There are many Christian organizations on the University’s campus, all of which contribute to the campus community in different ways and offer a haven for different types of students. The Methodist student organization, the Wesley Foundation, is known for hosting uniquely progressive and original programs for students.
Two years ago, Benjamin Rountree, an alumnus who majored in English, started a Taize service on campus, which was hosted by the Wesley Foundation.
Taize is a meditation-style worship, in which simplicity is stressed, according to the Taize at UA Facebook page.
Rountree said Taize began in a monastery in southern France with a monk named Brother Roger after World War II. Brother Roger and his sister helped hide Jewish children when the Nazis were marching across Europe. Soon afterward, he founded the Taize Monastery.
“The focus of Taize is a very simple, reflective worship,” Rountree said. “The songs are almost like chants. You’ll sing three or four lines and that’s the whole song. After you’ve sung the sentence or two several times you don’t need the book anymore so that allows you to sing without thinking about it. It opens you up to thinking about what it is saying or to meditating. It has the same effect that chanting has.”
Rountree said he discovered the Taize worship at an Episcopalian retreat with his friend, and it really struck a chord with him.
“I just absolutely loved it,” Rountree said. “I loved how incredibly peaceful it was. I’m Methodist so I had never done any meditation before. The simplicity of it was what really struck me. I grew up in a big fancy Methodist Church in Montgomery and so I was used to robes, candles, big organs and stone churches. Taize is so simple. There are no chairs. Everybody sits on the floor facing the same direction. We usually just have one guitar sitting behind everybody for the music and it’s all lit by candle light.”
Another important aspect of the Taize worship service is silence, Rountree said.
“With Taize all the focus is on a very simple, very humble worship,” Rountree said. “There is a huge importance on silence. It was kind of tense at first. Whenever there is silence at church folks start to squirm in their pews. We had a full five minutes of silence in our [Taize] worship service. It took a while to get used to, but it got really good.”
Rountree said he presented the idea of Taize to the campus minster at the Wesley Foundation, who was completely on board.
The Taize service hosted by the Wesley Foundation ended after Rountree graduated; however, Rountree said if any UA students are interested in starting it up again, they can contact him with any questions at [email protected].
The Wesley Foundation was also host to one of last year’s new programs, the Reconciling Ministries Network, started by Wesley Glass, a senior majoring in international relations and Spanish.
The Reconciling Ministries Network promotes equality for all sexual orientations in the Methodist Church, Glass said.
“The point is to have equality in the Methodist Church,” Glass said. “The Methodist Book of Discipline does not say anything specific about the inclusion of different sexual orientations in the clergy. The main drive is to get something in the Book of Disciplines saying we accept everybody of all orientations and genders.”
Glass said he believes he was able to do work with the program and hold the meetings at the Wesley Foundation because of the inclusive nature of the Methodist Church.
“One of the things that I love most about the Methodist Church is its ability to be open to all types of people,” Glass said. “Anybody can take communion at the Methodist Church. You don’t have to be Methodist, baptized, et cetera. That principle is carried over to the Wesley Foundation. Our leaders are open to any social justice project.”
Ken Smith, the campus minister at the Wesley Foundation, said the Wesley Foundation is always looking to get involved and make an impact.
“I don’t know if we’re unique in what we’re seeking to accomplish,” Smith said. “We just want to be active beyond our little group.”
Smith said he hopes the Wesley Foundation provides a support group for students.
“We try to be open and accepting to all who are interested and all who want to be a part,” Smith said. “There are certainly a lot of folks out there who have not found that kind of support group. This is a place to feel at home and feel accepted.”
“We’re different than other campus ministries because of our size,” Glass said. “It’s a small, close group that is always looking to grow. We like having that community where we can all get to know each other so if somebody comes we can get to know them too.”
The Wesley Foundation hosts a common meal every Thursday at 6 p.m. with worship at 7 p.m. If you are a first time visitor, the meal is free.
