A.S.U. United Campus Ministries, Inc.–A History
(Updated January 2023 by The Rev. Gary Sanford, Chaplain UCM)

          UCM was begun in the late 1960s when the United Methodist, Episcopalian, and Christian Churches (Disciples of Christ) decided, in the ecumenical spirit of the day, to join forces in ministry on the San Angelo College (now Angelo State University) campus. Incorporated as A.S C. United Campus Ministries, Inc., December 17, 1968, purchased the house at 2453 Dena Drive in 1969 and made a formal covenant together. A year or so later, the Presbyterian and Lutheran Churches became partners in the ministry and later the United Church of Christ. On March 11, 1971, the name was amended to A.S.U. United Campus Ministries, Inc. to reflect the change from San Angelo College to Angelo State University.
          The first full-time minister/director hired by the board of directors was the Rev. Dr. David Ehalt, a Methodist minister, in 1973. He served as campus minister until 1988 when he left to pastor a small church outside Austin. During his tenure at UCM, he taught religion classes for credit at ASU until the mid-eighties when Jim Maddox, attorney general in Texas at the time, offered the opinion that Bible Chair-taught classes were a violation of the separation of church and state. After Ehalt’s departure, the Rev. Thomas Wessman, a Presbyterian (PCUSA) pastor from Oklahoma, was hired as full-time director/minister. During his tenure, UCM was known for its drama ministry at local churches and throughout the region. With his departure in December 1991, the board chose to hire an interim lay director, Marilyn Flage, while it evaluated the ministry and made plans for the future. In the summer of 1992, the board hired the Rev. Sonya Gravlee, a United Church of Christ minister, as a part-time campus minister to work with Mrs. Flage, who continued as director. In January 1994, Gravlee became the full-time campus minister/director.
          In late 1994, the Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Texas withdrew from United Campus Ministries to form a Canterbury Ministry. In June 2007, the Episcopal Church rejoined UCM.

In 2000, Gravlee left to pursue a doctoral degree in California and was replaced by the Rev. Nancy York (a Methodist minister). In December 2007, York’s position was eliminated due to the withholding of funds by the United Methodist Church. In February 2008, the Rev. Gary Sanford (Episcopal deacon) accepted the position of part-time chaplain for UCM as a non-stipendiary position (Episcopal deacons are not paid for their service).
          In past years, UCM has been a vital and energetic ministry. UCM was known for its ecumenical work, its social
ministry, planning and directing the annual CROP Walk in San Angelo, mission trips, and retreats. Much of the
programming was planned and implemented by a UCM Council of Students, formed in January 1995. Sometime between 2000 and 2007, the Student Council ceased to exist. There was a steady downward trend in student events, programs, and involvement. After the Rev. Nancy York left in December 2007, the spring 2008 semester showed a sharp decrease in the student population at UCM. We needed support from the Board of Trustees, and contributions needed to be higher. There were even hints that the ministry should be dissolved. Things were dismal.
          On January 29, 2009, Deacon Sanford and his wife Eldra organized a group of students to find out what programs and activities would benefit them and make them want to come to UCM. Five students and five board members met with good results. This meeting resulted in the re-birth of the Student Council (renamed Student Advisory Board), officially recognized at the March 2009 meeting of the Board of Trustees. Through the efforts of this student board, there was an immediate increase in participation. Numbers for Food 4 Thought (the Wednesday free lunch program) increased from 2-3 students to a high of 30 students in April 2009 and an average attendance of about 20-25 students. (Starting in 2009, this program was maintained through the two summer sessions—something that has never been done before—with an average attendance of 11 students). In November 2009, we also started our first Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. This was so students who could not go home could enjoy a family-style holiday dinner. This became an annual event. Other programs were also started, Dinner & Games on Sundays, Theological Discussions on Mondays, Bible Study on Tuesdays, Student Board meetings every Thursday, book study Fridays, and Movie Madness on Saturdays. Retreats have been revived, and there are plans for mission and social justice work.
          Also, in 2009 Samantha Sandifer was hired for the newly created position of Student Program Director. This is a liaison position between UCM, the students, and Angelo State University. Its purpose is to create and develop new programs for UCM and coordinate implementation with ASU. Samantha had to resign from the position when she graduated in May 2011 and was replaced by Bernardino ‘Chito’ Hernandez for the start of the Fall semester in 2011.
          After several meetings with the clergy and other representatives from Tree of Life Church, we asked them to join us as a participating denomination in January 2011. TLC is a non-denominational, charismatic, evangelical, and fundamentalist congregation. Since UCM is about learning and questioning, this is a good exposure for our students and a way to broaden their views. While we all recognized the risks involved in such a union, the difference was too much for the TLC students. Because of that, they withdrew their support at the end of the Spring semester.
          The annual Sweethearts & Jazz fundraiser in February 2011 resulted in meager revenue for UCM. We added another fundraiser, a dinner theatre produced by the Emmanuel Episcopal Church drama group, St. Genesius Thespians, in March 2011. This event featured the original one-act play Moments With God, written and directed by Eldra Sanford, and was much more profitable.
          In November 2011, at a regular board meeting, it was decided to discontinue Sweethearts & Jazz to concentrate on the dinner theatre.
          By the end of 2011, we fed over 80 students on Wednesdays at our Food 4 Thought lunch. This has become more of an outreach program than an educational one because of the event’s extended hours and come-and-go nature.
          2011 was also a time of financial struggles requiring several operating cost cuts. We could not travel for retreats; however, two mini-retreats were held at the UCM building. One was a discussion on the Jewish faith with guest lecturer Ami Mizell-Flint from the Peace Ambassador of West Texas, attended by five students. The other was an overnight lock-in followed by eight and a three-hour theological discussion. In addition to those with Christian backgrounds, this event was attended by two agnostics and one atheist.
          On April 19, 2012, Deacon Gary was assigned by the Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Texas bishop to work full-time at UCM. With the approval of the Board of Trustees, the full-time chaplain/director (still a non-stipendiary position).
          2012 has been a tough time for us. Due to a lack of funding, most of our regular programs had to be put on hold; however, we have been able to continue Food 4 Thought. Chito had to be replaced as Student Program Director at the start of the fall 2012 semester, and Nicole McDonald was hired as his replacement. Her efforts have produced several encouraging possibilities for the spring 2013 semester.
          Nicole left us at the end of the spring 2013 semester to continue her studies as a student teacher in Cleburne, Texas and graduated from ASU in December 2013.  Cassandra Trautman replaced Nicole for the fall 2013 semester.  Cassie graduated in December 2013 and was replaced by Christine Turner in January 2014.
          Finances continue to be a big problem for UCM, and our fundraising efforts for 2013 have yet to be very successful. Because of that, we have had to make additional cuts for 2014, and one of those was the elimination of the position of Student Program Director after Christine left us in April of 2014. Hopefully, in the future, we will be able to bring this position back.  Its value was immense.
          We are also faced with a dwindling number of supporters. Christ Lutheran (ELCA) closed its doors during the summer of 2014, leaving us without Lutheran support. The Methodist church has wanted to sell its 50% ownership since 2008 and has remained supporters in name only. I hope that the Episcopal church will someday be able to buy property rights from the Methodist church.
