach them?” “Really?” Hannah responded. So, Hannah picked the day of the week and time, did the publicity and set out lesson plans. The workshop was held at Wesley, and our ministry provided the Hannah Smith leads fellow students as they materials for the students. A couple of weeks later Knitty learn the noble and ancient craft of knitting Gritty was born. The group meets weekly and learners are free to complete the project of their choice. We are grateful for yet another way in which Wesley enriches the lives of our students — both teachers and learners. Doing Discipleship 2 Can you help us fill our meal calendar? The centerpiece of our programming at Wesley is our Tuesday evening gathering. We begin at 7 with our worship service. Following that is our Community Meal. This is a free supper that local congregations or church groups provide for us.

We are asking that our friends once again join us in this ministry. We meet on Tuesday evenings throughout the Fall and Spring Semesters. Wesley provides paper products, beverages, ice and utensils. What we ask of providers is an entrée, perhaps a side Volunteers from Christ UMC serve a dish/dishes and sometimes a salad . Desserts are meal to Wesley students always a plus for our students. There is no set menu. Many of our groups have developed specialties that we have come to anticipate joyfully.

We also request that providers serve the meals to our crowd. We invite your kitchen crew to join in the worship time and to bring your supper to the tables and eat with us.

We need volunteers for all Tuesdays in both terms at this point. If you would like to join in or would like further details, please contact Campus Minister Rick Pinkston at 901.458.5808 or email him at [email protected]. Tuesday evening Community Meal participants visiting during supper.

Wesley Foundation 2015 – 2016 Board of Directors Executive Committee Ex-Officio Chair: Marc Tate Director Rick Pinkston Vice-Chair Donald Park Metro McKendree Treasurer Donald Park District Superintendent Cynthia Davis Faculty Advisor David Arant Metro Asbury District Superintendent Tim Carpenter Class of 2016 CMT Representative Joe Geary Joe Cobb Chair, Conference Anthony Anderson Div. of Higher Ed. Andrew Halford Russell Day Asbury District Nurture Chair Lisa Archer Class of 2017 McKendree District Marc Tate Chair of Higher Ed. Matthew Lott Donald Park Conference Trustee Kenny Futrell Representative Larry Kaler Michael Racer Asbury District Clergy Chuck Pittman Class III – Serve until June 2018 McKendree District Ron Johnson Clergy Deborah B. Smith Carol Griffin Renee Dillard

Doing Discipleship 3 Our praise band leads local church worship In May of this year, the Wesley praise group, the I Kings 17:13 Band, led the music in the Sunday morning worship service at New Bethel in Fayette county, Tennessee. The band led the congregation in both traditional and contemporary music. The songs in- cluded the band’s signature piece “Nothing But the Blood.” The congregation embraced our young people and their contribution. It was a terrific opportunity for Wesley to give something back to those who make our work possible.

The I Kings 17:13 Band — front: Travis Butler, Wesley Stovall, Hannah Pinkston; back: Justin Sherman, Reggie Jarrett.

Did you know? The first Wesley Foundation was incorporated in 1913 on the campus of the University of Illinois, Urbana by James C. Baker. By 1960, claimed 181 Wesley Foundations. Today, there are 520 Methodist collegiate ministries in the . While they are not always called Wesley Foundations, they are still committed to the same founding principles: “A shrine for worship+ A school for religious education+ A home away from home+ A laboratory for training lay leaders in church activities+ A recruiting station for the ministry, for missionary work at home and abroad, and for other specialized Kingdom tasks.”

From First Wesley Foundation by James C. Baker, quoted by The General Board of Higher Education and Worship, fellowship and food are all Ministry — Division of Higher Education important elements in Wesley’s gatherings

Where do you find Wesley? On the web: www.wesleymemphis.org Like us on Facebook: Wesley @ Memphis Follow us on Twitter: WesleyatMemphis Doing Discipleship 4

Some of the Wesley ministry enjoying a few of our varied activities

A Wesley student becomes a student intern We asked one of our new Student Interns to tell her story about what brought her to this point:

One of my good friends introduced me to the Wesley Foundation at the beginning of the Fall semester. I started attending regularly and I knew that this place would have a big impact on me. Tuesdays are usually busy days for me and so it was always nice to go to Wesley and be surrounded by an amazing group of people. What moved me to become an intern was that I'm the type of person that loves to help people and help make sure that things are going well for others. I want to help everyone at our events at Wesley have a good time and leave with smiles on their faces. I look forward to helping Wesley and my fellow interns out in the year to come. — Barbie Cundiff Junior Nursing Major

Doing Discipleship is the semi-annual newsletter of The Wesley Foundation at Memphis. It contains information about the People, program and neighborhood at Wesley. We are the campus ministry of The Memphis Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, The Wesley Foundation seeks to be a safe place: safe physically, safe emotionally, and safe theologically. Wesley embraces the mission of The United Methodist Church which is “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” We also endeavor to nurture the quality of leadership in our students, so that they may leave here prepared to make an immediate contribution to their post-graduation communities.