The Rev. Bret Gresham, campus minister at the Wesley Foundation at Virginia Tech, has issued an appeal for help in getting youth who are going to college this fall connected NOW to one of the Virginia Conference campus ministries.
With the unknown effect of the pandemic on the fall semester and how it has affected this past semester, it is especially important for incoming students to get connected quickly to build community and belonging. Many of the conference campus ministries are offering opportunities (small groups, worship, etc) to engage in ministry over the summer due to the changing environment in higher education.
Right now, more than ever, it is vital for students starting college to have a community that can support and love them. However, it will be more difficult due to the changing landscape of higher education for them to get connected after stepping on campus.
Names and information are generally submitted later in the summer (and you will still be asked to do this in a more comprehensive way later) but campus ministers would like to get connected to youth sooner rather than later. Please send names, emails, and phone numbers of your youth to the respective campus ministries (see below).
ARISE Campus Ministry (United College Ministries of Northern VA & George Mason University)
• Pastor@arisegmu.org
Campus Christian Community of the University of Mary Washington
• elizabethsnader@vaumc.org
Community College Ministries (Virginia Western Community College, Roanoke and Salem; Central Virginia Community College, Lynchburg and Bedford; Danville Community College, Danville and Chatham; Patrick Henry Community College, Martinsville; New River Community College, Dublin and Radford and Christiansburg; Dabney Lancaster Community College, Clifton Forge and Covington; Blue Ridge Community College, Weyers Cave and Staunton and Harrisonburg)
• stevedarr@vaumc.org
Farmville Wesley (Longwood University and Hampden-Sydney College)
• Farmvillewesley1@gmail.com
FLOW (Virginia State University)
• jasmyng90@gmail.com
Ignite (ODU)
• randytimmerman@vaumc.org
The Pace Center for Campus and Community Ministries (VCU)
• director@thepacecenter.com
Wesley Foundation at UVA
• deborah@wesleyatuva.org
Wesley at Virginia Tech
• wesfound@vt.edu
Wesley at William & Mary
• mwblalock@wm.edu