          On a brighter note, there has been quite a lot of activity at UCM in 2014. Several students have been meeting regularly to watch movies or to study. Several outside groups have had meetings at our facilities, and we have hosted three Sunday night suppers for the senior high group from Emmanuel.
          On October 14, 2014, Gary traveled to Cleburne, Texas, to officiate at the wedding of Nicole McDonald (a former student and program director) and Cole Webb.
          In 2015 we started slowly with only one Student Advisory Board member, Collyn Glaspie. While we fed an average of 61 students through our Food 4 Thought program, other activities were few. On March 15, we served those interested in the Imposition of Ashes on Ash Wednesday. This was the second time we had offered this during the lunch program, and this year we had 15 people receive ashes.
          We had one Student Board meeting with four attending for the Spring Semester. For the Fall semester, we had 13 Student Board meetings with an average of 7 students attending. This board has been very interested in doing things such as reverse Trick or Treating the children at Shannon Hospital, re-painting UCM, attending services at our supporting churches, and hosting church youth groups for movie/discussion nights.
          Collyn had to leave us mid-way through the Fall Semester as president of the Student Board and was replaced by the vice president, Julia McDaniel.
          Two movie/discussion nights were held involving church youth groups. For the first, we viewed and discussed the movie Believe Me; for the second, we viewed and discussed God’s Not Dead. Both were well attended, and there was a significant interaction between middle and high school students and university students.
          In addition to having a very active Student Advisory Board, we also received several very generous private donations, which made it possible to continue our annual Thanksgiving feast and obtain a new computer for the office. The Thanksgiving feast was held on Tuesday, November 24, because the university was closed on Wednesday, November 25. Plans were to skip it this year, but the students demanded that we continue the tradition. Thankfully we did, and several students told me they could not go home this year. Thank you to Mavis Bell and John Caldwell for making this possible. Seventy-nine were served, more than twice what we had in the past.
          We received an early Christmas present in December from the now-defunct Christ Lutheran Church. They sold their building and divided the proceeds among different non-profit organizations. We received $5,000.00 and are most grateful for that addition to our bank account. It was a welcome boost for the end of the year.
          In 2016 we looked forward to possible changes in UCM. We have had several discussions with The Rev. Steve Purdy, District Superintendent for the United Methodist Church. The goal is reintegration with the Methodist Campus Ministry, and while several details have to be worked out, it is both Steve’s and my desire that this takes place. Several discussions with the Board of Trustees and the Student Advisory Board indicate that this is a possibility. The Fall Semester at UCM has been very eventful, and I look forward to 2016 with great expectations.
          Discussions continued with the Methodist District, The Rev. Steve Purdy (District Supervisor), and Lori Jones (Wesley Ministry Director). A planning retreat was held on February 13, 2016, at the Caldwell ranch to develop a plan for reuniting UCM and the Methodist churches. At that meeting, it was decided that Wesley would begin moving their resources to our location and become reunited with UCM. In March, Lori started conducting her regular Monday evening Bible study at UCM and has filled in as a mentor at some Student Board meetings when I was out of town. At the close of 2016, we are still awaiting full integration.
          Our Student Board has been very active during the year. Julia McDaniel was elected president in 2016; however, they had to resign because of conflicting commitments and were replaced by Brittani Beggs. Several students attended the February UCM/Wesley planning retreat and continued the reverse trick or treat at Shannon Hospital and a trunk or treat at Emmanuel Episcopal. In November, we participated in the ASU Fall Fest.
          In August, we held a 6-day retreat for eleven students at the Mayan Ranch near Bandera, Texas. This is the first retreat we have had in several years and was made possible by a generous grant from John Caldwell. We held group discussions and three worship services, with the last service led by a student. The value of these retreats in building closer bonds and exploring spiritual journeys is immeasurable.
          Food 4 Thought continues strong, and with the help of Emmanuel Episcopal and Good Shepherd Episcopal, we continued our Thanksgiving Feast on Tuesday, November 22.
          2016 also saw several changes at UCM. Besides painting the interior walls, we had the outside of the building repainted and the Hackberry tree removed. Trimming of the front yard trees is scheduled for March 2017. We also started refinishing the floors. It was decided to remove the green shag carpet and restore the wood floors; however, this turned into a larger project than anticipated. Part of the floor was particle board, which had to be removed and replaced with hardwood flooring. An area around the furnace had suffered water damage and had to be repaired. Work is coming along and looks good, but taking longer than expected.
          Several fundraising projects are under consideration, with plans to involve the other supporting denominations. Each will sponsor a separate event, which will be drama based.
          He was elected the UCM Board of Directors president in December 2007; the Rev. Sanford served eight years in that position from January 2008 through December 2016. In December, John Caldwell, Jr. was elected president and will take office in January 2017.
          2017 has been a busy year for United Campus Ministries. We have had strong student leaders who desire to ‘get involved’ both on campus and in the community.
          There is a definite ebb and flow of activity. Some years are better than others, but this year has been exceptional. The goal is to see more students involved with UCM and, hopefully, younger students. Without the students, we would not exist, and we recognize that fact. They are what makes UCM great.
          Student Advisory Board is a weekly meeting of the student membership of UCM and advisors. During these sessions, we plan the activities for UCM with a dual goal of fellowship and service. Our board has been very active this year during both regular semesters meeting eleven times during the Spring semester with a total attendance of 57 (average attendance was five members). During the Fall semester, we met 13 times, totaling 77 attendings (average attendance was seven members).
          Part of the reason for the boost in attendance during the Fall semester was that we could add three students who are not part of the drama department through Aaron May’s efforts. This is a plus for us and shows that we are becoming better known on campus and more diversified.
     Officers for this year are:

• Scott Beggs President
• Tracey Cumby, Vice President
• Katie Hirst Secretary
• Emily Maddox Treasurer
• Aaron May Events Coordinator/Historian

Worship
          On January 21, 2017, Eldra and Gary traveled to Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend, where it was Gary’s honor and privilege to unite Samantha Sandifer and Dustin Gashette in holy matrimony. Both are past members of UCM, and Samantha was the first president of the Student Advisory Board. She was instrumental in starting many of the programs we still offer, most notably the revision of Food 4 Thought. She became the first Student Program Director (a paid staff position).
          The Imposition of Ashes service was offered twice during the Ash Wednesday Food 4 Thought program. This was the fourth year we had offered this, and it has grown from two or three receiving ashes the first year to 20 this year.
          On September 10, 2017, two students, Scott Beggs, and Aaron May, attended services with First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
          On October 8, 2017, three students, Kaitlyn Hirst, Tracey Cumby, Emily Maddox, Eldra, and I, attended Good Shepherd Episcopal Church services.
          On Wednesday, October 18, 2017, Tracey Cumby, Aaron May, and Mason Gable led Evening Prayer at Emmanuel Episcopal Church. This was a new experience for Tracey and Mason; Aaron showed one of the Evening Prayers observed during the Mayan Ranch retreat in August 2016. Gary was there to offer assistance if needed…none was, and they did an admirable job.
          Plans are to have more church visitations during 2018.
Bible Studies
          Formal Bible study classes were held during the Spring semester, with 19 attending. These are the only officially recorded events.
