Dear Friends of Wesley,

As another semester draws to a close, I wanted to revive this list and add new alumni/friends to take a moment to discuss the incredible work happening at the University of Alabama Wesley Foundation—and the important opportunity we have to invest in the future of the ministry. (If you aren’t receiving Friends of Wesley emails, please fill out the form at the bottom of this page! We’d love to stay in touch.)

 

As someone who loves Wesley, you know the impact the ministry has. For many of you, this impact has been personal, deeply affecting you, your family, or your career. Some of you can still trace important moments in your life, like becoming a Christian or meeting a spouse, to the Wesley Foundation. I’m happy to say that this is the kind of ministry impact we still enjoy at Wesley today. What was yours then during your years at Wesley has now become a new generation’s, and this is how it will be forever (or until Christ returns, at least!). Rest assured, we aren’t going anywhere!

 

As we’ve always done, we are reaching students with the life-changing message of Jesus. Every week, we gather to experience community, worship, and spiritual growth through weekly communion, free meals, small groups, powerful music, and relevant Biblical teaching. We remain committed to the core of the Wesleyan spirit by fully engaging both heart and mind. As a result, we witnessed amazing things in 2023. Aside from our biggest year of participation yet (reaching over 1% of the entire on-campus population at UA through events), we continued our streak of annually sending graduates to seminary (since 2013!), and we saw others become Christian, including one who was publicly baptized. I’ve included his picture below. How cool is that?

In the last few years, we’ve renovated the building and tended to facility needs.  This semester, almost on a weekly basis, we’ve arranged (and rearranged) furniture to accommodate the influx of new students. We’re excited that this year, we have our largest freshmen class ever, boasting 27 freshmen who call Bama Wesley their “home away from home.” In fact, just a few weeks ago, we had so many students attend our weekly “common meal” service and stay for small groups afterward that I had to quickly rush out to buy more food and reorganize every “small group” room. We’ve had to get creative this year with fitting everyone into our building!

 

Ministry growth comes with added challenges, as you can imagine—more mouths to feed, more curriculum to buy, more rooms to renovate, and more staff needed. All great challenges to have! But it is also why I’m reaching out for your help in 2024. Regular, consistent costs require regular, consistent support. What if we could ensure Wesley’s continued impact for years to come through our combined giving?

Local churches suggest a tithe (a tenth) as the goal for their giving. For those of you not currently connected to a local church, would you consider offering your tithe (10% of of your income) to Wesley? This is what I currently do (hey, it may be my job, but Wesley is also something I deeply believe in!).

Now, to those who are already faithfully giving to a church, I don’t want to ask you to take away from that. Instead, I recommend exploring the possibility of adding a little extra—5%, 3%, or 1%—to support Wesley every month.

Or, maybe a specific amount dedicated to one Wesley program resonates more with you. Your commitment could ensure anything from free-to-student meals to powerful retreats, cutting-edge technology, internships, and the essential infrastructure that keeps our ministry thriving.

Please understand that this isn’t just about sustaining what we have; it’s about amplifying it. Your generosity enables us to maintain our core experiences—weekly communion, transformative worship, and life-changing small groups. But it doesn’t stop there. It fuels additional blessings like dynamic fellowship events, retreats, and the expansion of our team.

 

Your support is a game-changer and together, we can build something even more extraordinary. Whatever your gift, all monthly recurring gifts will receive monthly newsletters describing Wesley happenings in addition to an “end-of-year” newsletter. I want you to know exactly the impact you’re making. And believe me—you will be making an impact, leaving a legacy that will help today’s students discover who they are in Christ, and what on earth they’re here for.

This brings us to our theme for 2024, uniting all of those who have been shaped by the ministry at Wesley. What was yours then, is theirs now. And with your help, we’ll continue to serve students forever.

So, take a moment, pray about it, and let’s step into this opportunity to shape the future of Bama Wesley. Together. And when you’re ready, please visit our giving site to designate your commitment.

Thank you so much for your contribution. Let’s leave a legacy together.

Yours,

Rev. Dr. T. Wade Langer

Pastor, University of Alabama Wesley Foundation