A Christian organization has revitalized and is in full force around the Missouri S&T campus. The Wesley Campus Ministries was long dormant, but has picked up in pace and has many activities and opportunities going on every week. This organization is part of the Methodist church, a Protestant Christian denomination begun by John Wesley, which emphasizes accountability and small groups within the church.

Wesley Campus Ministries is very active this semester. Here are some of their events which occur almost every day of the week. The main location for events is First United Methodist Church, which is located on Main St. between 8th St. and 9th St., less than a five minute walk from the Quad.

Sundays 10:50am – students attend a worship service at First UMC and typically have lunch together afterwards.

Mondays 9:00pm – A bible study is held at TJ.

Tuesdays 8:00pm – A contemporary worship night called Laus Deos, literally meaning "praise God", is held at First UMC.

Wednesdays noon – Free lunch is served at First UMC by a few girls who particularly enjoy cooking

Wednesdays evening – Open gym night at First UMC

Fridays noon – A bible study is held at First UMC

Other activities are scheduled such as occasional float trips, community service based on needs, and random activities on Friday evenings such as Nerf battles. In addition, mission trips are scheduled every Spring Break; last year, for example, they aided Katrina victims. Lastly, Wesley Campus Ministries works with Camp Galilee in central Missouri.

I had the privilege of talking with Paul Conrad, a member of Wesley Campus Ministries, to get a good feel for their atmosphere and worship style. It’s atmosphere was described as "open", "loose," and with "no formal guidelines". This group is a very accepting group with no real obligations attached. The members are very excited and active, and this enthusiasm leads to new events occurring each week, such as the free lunch on Wednesdays which was started by a few girls with a love for cooking. The event began with only 10 in attendance and has grown to 50-60 each week. As for the worship style, Paul suggests you "show up and listen." You’re not obligated to sing or worship; you can listen if you want, or participate if you want, whichever you are most comfortable with. The Sunday morning service has traditional style worship, but a 9:50 contemporary service will be added mid-October if you prefer that style of worship. Laus Deos has contemporary worship and is a night of praising God, without a message or other activities other than singing and worshiping.

I would encourage anyone interested to at least stop by to see if you enjoy their activities. If you have any further questions, you can contact Paul Conrad at .