               Feb 27, 2017, 5 attending led by Lori Jones
               Mar 4, 2017, 4 attending led by Bryce Real
               April 9, 2017, 2 attending led by Bryce
               April 10, 2017, 5 attending led by Lori
               April 17, 2017, 1 attending led by Bryce
               June 12, 2017, 2 attending led by Bryce
          It should be noted that, in addition to the formal study sessions, there are several informal discussions about the differences in Bibles and how some passages could be interpreted.
Theological Discussion
          Only one theological discussion was held this year. On December 3, 2017, a group of three students, Aaron May, Mason Gable, and Tracey Cumby, along with Eldra and myself, gathered to discuss how Bible verses were often taken out of context and using scripture can influence our lives.
Study Sessions
          There were 5 study sessions held during the spring semester, with 11 attendings.
               May 7 (1), 8 (5), 9 (3), 10 (1) & 11 (1) for Cram Party
          There were 8 study sessions held during the fall semester, with 49 attending.
               Sep 1 (5)
               Oct 22 (5)
               Dec 3 (6)
               Dec 10 (1), 11 (7), 12 (12), 13 (8) & 14 (5) for Cram Party
Movie / Game Night
          Five movie nights were held during 2017, totaling 45 attendings.
               January 7, 2017,            4 attending
               March 9, 2017,               6 attending
               March 26, 2017,           21 attending (youth groups from Emmanuel, First Christian, and Community Hills were invited to attend to view and discuss the movie ‘Risen’)
               September 23, 2017,     9 attending (90’s movies theme)
               October 22, 2017,          5 attending
On Campus Activities
          On June 29 & 30, 2017, we participated in the ASU New Student Orientation by operating our booth with five attendings.
          On Nov 29, 2017, we again operated our booth at Experience ASU with three attendings.
Outreach
          This year, we could not do the reverse trick-or-treat at Shannon or Community hospitals because of interference with class schedules. However, we were able to participate in the Emmanuel Episcopal Church’s Fall Carnival by providing a game, Find the Spider, for kids to enjoy. It turned out that this was probably the most popular game, with kids lined up across the room for a chance.
          Our weekly Food 4 Thought free lunch continues to be our most extensive outreach program. This year we served lunch to students, staff, and faculty 31 times, with 1,372 meals. In the Spring semester, we served lunch 15 times with 656 meals or an average of 43.73 weekly. Lunch was made 16 times during the Fall semester, with 716 meals or a weekly average of 45.75.
Fundraisers
          We conducted two fundraisers in 2017, and both were very successful. The first was our production of the musical “The
Seven Deadly Sins: A Musical Revue” was held on Apr 7 for one night at Emmanuel Episcopal Church. We used the Seven Deadly Sins, illustrated by musical numbers and short homilies, to describe the frailties of human nature. The program was very well received, and we received several requests to make this an annual event. It will be performed again in 2018 with new music and new homilies. The total raised for this event was $1,332.90.
          Our second effort was a GoFundMe account. After discovering that we had lost income from two significant contributors, action was needed to increase our account balance. To do this, a fund was set up with GoFundMe. I received an excellent response to this primarily through the congregation of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, friends, and some past members of UCM. $8,257 was raised, and this is an ongoing program.
Other Groups at UCM
          As has become our practice, we offer our building for outside groups. This is always done with caution and stringent guidelines. We always require that one of our Student Board members be present or that a deposit be paid to cover cleaning and damage. To date, every group that has used our building has been very respectful of our property.
          Alpha Psi Omega (APO), the drama fraternity, met twice in 2017, with 22 attending.
          Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) is new to us this year. They are a tiny fraternity on campus described as “Founded by opportunity out of defeat and built on the honest convictions of love, charity, and esteem. Tau Kappa Epsilon is a men’s social fraternity 118 years in the making”. Tracey Cumby, our Student Board Vice-president, is the fundraising and social chairman for TKE. They met at UCM nine times during 2017, with 66 attending.
2018
          We thought 2017 was a great year, but 2018 exceeded all expectations. It has been one of (if not the) busiest years we have ever had. We continue to have outstanding, strong student leadership, and our membership has grown from six regular students to fourteen students, with more coming for the new year. Our membership has grown from primarily drama students (now a minority) to students from the sciences, engineering, math, business, and music. At student request, our Student Advisory Board meetings were changed from 5 pm on Fridays to 8 pm on Wednesdays (8 pm was picked so it would not interfere with students wishing to attend church on Wednesday evenings). This has resulted in higher participation at meetings because it is mid-week and after most other meetings have concluded. It also makes it easier for students wanting to go home for the weekend to attend. It makes for a very long day, but well worth it. Along with the increased diversity and energy, we are now starting to attract some first-year students, which has been very hard to do in the past and is certainly a blessing.
Student Advisory Board
          The United Campus Ministries Student Advisory Board is the single most crucial element of UCM . . . without students.
participation UCM would not be able to exist. Three years ago, we were blessed with a student board that was very dedicated and active, but we couldn’t seem to grow past six members. Then . . . this year, things started to move. Other students started getting involved, and our membership grew. By the end of the Spring semester, we had met 23 times with an average attendance of six members (we never had less than four, and the highest attendance was eleven) compared with eleven meetings in 2017 and an average of five attendings.
          Then something unusual happened. The students wanted to continue meeting through the summer. We held nine meetings during July and August, with an average of six in attendance. When we started the Fall semester, there were indications that we could have as many as fifteen members. The semester started slowly, with only four for the first two meetings, but then things began to change, and we ended the semester with a total of thirteen sessions and an average of seven attending. The highest attendance was on November seven, with fourteen following.
          Statistics for the year are 45 meetings, with 288 attending or an average of 6.5 in attendance. As we continue to grow, so does our diversity. We now have students from the arts, sciences, and business disciplines. We have also started to attract some first-year students.
          Realizing that every member can only make some meetings due to work, other required school activities, and wanting to go home for long weekends, we moved our regular meeting time from Fridays at 5 pm to Wednesdays at 8 pm. This did help increase attendance.
          Aaron May and Emily Maddox will leave us after May when they graduate, and their enthusiastic efforts are a big part of why we have been so successful.
          Officers for 2018/2019 are:
               Emily Maddox  President (until June 2019)
               Ryen Young,             Vice President
               Keli McLaurin          Secretary
               Currently Open         Treasurer
               Aaron May                Events Coordinator/Fundraising (until June 2019)
               DeAndra Martinez    Historian
Worship
          During the Ash Wednesday Food 4 Thought program, the Imposition of Ashes service was offered four times. This was the fifth year we had offered this; seventeen received ashes this year.
          During 2018 there were four church visitations, including a visit to Temple Beth-Israel for a memorial service of those killed at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA, where eleven people were killed on October 11, 2018.
          On May 30, 2018, Aaron May, Emily Maddox, Scott Beggs, and Tracey Cumby were baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal Church during a service at Emmanuel Episcopal Church. The Rt. Rev. Scott Mayer officiated, and The Rev. Deacon Sanford did the baptisms.
          We held five worship services during our August retreat to the Mayan Ranch, with the last student-led and eleven participating each night.
          On December 9, 2018, nine of us attended Emmanuel Episcopal Church, where Gary baptized Sophia Grace Lovett-Lewis, the daughter of Jennifer Lovett. Jennifer is a former UCM student, and it was an honor to baptize her daughter.
Bible Studies
          There was only one formal class in 2018, Living Well Through Lent, with four attending.
