TAKE BACK THE NIGHT. GATOR LIFE Taylor Rader and Kylie Shirley share about the discovery, experience, and future of their home here at Gator Wesley.

Transcription

1 Gator Wesley The United Methodist Wesley Foundation of the University of Florida and Santa Fe College Volume 22 April 2017 GATOR LIFE Taylor Rader and Kylie Shirley share about the discovery, experience, and future of their home here at Gator Wesley. TAKE BACK THE NIGHT Partnering with STRIVE to help voices be heard Missions at Revive225 A glimpse into the rebuilding process, clean-up, and mission opportunity in Louisiana 80 for 80 Gator Wesley s 2017 Giving Challenge GATOR WESLEY VISION: At Gator Wesley, students are invited into an authentic community that encourages a life with Jesus as they discover who they are becoming, and how they are connecting to their community and to the world.

2 FROM THE DIRECTORS... Heather & Joel Pancoast The end of the semester is just around the corner. Graduation is in a couple of weeks. Gator Wesley is busy planning for an amazing summer of ministry. Before that kicks off, we wanted to personally thank everyone who has supported the ministry this school year. This idea of thankfulness was on full display during our Easter celebration. Easter is a time to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, to be reminded of His love for each one of us, and be challenged to engage our calling to share His love with the world. We are thankful for the community of students, family, and friends who make up Gator Wesley. It is because of this community that we have witnessed this love in new and creative ways this year. Our hope and prayer is that Gator Wesley will continue to be a place where students can find love, acceptance, and community. For many students, this place has been a crucial part of their faith development and discernment process, as they have made important decisions about their lives. Because of this, the students, staff, and Gator Wesley Board have been working together to clarify the mission of our ministry here at UF and Santa Fe and have narrowed this mission down to four areas of focus that will help us understand a vision for our future. We hope to focus on: Authentic Community: College can be a very overwhelming and lonely time for many students. Our prayer is that Gator Wesley can be a place of belonging and acceptance for anyone who walks through our doors. We hope to be a Christ-centered community that supports, prays, and shows up for each other and our surrounding campus communities. A life with Jesus: We believe that the love and grace of Jesus Christ is transforming. We aspire to help every student in their understanding of their faith. Our goal for Gator Wesley is to be an outreach to students who do not have a relationship with Jesus, be a safe place for students to explore their faith, and be a place where students grow in their faith and learn to share their faith with others. Who our students are becoming: College is a time when students are discovering who they are and what they will do vocationally. Classes are chosen, majors are changed, and volunteer hours are determined all based on a student s future vocation. We pray that during their college experience, students at Gator Wesley will have the chance to explore their vocation through the lens of their faith and relationship with Jesus Christ. Whether God is calling them into full-time Christian ministry, or in another direction, we believe every student has a call on their life that can be explored within a Christian framework. How they are connecting: We believe that connecting to a local church congregation after graduation is a pivotal step in a young adult s journey. Our goal is to begin instilling this connection by providing specific connecting points to local Gainesville United Methodist Churches while students are in college. Some of these connecting points with local churches will be partnerships in missions, worship, and programming. The hope is that these connections, paired with specific teachings and discussions about transitioning from a college student to a young adult, will help our students seek this connection to a local United Methodist church in whatever town they land in after graduation. To all of our students, families, alumni, and friends, we are praying for you this summer. We thank you for your continued support of Gator Wesley and its mission. Please keep Gator Wesley in your prayers as we welcome our next Freshman class this Summer and Fall semesters. Go Gators!!! Heather and Joel

