Campus Ministry Connection

Westminster Fellowship

By: Sarah Palecek

Westminster Fellowship the Presbyterian Campus Ministry at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AL, has had an exciting year. Our campus ministry meets on Monday nights and we enjoy fellowship over a home cooked meal provided by local church members. After dinner, we have a program with anything from current issues to study of the bible. The fourth Monday of every month, we have a tradition of sharing a faith journey and sharing communion with one another. Thursday nights we have a student led bible study. We are excited and eager about learning who the Lord calls us to be as his disciples. This fall was a busy time at WF. We entered into the Intramural Flag Football Tournament, hosted by the University. We had lots of women learning to play flag football, and some great guys to teach us how. Teamwork paid off, and we were in the playoffs, ending our season well. We also participated in Homecoming Week, in the Bowling Tournament and Banner competition. In the Bowling Tournament, which has become a WF tradition, we entered two teams and were very successful. Our annual Christmas party was held at a local member's home with a bonfire, hot chocolate, and s'mores provided by the Presbyterian Women. We ended the fall semester with a Mexican food night during finals week. Two of our Leadership Team members, Sarah Palecek and Melissa Van Kirk were able to travel, along with Patrick Laney, to the Synod Conference on Campus Ministry in Franklin, TN. We were excited to meet students and Campus Ministers from all over the Synod and collaborate on activities and events. In the coming year, we are looking forward to participating in the Synod's Fall Break Mission Experience, which will involve campus ministries from all over the Southeast traveling to the same area on the Gulf Coast to rebuild. During winter break, Westminster sent a group to the Montreat Collegiate Conference. We attended sessions on how to integrate our spiritual lives with our everyday lives as college students. We hosted a college group from Murray State University in Murray, KY and Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. It was exciting to get to know Presbyterian college students from all over the Synod in one of our favorite places! As a commencement for the spring semester, we hosted a Kickoff Cookout at the Student Center. The spring semester has given us the opportunity to be involved with Habitat for Humanity and a local dodge ball tournament for Camp Smile-a- Mile, a camp for kids with cancer. We will finish out our semester with a dinner to recognize our seniors and our annual trip to Montreat. We are excited about all the plans for Campus Ministry at the University of Alabama, including the call for a full time Campus Minister. We would like to thank all of those who put precious time and talents into campus ministry all over the country. We continue to ask for your prayers and support as we grow in faith and discipleship. Roll Tide and God Bless!

Westminster Fellowship

Montreat Collegiate Conference