          It should be noted that, in addition to the formal study sessions, there are several informal discussions about the differences in Bibles and how some passages should be interpreted.
Theological Discussion
          Theological discussions, as usual, seem to be much more critical to my students than Bible studies. We held seven study sessions in 2018. Two were informal, with thirteen attending, and five structured instructions about the Episcopal church, with an average of five students attending. Four (Emily Maddox, Aaron May, Scott Beggs, and Tracey Cumby) were baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal church on Wednesday, May 30, 2018.
Study Sessions
          This was a bumper year for study sessions. For 2018 there were 36 study sessions, eight occurring during the summer months. A total of 291 attended for an average of eight attendings. Eight sessions were during the summer months despite being closed during summer break. The Cram party did very well in both semesters, with 83 attending over seven days for the Spring semester and 78 attending over six days for the Fall semester. These are the highest numbers we have ever had!
Movie / Game Night
          It is a consistently popular event. From the Super Bowl Party to movie marathons and hanging out, our students met nineteen times with 118 attendees, a whopping average of 6.5 per event.
On Campus Activities
          UCM participated in seven campus-wide activities in 2018. These included:
               June 28, 2018—NSO (New Student Orientation) Student Fair
               June 28, 2018—NSO Student Fair
               July 12, 2018—NSO Student Fair
               July 13, 2018—NSO Student Fair
               November 1, 2018—ASU Fall Fest
               November 17, 2018—Experience ASU
Outreach
          We were able to participate in the Emmanuel Episcopal Church’s Fall Carnival with our Spyder Box (new and improved) for kids to enjoy. Turnout was not as expected this year. The weather was terrible, and the TGC Sheriff’s Office canceled their event (we get much spillover from them).
          Our weekly Food 4 Thought free lunch continues to be our most extensive outreach program. This year we served lunch to students, staff, and faculty 32 times, with 1 221 meals served.
          In the Spring semester, we served lunch sixteen times with 648 meals or an average of 40.5 weekly. Lunch was served fourteen times during the Fall semester, with 583 meals or a weekly average of 41.65. Two lunches were missed during the Fall semester. One for the funeral of George H. W. Bush and the other due to inclement weather.
Fundraisers
          We conducted three fundraisers in 2018, and all were very successful. The first was a yard sale on January 19 & 20, which raised $943.42. Much work involved sorting, pricing, and displaying items for sale, and the students spent many long hours making this possible.
          The second was our production of the musical The Seven Deadly Sins: A Musical Revue held on March 24 & 25 at Emmanuel Episcopal Church. The Seven Deadly Sins are examined using musical numbers and short homilies to illustrate the frailties of human nature. This was the second year for this program; as before, it was very well received. It will be performed again in 2019 with new music, homilies, and a new twist. The total raised for this event was $1,248.32.
          Our third effort was intended to be a ‘thank you’ to the congregation of Emmanuel Episcopal for their support over the past year. Pasta & Carols allowed everyone to come together and enjoy a pasta dinner while UCM serenaded them with Christmas Carols on December 7. (We know it was a little early, but . . .). We did have some UCM merchandise for sale at this event, handmade Anglican Rosaries and UCM coffee mugs, and we raised $445.07. The first year for an event, in my experience, always results in a low turnout. This was no exception, and the UCM representatives (seventeen total) outnumbered the audience.
Other Groups at UCM
          As has become our practice, we offer our building for outside groups. This is always done with caution and stringent guidelines. We always require that one of our Student Board members be present or that a deposit be paid to cover cleaning and damage. To date, every group that has used our building has been very respectful of our property.
               Alpha Psi Omega (APO), the drama fraternity, met once in 2018, with seventeen attending.
               Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) met 30 times this year, with 158 attending.
               Delta Zeta sorority met in our building six times in 2018, with 43 listening.
               Rams+ met three times to bake goods for their bake sale. Rams Plus+ is the on-campus support group for the LGBTQ+ community at ASU.
          Local churches fund programs at UCM and denominational and secular agencies; additional resources come from individuals and fundraising efforts.
2019
          More changes for the Student Board in 2019. We began meeting on Wednesdays at 8:00 pm as we did for the previous 2018 fall semester, but in March 2019, we decided to move the meetings to Mondays at 7:00 pm. We have discovered that weekday nights were the best time to meet, so we picked Wednesdays in 2018. The 8:00 pm time was chosen so our meetings would not interfere with church services. However, that day and time could have been better for students studying for the end-of-week exams. So, on March 25, 2019, we had our first Monday meeting at 7:00 pm, which worked well for the remainder of the year.
          Our student leadership went through several changes in 2018, also. Emily graduated in May and was replaced as president by Ryen Young. Halfway through the fall semester, Ryen experienced several family and personal problems and had to resign as president and was replaced by Mason Gable, who finished the year. The board continued to function through all this, and membership remained strong.
          We also started 2019 with a new addition to our UCM family. Ryen Young and Yasmin Chong began bringing their dogs, Tony and Zoe, respectively, to our meetings and study sessions. We discovered (not a new thing) that they provided stress relief during the study and were lovely to have around. Fortunately, no one is allergic to dogs, so they were welcomed with open arms…literally. After Ryen left, Tony also left, and it was decided that Zoe would be our official therapy dog and mascot. She is featured on the cover of this year’s report to the Board of Trustees. In addition to being good therapy, Zoe is also an asset for baking and yard sales. More on that later.
          The biggest surprise, at least for me, was that at the start of the 2019 fall semester, our students suggested we start a worship service at UCM. And Worship @ UCM was born. I have tried several times to create such a service but have yet to succeed. In the past, I had tried to pick traditional days and times, but the students suggested Tuesdays at 6:30 pm. And it worked. More details are available below.
          2019 was an excellent year overall. Our numbers may fluctuate, but that is common. Those who come here must find something that satisfies their needs. We listen to what the students say and tailor our programming to benefit them.
Student Advisory Board
          As I state every year: The United Campus Ministries Student Advisory Board is the most critical element of UCM … without student participation, UCM would not be able to exist.
          By the end of 2018, we had held 45 meetings with 288 attending or an average of 6.5 in attendance. Part of this increase may be the change in meeting day and time from Fridays at 5:00 pm to Wednesdays at 8:00 pm. The Wednesday time does not interfere with long weekends or party time and does allow time for those who wish to attend Wednesday evening church services.
          By the end of 2019, we had held 45 meetings (same as in 2018) with 334 or an average of 7.4 attendance. Beginning with March 25, 2019, we changed our meeting day and time to Mondays at 7:00 pm. While the Wednesday time benefited growth, it sometimes hindered studying for the end-of-week tests. I did not mind this change at all. My typical Wednesday, with the Food 4 Thought program, begins at 5:00 am, and 16+ hour days can be extended. So far, Mondays are working better than any of the other choices.
          During these weekly meetings, we plan the activities and direction for UCM while maintaining a dual goal for fellowship and service.
Worship
          In December 2018, I made an application to the Hymnal and Common Prayer Book Society of the Episcopal Church. I was granted a donation of 20 copies of the the1979 Episcopal Book of Common Prayer and 20 documents of the 1928 Hymnal. On January 9, 2019, we had an exceptional service to bless these books. The service was officiated by Fr. Bill Wright, assisted by me, and eleven were in attendance.