3 FRESHMAN Taylor Rader, UF The Love Campaign is a long-standing tradition at Gator Wesley. It began as a way to interact with students on campus and dialogue around the topic of love, and it has become an event that Gator Wesley is known for. The goal, in part, is to actively love the students and faculty at UF and Santa Fe unconditionally. In doing this, we are able to enter into dialogue with people that centers around the world s definition of love as compared to Christ s definition. This conversation can then open the door for people to know more about the ministry at Gator Wesley and will hopefully give us a chance to invite them to participate. We are committed to giving everyone an equal opportunity to express his or her opinion of love. Everyone s experience is valid and worth taking the time to express and understand. Through the Love Campaign, we seek to discover diversity, energy, creativity, and thoughtfulness. It is through this kind of open conversation and a willingness to listen that we hope to create a desire within our peers to hear our answer to the question as well. Audrey Metcalf, one of our seniors, organized this year s campaign along with another senior, Erin Wagner. Here are Audrey s thoughts on the event: Audrey Metcalf - Senior, UF Love campaign is one of my favorite events that we put on as a ministry at Gator Wesley, if only in part due to the extreme amounts of candy that it involves! Every year we go out onto the campuses of Santa Fe and the University of Florida and pose the question what is love. This year we took a different approach and also asked students to talk about love in relation to their family members, neighbors, dating relationships and their community. This year we also teamed up with STRIVE (Sexual Trauma and Interpersonal Violence Education) and their event, Cupid s Consent Fair to talk about how love can be an active force in bystander intervention and in preventing sexual assault. On Wednesday of that week we partnered with the student organization Islam on Campus to develop relationships and learn about how we can be better neighbors and love intentionally. LOVE CAMPAIGN 2017 As my last days as a freshman come to a close, I couldn t image the past nine months without Gator Wesley. All of the friends I have made here have supported me through the stress of classes and have given me joy and peace in their fun-loving community. This semester I strengthened the friendships I formed in the fall and built new ones through joining the Sunday worship band, going to game night every other week, and having meaningful conversations with my small group. Over spring break, I had the privilege of going to Baton Rouge with Gator Wesley to help Revive225 with home repair for flood victims. I learned a lot about the difficult history of New Orleans and Baton Rouge, and I picked up some decent drywall taping and floating skills too! It was amazing to see God working through all of us and inspiring us to help make a difference. As I look forward to next year, I am thrilled to be able to deepen my role at Gator Wesley by joining the Upper Room staff. I can see how God has been moving in Gator Wesley this past year, and I am excited to think about where we re going next year and how I can be a part of it.

4 SENIOR Kylie Shirley, UF it s just a special place... it has truly become a second home to me. I have been going to Gator Wesley for four years now, and it has truly become a second home to me. I ve had the opportunity to live and work in the building as Upper Room Staff, and work as an intern. Gator Wesley is where I made most of my friends in college. Man, it s just a special place! Not only was it a place like home, it was home for me for two years. I got the privilege of living in Wesley my sophomore and junior year. Those two years were two of the best years of my life. I became close with my roommates through Taco Bell and multiple dead fish named after characters from the TV show Reba. Having been here for four years, I ve seen groups of people come and go and each one has made a significant impact on my life. Every time I think about graduating and leaving this life behind I get pretty sad, not because I ll be leaving endless essay writing and the libraries behind, but because I ll be leaving my college family I ve seen groups of people come and go and each one has made a significant impact on my life. Kylie Shirley is a senior who is graduating this May with a double major in psychology and political science and also getting a certificate in international relations. After graduation, she will be working at Disney World through their college program. Kylie has been an active member of Gator Wesley since her freshman year and has served in many roles on leadership here. She is hilarious, knows more movie trivia than anyone else we know, and has a heart for missions. She will be greatly missed.

5 TAKE BACK THE NIGHT 80 for 80 Giving Campaign We believe in the mission of Gator Wesley. We know that students need an authentic community where they can explore their faith in Jesus Christ, where they can discover who they are becoming, and how they are connecting to the body of Christ. We know that the work of Gator Wesley cannot be done without the generous support of Gator Wesley, alumni, families, friends, and local church support. Gator Wesley is responsible for raising over 50% of its operating budget each year. This is where you can help. Our 80 for 80 Campaign is an opportunity to include 80 individuals, families, or groups in the dynamic ministry at Gator Wesley by contributing $80 a month towards its mission. 80 for 80 gives donors the ability to share in the joys and successes of Gator Wesley students as they go through this pivotal time of transformation in their lives. Would you please consider joining us in meeting this goal? We believe in the mission of Gator Wesley, and want to help continue the amazing work being done in the lives of students now and in the future. We cannot complete the mission of Gator Wesley without the support of caring, committed individuals, families, and groups. If you would like to set up a reccurring monthly donation of $80 (or more) or if you would like to make a one-time gift, please visit our website at: gatorwesley.com/donate I am espcially proud of all the ways we ve been visible at the UF and in the greater Gainesville community Erin Wagner - Senior, UF As the sun set over Gainesville, hundreds of participants faced the stage set up outside of Norman Hall at the University of Florida to hear the stories of survivors of sexual assault. Stories that are right here on this campus. In continued partnership with STRIVE (Sexual Trauma and Interpersonal Violence Education), Gator Wesley was proud to be a co-sponsor and planner of the annual Take Back the Night event. Sexual and interpersonal violence is a topic that hits home for almost everyone, and is also a topic often met with shame or silence from communities that have such a high capacity to care. Gator Wesley s role at Take Back the Night was incredibly important because, through simple things like candy, button makers, and our presence, we showed solidarity with organizations like STRIVE, Office of Victim Services, Green Dot GNV, and all of the survivors that took the stage. Because one in five women are likely to be sexually assaulted in their lifetime, we more than likely showed powerful support to members of our own organization. I am so proud of Gator Wesley and all of the issues we ve approached during my time here. As a peer educator for STRIVE, however, I am especially proud of all the ways we ve been visible at UF and in the greater Gainesville community, speaking up against sexual assault and interpersonal violence and hope to see that relationship continue to grow. Our mission at Gator Wesley is to provide students a safe, authentic community, in which they can grow in their life with Jesus, discern their call vocationally and discover how to connect to a faith community after graduation. Through events like Take Back the Night we hope to make students aware that Gator Wesley is a caring, safe space for them to connect with other Christians. Additionally, it provide students at Gator Wesley a look at and a connection point with other campus and community organizations that they can join or partner with as they are discerning how God has gifted them and how God is calling them. or mail a check to: 1380 W. University Ave, Gainesville, FL for 80 Campaign is a great way to support Gator Wesley, and please know that any amount will help continue the ministry of Gator Wesley into the future.

