Come one, come all: Wesley Fellowship hosts weekly dinners

By MEGAN BRAXMAIER

Updated: September 23, 2012, 2:07 PM

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GVL / Kaitlyn Bowman

Students gather for dinner at the Wesley House.

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A group of college students gather around a dining table to have a home cooked meal and some good conversation every Sunday night at 5 p.m. Last week it was chicken, salad, rice and cake – next week it could be pizza, pasta or burgers. Are you hungry yet? ‘Cause you’re invited.

This group of students is the Wesley Fellowship, who host a dinner open to all students every week at the Wesley House.

The Wesley Fellowship is a service provided by the United Methodist church serving Grand Valley State University students and young adults in the Grand Rapids area. According to the website, Wesley is a “welcoming, diverse community which strives to be open to persons of all backgrounds, traditions and experiences.”

The Wesley House, located south of campus at 4549 Luce Street, is where members of the Wesley Fellowship gather to connect with each other and have a home-cooked meal with close friends, and invite others in hopes of making some new ones.

“Wesley Fellowship means community,” said Wesley member Caitlin Reese. “It means people coming together because they love God and just doing life together.”

Most members of the Wesley Fellowship are students at GVSU, but not all. They talk about a variety of things from student life to television to sports. They are not just a group, but a group of friends looking to grow within the community and who provide a great way for students to get involved with campus.

One of the greatest strengths of the group is that they are so close to campus, yet away from the hustle and bustle of student life, according to Wesley Fellowship President, Nate Eyestone.

“It’s a place where I can come and relax and really get away,” Eyestone said. “I would say too, that for people of faith, it is a good chance, because we have so many groups on campus, we are smaller and more personal. We really get to learn each other’s names and each other’s life story.”

Students who are looking to get involved with the Wesley Fellowship have the opportunity to attend Wesley’s meet and greet today in Kirkhof room 2266 at 5 p.m. Pizza will be provided and students can learn about the group’s upcoming spring break trip to Detroit.

The group also teams up with Valley Church on Wednesday nights for pizza at 8:30 p.m., followed by worship from 9 p.m. – 10 p.m. in Kirkhof at Area 51. Not Methodist? Not a problem. Members of the Wesley Fellowship agree that all faiths are welcome to dinner and worship with the club.

“We are incredibly approachable,” Reese said. “At this point I don’t think there would be anyone that would judge you because of a certain belief or aspect. We are really open. We’re small enough to be personal but big enough to make a difference.”

Wesley Fellowship’s supervisor and United Methodist Church Rev. Greg Lawton also encourages students of all faiths and backgrounds to come and have dinner with the group.

“Wesley Fellowship is a place to come share ideas,” Lawton said. “Everyone is welcome. We don’t make a judgment of anyone for any reason. We want you to decide whether or not you like us, not the other way around.”

Anyone who is interested in the Wesley Fellowship can visit their website at gvwesley.org or their Facebook page at Facebook.com/gvwesley. Students who are also interested in attending Sunday night dinners but have transportation issues can contact members for rides.

mbraxmaier@lanthorn.com

Published September 23, 2012 Laker Life