          On March 6, Ash Wednesday, we held our seventh annual Imposition of Ashes. Fr. Bill Wright was the officiant I assisted, and three services were held over our lunch period with 17 participants.
          On March 16, we attended the Church of the Bread of Life; Javier Santos is the pastor for rededicating their building. Four of us attended. The Church of the Bread of Life is an independent evangelical church born from Javy’s food ministry to the homeless and poverty-stricken.
          At the first Student Board meeting of the Fall semester, August 28, the students said they would like to start a regular worship service at UCM. Though I had tried this on several occasions, it was never successful. It was the student idea this time, and they settled on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm. For 2019 we held 11 services with a total of 37 attendings. This comes to an average of 3.4 per service with a regular membership of twelve, about 28% of the student board. A couple of times, there were six attendings, and a couple of times, there was only one.
          At the Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Texas annual meeting in October, I was granted permission from Bishop Mayer to offer communion from the reserved elements on occasion; preparations are now underway to make that possible. Such items as a tabernacle, credence table, linens, and the details must be procured before this can happen.
          I look forward to continuing this service; some of the services will be student-led, allowing them to become more involved.
Study Sessions
          Student study sessions continue to be the most popular use of our building. There was a total of 81 sessions and a total of 478 students participating (an average of about six students per session). The spring and fall Cram Party sessions (finals week study) both did well, with a total of 53 (6 days) and 41 (5 days), respectively.
Movie / Game Night
          There were seven movie nights with a total participation of 58 (we hold an umbrella copyright license from CVLI for this purpose). On October 258, a Harry Potter marathon spanned two days.
          Five game nights were held with 36 attendings. Though mostly video games, there were also board and card games played.
          This category includes social events such as ‘family’ dinners, Halloween and Christmas parties, and just ‘hangout’ time. We like to see and encourage social events to introduce new students and strengthen bonds.
          There were 24 social events during 2019, with 176 attending for an average of 7.3, up from 6.5 in 2018.
On Campus Activities
          The October ASU Trick or Treat event (a first for the university) was initially scheduled as a Trunk or Treat using the parking lot and cars decorated for Halloween. Due to inclement weather, the event had to be moved inside the University Center (UC) spine. The event turned out more extensive than anyone had expected (unusual for the first year, but it can happen). We had set up a table about midway and brought several large bags of candy—we quickly ran out, and the university was providing some to help refill our (and everyone else) bowl. I do not know if anyone got an estimate on how many people (mostly kids) attended, but it was a steady stream of people for three hours from beginning to end. Lots of happy kids, though, and next year we will be better prepared!!
Outreach
          Our weekly Food 4 Thought free lunch is our most extensive outreach program. In 2019 we served lunch 32 times and fed 1,103 hungry students. This number is down from 2018 where 1, 221 were served the same number of times. I don’t know what the reason for this is. The four-year comparison chart shows a steady decline, and I wonder if the on-campus population has doped. More classes are being offered online, and the annual census includes these, as well as dual credit students and those enrolled at satellite campuses. Either way, we are happy to provide this service for those who attend and enjoy it.
          In other areas, we participated in Emmanuel’s Monday Friends program. This is a social event for developmentally challenged individuals.
          We also prepared and served the Wednesday meal for Emmanuel on April 3 and October 23.
Fundraisers
          Four fundraising events were conducted during 2019, raising a total of $1,308.91 after expenses:
               February 13, 2019—Joint Bakesale with Rams+
               March 8 & 9, 2019—Dinner Theatre (Moments With God)
               October 29, 2019—Bake Sale
               November 9 & 10, 2019,—Yard Sale
          All our activities are intended to be accessible for our students, including meals, books & study materials, and all support items. We do not and never have charged dues as other organizations do, and all materials needed are provided for our students. The only exception to this is paper for class assignments. We provide the printer and ink, but they must provide their writing.
Other Groups at UCM
          In 2019 our building was used four times, and as has become our practice, we offer our facility for outside groups. This is always done with caution and stringent guidelines. We always require that one of our Student Board members be present or that a deposit be paid to cover cleaning and damage. To date, every group that has used our building has been very respectful of our property.
               January 12, 2019—Alpha Psi Omega (APO), the drama fraternity, met once during 2019, with twelve attending.
               January 29 & March 7, 2019—Rams+ met twice with 24 attendings.
               January 12, 20119—A fledgling Book Club met once (the organizer could not generate enough interest), with seven attending
2020
          2020 has been the most unusual year we have ever experienced at UCM. The year started as usual with everyday activities, very similar to 2019, with similar results, at least until March. As usual, classes let out for Spring Break on March 8…then COVID-19 struck. Spring Break was extended a week while the university tried to devise a plan to keep the students and faculty safe. When classes resumed on March 23, everything had been moved to online study and remained that way for the remainder of the Spring semester. This caused a considerable upset in our student’s lives and our facilities’ operation.
          Our last Student Board meeting before Spring Break was on March 6, with no more sessions before April. On April 6, we had our first Student Board meeting at 7 pm on Mondays using Zoom Meetings. We continued with Zoom until August 10. Since the virus appeared to be being controlled, we felt it safe to have face-to-face meetings following the Centers for Disease Control’s guidelines. We have a small enough group to practice social distancing (6’ apart), wear masks, and sanitize personal spaces.
          We continued in this manner until the end of September, when there was a sudden increase in reported cases, and the university recommended that all student groups meet virtually. So, we went back to Zoom and continued until the end of the semester. It should be noted that we had decided to return to Zoom before the university suggested it. We did continue meeting throughout the summer break, however.
          This also affected our Worship @ UCM weekly service; however, it was continued via Zoom on Tuesdays at 7 pm. The benefit of this is that we were able to attract some of the public and a couple of our Board of Trustees members. Unfortunately, due to a shortened semester, attendance dropped off.
          The university had determined that classes for the Fall 2020 semester would end on November 25 rather than bring students back for the ‘normal’ final two weeks. This precaution was taken to prevent the possibility of students returning with the virus.
          How the Spring 2021 semester will look at this point is still being determined. We do know that there will be no Spring Break this year. Classes are scheduled to begin on January 25, 2021, but we are still determining if this will be virtual or a virtual and face-to-face hybrid. We will resume our weekly meetings via Zoom on January 18, 2021
          Because of COVID-19, we could not have most of our regular events and programs and could not do any fundraising.
          A new shed was installed with the help of Alize White in June. The old one, which had been there for over 15 years, was beyond repair.
          We had to replace the roof in October due to hail damage. Our insurance paid most of the cost ($13,060.05 minus our $5,000 deductible).
          2020 could have been a better year for us. Or our students. The disruption of class schedules, virtual classes, learning a new discipline of working independently, and the lack of social interaction have caused tremendous stress to them. They most certainly deserve our prayers for strength.
          Our funds are meager, and there is some doubt that United Campus Ministries can stay open. We pray that 2021 will be a much better year.
Student Advisory Board
          As I state every year, and especially true for this year, the United Campus Ministries Student Advisory Board is the single most crucial element of UCM … without student participation, UCM would not be able to exist.
          By the end of 2020, we had held 45 meetings with 215 attending or an average of 4.8 in attendance. Part of the reason for this decrease from last year (45 sessions and 334 participants for an average of 7.4) may be the change in meeting type and the stress of the semesters.