6 MISSIONS Madeline Lawson Freshman - Sante Fe It is my first year at Gator Wesley and I had the incredible opportunity to go on my first mission trip ever! For spring break a group of Gator Wesley students went to Baton Rouge, LA to help rebuild resident s houses with Revive 225 after the damage caused by flooding in August of At first I wasn t even signed up to go on the mission trip, but two days before I was asked by some friends why I wasn t going. I realized I didn t have a good excuse; I was just afraid of the uncertainty. The very next day I decided I would go on my first mission trip. Looking back now, I can only think that my friends were acting as the hands and feet of God in that moment. I soon found myself piling into a van with eighteen other students at 7:30 a.m about to head out on a nine hour drive. Little did I know this experience was going to change my life. Once we got settled in at the church housing us for the week, we got to decide which project we wanted to work on. Out of the three options, I chose putting up drywall at Ms. Delease Shelton s house. The first day on the job I realized how hard building a house really was. After listening to Ms. Shelton s story and all the struggle she has gone through, it made all the hard work worth it! She taught me that a home isn t just some drywall and screws on a cement foundation; a home is the love you have in your heart and the relationships you form with people and with God. I learned that valuables aren t worth anything compared to the memories you have that can t be taken away or destroyed by a natural disaster. This trip was so incredible but we did more than work the entire time, we also got to have a lot of fun! On Wednesday, we had the day off to go visit New Orleans! We walked down Gator Wesley Mission Trip 2017 Bourbon Street and tasted the famous beignets at Café Du Monde, and towards the end of our day we visited the Lower Ninth Ward, a neighborhood that was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina and has suffered greatly since the storm. One of the homes has been converted into a museum with pictures and articles covering the walls. I read many personal stories of loss and survival. These were hard to read but proved to me the strength of the people in Louisiana and just how much they trusted in God. The following day we were treated to dinner by Revive 225 with an authentic crawfish boil! We were taught how to peel shrimp and the proper way to eat a crawfish in the South. All of the places we got to go were amazing. My absolute favorite night was when we met up with the LSU Wesley Foundation and worshiped in the courtyard of the LSU campus. The rows were filled with people singing along with the band and I watched as students walked by and stopped to see what was going on. I have never felt closer to God than in that moment. As we sang Father we re crying out, spirit we need you now, glorious love surrounds us, Lord come and fill this place, I knew our Father had done just that, and every person s heart was touched that night. As we packed up our things and loaded our suitcases back into the vans, I knew something had changed in me. I no longer wanted a degree in Journalism, but that Sociology is a field that will help me fulfill this desire I have to help people and spread the word of God to everyone. This mission trip has impacted me so much and I feel a calling from God to allow my life to be used as the hands and feet of Jesus and to live out God s will. Revive225 Missions Baton Rouge, Louisiana