          We were, however, able to attract one new member.
Worship
          On February 26, Ash Wednesday (it did come early this year—fortunately), we held our eighth annual Imposition of Ashes. Fr. Bill Wright was the officiant I assisted, and three services were held over our lunch period with 15 participants.
          For 2020 our worship service was held primarily via Zoom Meetings, and the time was moved to 7:00 pm on Tuesdays. Thirty-six services with 98 attending or an average of 3 listenings. Attendance dropped severely during the Fall semester, with an average of 1.4 attendings. We did continue the service through the summer break. Attendance for the Spring and Fall semesters (excluding the summer months) was 3.4.
          In 2019 we held 11 services, with a total of 37 attendings. This comes to an average of 3.4 per service with a regular membership of twelve, about 28% of the student board. A couple of times, there were six attendings, and a couple of times, there was only one.
          Although we were permitted to do the Holy Eucharist from reserved sacraments, we have been unable to do so because of the virus. All the necessary items to do this service have been obtained, and we look forward to the time we can gather together for a service to bless the elements with the assistance of a priest.
          I look forward to this service continuing in 2021, and we may be able to meet in person soon. Vaccines that may make this possible are being developed (and close to being distributed).
Study Sessions
          No study sessions were held in 2020 due to COVID-19.
Movie / Game Night
          This category includes social events such as ‘family’ dinners, Halloween and Christmas parties, and just ‘hangout’ time. We like to see and encourage social events to introduce new students and strengthen bonds.
          At the start of the Spring 2020 semester, Alizae White started a new social program called Family Dinner Night. This was intended as a weekly event beginning on February 28, where our members would gather to enjoy a meal (which they prepared) at UCM. There were only two dinners held before the virus struck, but we did have an average of 12.5 students attend, and I think this would have been a very successful program…were it not for the virus.
          We held only one movie event, via Zoom, on May 16. The movie Iron Jawed Angels, about the women’s suffrage movement, was viewed by three.
          Unfortunately, such events as the annual Halloween and Christmas parties had to be canceled, and no other social gatherings were allowed.
On Campus Activities
          Due to the virus, many of the usual campus activities were canceled this year. However, we were able to attend the ‘Spirit Board Competition’ on October 25 and placed an entry in the Homecoming Parade this year on October 31. The ‘Spirit Board Competition’ consists of decorating a large (1/2 sheet of plywood) to promote the ASU spirit. Unfortunately, we did not place. Both events severely to the number of students from an organization allowed to participate.
Outreach
          Our weekly Food 4 Thought free lunch is our most extensive outreach program. In 2020 we served lunch only eight times before we had to stop. 198 meals were served, however, during the Spring semester. No meals were made during the Fall semester.
Fundraisers
          All our activities are intended to be accessible for our students, including meals, books & study materials, and all support items. We do not and never have charged dues as other organizations do, and all materials needed are provided for our students. The only exception to this is paper for class assignments. We provide the printer and ink, but they must provide their writing.
          To make this possible, we hold regular fundraising events throughout the year. These events generally make between $2,000 and $3,000. Because of COVID-19, we could not do any fundraising except for GoFundMe, which generated $0.
Other Groups at UCM
          Because of COVID-19, no other groups were permitted to use the building.
          2020 has been the most unusual year we have ever experienced at UCM; the year started as usual with everyday activities, very similar to 2019, with similar results, at least until March. As usual, classes let out for Spring Break on March 8…then COVID-19 struck. Spring Break was extended a week while the university tried to devise a plan to keep the students and faculty safe. When classes resumed on March 23, everything had been moved to online study and remained that way for the remainder of the Spring semester. This caused a considerable upset in our student’s lives and our facilities’ operation.
          Our last Student Board meeting before Spring Break was on March 6, with no more sessions before April. On April 6, we had our first Student Board meeting at 7 pm on Mondays using Zoom Meetings. We continued with Zoom until August 10. Since the virus appeared to be being controlled, we felt it safe to have face-to-face meetings following the Centers for Disease Control’s guidelines. We have a small enough group to practice social distancing (6’ apart), wear masks, and sanitize personal spaces.
          We continued in this manner until the end of September, when there was a sudden increase in reported cases, and the university recommended that all student groups meet virtually. So, we went back to Zoom and continued until the end of the semester. It should be noted that we had decided to return to Zoom before the university suggested it. We did continue meeting throughout the summer break, however.
          This also affected our Worship @ UCM weekly service; however, it was continued via Zoom on Tuesdays at 7 pm. The benefit of this is that we were able to attract some of the public and a couple of our Board of Trustees members. Unfortunately, due to a shortened semester, attendance dropped off.
          The university had determined that classes for the Fall 2020 semester would end on November 25 rather than bring students back for the ‘normal’ final two weeks. This precaution was taken to prevent the possibility of students returning with the virus.
          How the Spring 2021 semester will look at this point is still being determined. We do know that there will be no Spring Break this year. Classes are scheduled to begin on January 25, 2021, but we are still determining if this will be virtual or a virtual and face-to-face hybrid. We will resume our weekly meetings via Zoom on January 18, 2021
          Because of COVID-19, we could not have most of our regular events and programs and could not do any fundraising.
          A new shed was installed with the help of Alize White in June. The old one, which had been there for over 15 years, was beyond repair.
          We had to replace the roof in October due to hail damage. Our insurance paid most of the cost ($13,060.05 minus our $5,000 deductible).
          2020 could have been a better year for us. Or our students. The disruption of class schedules, virtual classes, learning a new discipline of working independently, and the lack of social interaction have caused tremendous stress to them. They most certainly deserve our prayers for strength.
          Our funds are meager, and there is some doubt that United Campus Ministries can stay open. We pray that 2021 will be a much better year.
Student Advisory Board
          As I state every year, and especially true for this year, the United Campus Ministries Student Advisory Board is the single most crucial element of UCM … without student participation, UCM would not be able to exist.
          By the end of 2020, we had held 45 meetings with 215 attending or an average of 4.8 in attendance. Part of the reason for this decrease from last year (45 sessions and 334 participants for an average of 7.4) may be the change in meeting type and the stress of the semesters.
          We were, however, able to attract one new member.
Worship
          On February 26, Ash Wednesday (it did come early this year—fortunately), we held our eighth annual Imposition of Ashes. Fr. Bill Wright was the officiant I assisted, and three services were held over our lunch period with 15 participants.
          For 2020 our worship service was held primarily via Zoom Meetings, and the time was moved to 7:00 pm on Tuesdays. Thirty-six services with 98 attending or an average of 3 listenings. Attendance dropped severely during the Fall semester, with an average of 1.4 attendings. We did continue the service through the summer break. Attendance for the Spring and Fall semesters (excluding the summer months) was 3.4.
          In 2019 we held 11 services, with a total of 37 attendings. This comes to an average of 3.4 per service with a regular membership of twelve, about 28% of the student board. A couple of times, there were six attendings, and a couple of times, there was only one.
          Although we were permitted to do the Holy Eucharist from reserved sacraments, we have been unable to do so because of the virus. All the necessary items to do this service have been obtained, and we look forward to the time we can gather together for a service to bless the elements with the assistance of a priest.