7 WORSHIP Bekah Long, Freshman - UF I can see a huge improvement in my own talents, too. I feel much more confident about my abilities to lead worship from behind a piano and microphone. I believe God gives us all the gifts we need to help grow His kingdom, and I know that my gifts include music. It s our responsibility to constantly work on bettering our gifts and talents, in order to give our best to God. I ve been able to do that The ministry at Gator Wesley echoes past the walls of our building and echoes past the city limits of Gainesville. I m so excited to take all of the great things I ve learned in Gainesville back to Stuart. I can t wait to tell everyone at home of what I ve learned through working with the praise team at Gator Wesley, and I know that when I return to Gainesville in August, I ll have even more to bring to the table here. The beautiful thing about campus ministry is that it causes a ripple effect. At Gator Wesley, we teach people, we help them grow, we watch them gain new talents and abilities, but it doesn t stop there. I m about to go home for the summer, where I will jump back in to all the ways I was active in my home church. However, the difference between me now and the me I was a year ago, is all of what I ve learned from Gator Wesley. All the new skills I ve attained throughout this year will be what I can bring back to my hometown, causing a growth and improvement that might not have been there if I hadn t learned what I have during my first year at UF. SENIORS 2017 The year at Gator Wesley has been a year of change and growth. We ve introduced new songs and new people, but we ve also introduced a refreshed purpose for our team. These past two semesters, for me, have been about learning that in order to effectively lead worship for the congregation, you have to make sure your heart is in the right place, and that you re worshiping God first. This has made a huge improvement in the way I view worship on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights. Instead of viewing it as a job or a responsibility to facilitate worship for my peers, I view it as an opportunity to worship alongside my friends, even though I m on a different side of the sanctuary. this year. The songs we introduced this year differ from what I have been used to. However, through this new style, I have been able to adapt and learn new ways to add to the overall sound of the band, and the overall worship experience. Even though this year was my first year at UF and Gator Wesley, I got involved quickly. The biggest way I did this was by joining the praise team. I had the opportunity to play keys and sing during our two weekly services, and I loved every minute of it.

8 @ GATOR WESLEY The following are upcoming events and items of note. If you have questions or need anything at all, please give us a call, send an or find us on Facebook! GW Intramurals & the Return of the Wesley Bowl! SUMMER A: SUMMER B: May 8 Summer A Classes Begin June Summer B Wecome Week May 8 Dinner & a Movie - College Room June 25 Welcome Week: Worship Kickoff May 19 Bowling Night June 27 Summer B Classes Begin June 3 July 4 Fireworks July River Retreat June 16 Summer A Classes End SUMMER SUNDAY NIGHTS Daniel Minter - Junior, UF The spring semester was another success for Gator Wesley intramural sports. We registered teams in 5-on-5 co-rec basketball, 4-on-4 co-rec flag football, and 4-on-4 men s football, each of which developed its own unique following and fan base. We welcomed several new members to our teams, and even developed a new strategy of play-calling to push our football team to a new level of performance. Intramurals can be an excellent outreach tool for new students that have not connected to Gator Wesley in other ways. We also hope that our impact on campus can be seen through our teams, how they interact with their opponents on the field and how they carry themselves, win or lose, off the field. Speaking of football, the Wesley Bowl, returned this year! Held on Super Bowl Sunday, it was an afternoon preview of the main event, and pitted Team Orange against Team Blue in a battle of Gator pride. Team Orange, captained by Heather Pancoast and Davis Waldorff, held on for the victory against Team Blue, led by Joel Pancoast and Amy Almond, who were unable to stage a Patriots-esque comeback in the second half. As school is inevitably winding down into the summer, we look forward to continuing to expand intramural sports next fall. Beach St. Augustine May 14 - July 30, Evening Worship 6:00 p.m. Dinner, 7:00 p.m. Worship FALL 2017 CALENDAR GATOR WESLEY TAILGATES 08/11-13 Staff Retreat 09/09 UF vs. Northern Colorado 08/14-16 Leadership Training / Work Days 09/16 UF vs. Tennessee 08/17-25 Welcome Week 09/30 UF vs. Vanderbilt 09/22-24 Beach Retreat 10/07 UF vs. LSU (Homecoming) 11/17 Fall Festival 10/14 UF vs. Texas A&M 11/17-19 Family & Alumni Weekend 11/18 UF vs. UAB 12/07 Winter Formal 11/25 UF vs. FSU MAILING ADDRESS UPDATE: It s official! Gator Wesley is no longer using a P.O. Box for mail correspondence. Please use our physical address from this point forward. DIRECTORS Heather Pancoast, Co-Director Joel Pancoast, Co-Director Gator Wesley Foundation 1380 W. University Ave Gainesville, FL WEB Facebook.com/GatorWesley

9 1380 W. University Ave, Gainesville FL