          I look forward to this service continuing in 2021, and we may be able to meet in person soon. Vaccines that may make this possible are being developed (and close to being distributed).
Study Sessions
          No study sessions were held in 2020 due to COVID-19.
Movie / Game Night
          This category includes social events such as ‘family’ dinners, Halloween and Christmas parties, and just ‘hangout’ time. We like to see and encourage social events to introduce new students and strengthen bonds.
          At the start of the Spring 2020 semester, Alizae White started a new social program called Family Dinner Night. This was intended as a weekly event beginning on February 28, where our members would gather to enjoy a meal (which they prepared) at UCM. There were only two dinners held before the virus struck, but we did have an average of 12.5 students attend, and I think this would have been a very successful program…were it not for the virus.
          We held only one movie event, via Zoom, on May 16. The movie Iron Jawed Angels, about the women’s suffrage movement, was viewed by three.
          Unfortunately, such events as the annual Halloween and Christmas parties had to be canceled, and no other social gatherings were allowed.
On Campus Activities
          Due to the virus, many of the usual campus activities were canceled this year. However, we could attend the ‘Spirit Board Competition’ on October 25 and placed an entry in the Homecoming Parade this year on October 31. The ‘Spirit Board Competition’ consists of decorating a large (1/2 sheet of plywood) to promote the ASU spirit. Unfortunately, we did not place. Both events severely to the number of students from an organization allowed to participate.
Outreach
          Our weekly Food 4 Thought free lunch is our most extensive outreach program. In 2020 we served lunch only eight times before we had to stop. 198 meals were served, however, during the Spring semester. No meals were made during the Fall semester.
Fundraisers
          All our activities are intended to be accessible for our students, including meals, books & study materials, and all support items. We do not and never have charged dues as other organizations do, and all materials needed are provided for our students. The only exception to this is paper for class assignments. We provide the printer and ink, but they must provide their report.
          To make this possible, we hold regular fundraising events throughout the year. These events generally make between $2,000 and $3,000. Because of COVID-19, we could not do any fundraising except for GoFundMe, which generated $0.
Other Groups at UCM
          Because of COVID-19, no other groups were permitted to use the building.
2021
          This year we started on a rather sad note. We began our weekly Student Board meetings on January 18, 2021, one week before classes resumed. Still, under threat from COVID-19, we had to continue meeting using Zoom Meetings. Fortunately, this method was available to us, and we could keep in contact with each other and even continue through the usual summer break. However, after nearly a year of using this method, I noticed that, because of the inability to participate in everyday campus activities and the added stress of online classes, the students were starting to show signs of lethargy, and attendance dropped off dramatically.
          Most of the regular events held by the university for new and transfer students were still suspended. However, some welcoming events were allowed following a strict masking and social distancing policy. On January 21, 2021, we participated in the annual “Spring Fling.” We were, however, limited to only two organizational representatives and were not allowed to hand out any promotional materials. I created a QR code that, when scanned, would allow direct access to our website.
          Since the university shut down because of the virus and all classes moved online, we could not hold any regular fundraising events. While most of our financing comes from our participating denominations and private contributions, this additional income allows us to provide enhanced services to our students. We sincerely thank John Caldwell for his letter-writing campaign that raised over $5,000 for us.
          One of the most devastating effects of COVID-19 for us was the inability to do any recruiting. Most of our members’ success has come from members inviting others to attend; without anyone on campus, that was impossible. We lost several members of our Student Board due to graduations, transferring to other schools, and dropping out, primarily due to the added stress. Online classes require a degree of personal discipline that most younger students still need to develop. As of April 2021, three actives and four ex-officio members left.
          This put us in jeopardy of losing our Registered Student Organization (RSO) status…something essential to be allowed to participate in on-campus activities and receive any assistance from the university. To maintain that status, an organization must maintain a minimum of five active members, including three required officers. We were not the only organization in this position and, being fully aware of the problem, has been very liberal and allowed extra time to obtain the numbers required.
          With the virus being somewhat controlled and the number of active cases dropping, the university administration decided to open the Fall 2021 semester with in-person instruction as the primary means of study. While this was undoubtedly good news for the students, we only had two remaining active members on the Student Board. There was hope, however. Mason Gable was to return to finish his studies, and I had a lead on two incoming first-year students. These two, unfortunately, did not happen. We now have three active members and will try to recruit more. We may have to accept an ‘inactive’ status for now.
          You wouldn’t think things could get much worse for us, but we discovered that we had become infested with termites in July. I had been under the impression that we were protected. However, our former pest control provider told me that was a separate contract we were not subscribed to. Since I was unsatisfied with Orkin, I contacted Bug Express (a locally owned business with good reviews) to estimate extermination and regular pest treatments. Greg Martin from Bug Express offered a bid of $1,176.00 to exterminate the termites. Since we had to remove the termite or risk continued damage, I authorized Bug Express to continue. At the time, it looked like the damage done was to the old hardwood flooring. It would be costly to repair these areas with new flooring, so after investigating our options with the help of Aaron May (a former student), it was determined that the least expensive route would be to cut out the inadequate portions and repair them with plywood ‘patches.’ The entire floor would then be overlaid with wood-grained vinyl plank flooring. The estimated cost for this method would be about $3,000 (not including the $1,176.00 for termite control). This was doable, significantly, since we did save money by not having to provide free lunches for a year and from savings on utility costs. After obtaining approval from the Board of Trustees, the necessary materials were purchased, and work began. It appeared that we would have enough flooring to include the kitchen floor, so we removed the old linoleum discovering that there were three layers before getting to the original hardwood flooring. We then found that the entire floor had to be replaced…from the concrete slab up. From the appearance, it looked like this was the source of the termite infestation. The project’s cost suddenly escalated to about $10,000.00, which would strain our finances tremendously. We overcame this obstacle with the help of generous donations and emergency funding from the Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Texas.
          In cutting out the old hardwood flooring, we cut through a thin wall copper gas line on top of the slab—a line used to supply a once built-in gas oven (the present oven is electric). We called Atmos Energy, our gas supplier, who came out and put a padlock on the meter after making sure it was shut off, something I had already done. Superior Services was called to remove the old copper pipe and seal the line. Because we had called the gas company, the entire system would have to be inspected by the city before the gas could be turned on again. A total of 12 gas leaks were discovered. Most of these were minor, but two were quite severe. This was a blessing in disguise, however:
               Had the termites not eaten through the main floor, we would not have discovered the problem until much more damage had been done.
               Had we not decided to take a closer look at the kitchen floor, we would not have discovered the extent of the damage there.
               Had we not decided to replace that floor, we would not have cut through the gas line and discovered additional leaks throughout the      building, averting a potential future catastrophe.
               Had we not been working on the floor, we would not have made some new friends from FCC and possibly a new board member.
               Had the repairs not escalated, I would not have contacted the Episcopal Diocese for additional funding.
               When I contacted Anna Mora (financial manager for the diocese) for the $2,000 allotment for the fall semester, I would not have learned that the check had already been sent and was lost. Surprisingly, while I was working at UCM, a lady came in. She said the man living at 2457 Dena Drive had moved out, and she was cleaning the house when she found an envelope addressed to us. It was the missing check which had been mailed in early July. I notified Anna that the check had been found, and she said they were about to issue a stop payment through their bank but decided to wait a little longer.
          When I contacted The Rev. Canon Mike Ehmer at the diocesan offices, he said that he was unaware of the diocesan 25% ownership of UCM. After sending him several documents establishing their ownership, he advised me that additional support would be forthcoming. He could not say how much or from what accounts they could draw it. The budget committee begins meetings on August 23, just in time. It is possible that the funding will be written into the 2022 budget, which will not be approved until the convention in October and will be unavailable until January 2022.
               As I have stated before, If God wants this ministry to succeed, He will make it possible
          On Saturday, August 21, we obtained table space for Rambunctious Weekend. I mention this because it is the first time we have recruited a new member from one of these events. Leila Farrera approached us and said the transfer student from Midland, TX was very interested in our offer. Surprisingly, she was present at our first student board meeting and has been a regular since. We now had the required five required members by the university!
          We are now meeting in person at UCM. While renovations are continuing, we can meet in one nearly completed room. We did change our meeting day and time to Thursdays at 7:30 pm to accommodate work schedules.
          Since The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi was on October 4 (We were still meeting on Mondays), we held a Blessing of the Animals service. At the same time, only one dog was present (Santana and Larissa’s dog, Shimmer). We used a non-denominational format for this service, and Shimmer seemed very appreciative and attentive.
          Renovations continue, and someday we will get to reopen, and we want to humbly thank God for being with us on this journey.
2022
          After three years of no activity at UCM, 2022 issued a new beginning for us. As the phoenix rose from the ashes, we shall rise again. Unfortunately, this is not a familiar experience for us. I started with no student presence when I became involved with UCM in December 2006 and was appointed chaplain and director in January 2007. We are now faced with a similar situation. 2022 started with no students, but by January 20, we had three members for the Student Advisory Board. Since that time, we have had a slight increase in membership. However, that has dropped to one student at present.
          Because we struggled to rebuild UCM, our other activities could have been much better. There were three activities that we accomplished regularly, however. While attendance could be higher, the Food 4 Thought program is alive and well. Student Board meetings have been held weekly, and we have instituted a regular worship service following those meetings.
          God is with us and will guide us in our ministry and service.
          “For now, we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide these three; and the greatest of these is love”.                                                      1 Corinthians13:12-13)
          And that, my friends, is what it is all about. The numbers presented are nowhere close to what we hope for, but each represents a student we have reached out to and hopefully made a difference for. Our operation would be highly unfeasible and irresponsible for a corporate business model. But it is not about the money…at least not if I can keep the doors open. It is about young lives. It is not about the numbers. As I said, every single number represents a human soul, and if I can reach one…make a difference in just one life…I have accomplished my goal. Faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. It is all about love.
          Below is a breakdown of our activities for the 2022 school year:
Student Advisory Board
          As I state every year, and especially true for this year, the United Campus Ministries Student Advisory Board is the most critical element of UCM … without student participation, UCM would not be able to exist.
          By the end of 2022, we had held 23 meetings with 72 in attendance.
Worship
          On March 2, Ash Wednesday, we did not hold our Ash Wednesday services because we tried a new lunch program and were feeding on Mondays.
          We did establish a regular worship service (Worship@UCM) after the Thursday board meetings. We held 12 services with a total of 38 in attendance. We had a special “Liturgy for Ukraine on March 3 with seven in attendance. On September 17, we celebrated the Holy Eucharist and the Blessing of Altar items. Fr. Bull Wright officiated, with Deacon Gary Sanford assisting. There were 10 in attendance for this service.
Bible Studies
          Two Bible study sessions were held during the spring 2022 semester. The first was on March 3, led by T. J. Schoop-York from First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), with five in attendance. The second was on March 24, with only two in attendance.
Theological Discussions
          One of my favorites, we were able to hold five sessions in 2022 with a total of 20 attendings. This is an opportunity for participants to ask questions and discuss their doctrine, comparing it with others and what the Bible says. All views are welcome; we have had agnostics and atheists attend in the past. We can all learn from each other and not try to convert anyone.
          It should be noted that almost every Student Board meeting includes an informal discussion.
Study Sessions
          We tried our traditional Cram Party for the spring 2022 semester; however, with only eleven students taking advantage of five sessions, it was not repeated for the fall 2022 semester. This is a valuable service to our students but is relatively expensive, making it fiscally impossible.
Movie / Game Night
          This category includes social events such as ‘family’ dinners, Halloween parties, Christmas parties, and just ‘hangout’ time. We like to encourage social events to introduce new students and strengthen bonds.
          We held only one movie event in 2022. In honor of Veterans Day, we showed the movie Platoon about the Viet Nam war. There were three in attendance.
On Campus Activities
          We were able to participate in one on-campus event during the spring semester. On August 20, 2022, we participated in the Rambunctious Weekend Block Party. We had several of the Trustees participate, and this is where we met our current Student Advisory Board president, Clay Cabes.
Off-Campus Activities
          On August 28, 2022, we participated in the Emmanuel Episcopal Church Ministry Fair. This event, designed to showcase the various ministries associated with and supported by Emmanuel Episcopal Church, is an opportunity for us to explain our purpose and activities better and for the Emmanuel congregation to meet some of our students.
Outreach
          Our weekly Food 4 Thought free lunch is our most extensive outreach program. In 2022 we served lunch 17 times, totaling 223 meals. This number is much lower than what we have experienced in the past. Since we could not serve lunch for about three years due to Covid 19 and building renovations, most of our regulars had graduated or transferred. For that reason, our start was plodding; however, since then, it has grown, and we are now serving a consistent 15-18 weekly. I expect this number to grow during the spring 2023 semester.
          On Oct 30, 2022, we participated in the Emmanuel Episcopal church Halloween Fun Night. Everyone dressed in costume handing out candy to all the children present (and occasionally some parents). We set up our now famous “Spider Box.” This wooden box is decorated with spiders filled with small plastic balls with tiny plastic spiders mixed in. The object is to reach into the balls without looking and find a spider (everyone does) and trade it for a small bag of candy.
Fundraisers
          Unfortunately, we were only able to hold one fundraising event in 2022. We raised $216.80 from the campus event inside the University Center.
Other Events at UCM
          A Valentine’s Party was held on February 17, 2022, with 7 in attendance. On May 14, 2022, a UCM hosted a graduation party for Mason Gable, with 12 in attendance.
Other Groups at UCM
          During the 2022 school year, no other groups were meeting at UCM.
          What does the future hold for UCM? Quite frankly, I have no idea. After over fifty years of service, UCM has a place at Angelo State University and worldwide. I know we have made a difference in many lives and will continue to do so. I know God has been with us through the good and bad times. He has always been our saving grace and will be there to guide us no matter what.
          Personally, 2022 was a very traumatic and stressful year. After three near-death experiences and four surgeries, I am finally back to normal. I can now walk without pain in my legs; I have put away the wheelchair and do not need to use a cane to get around. All of this has given me a greater appreciation for the wonders of this world and a deeper understanding of the presence of God in our lives.
          My hopes for UCM in 2023 are simple: Greater student participation, increased participation in our Food 4 Thought lunch program, and maintaining sufficient finances to make this possible.
          I would like to sincerely thank Emmanuel Episcopal Church for their continued support of our ministry and the many individuals who have made personal contributions to our support and stability, both in time and money.