William Temple Episcopal Center welcomes UTMB, TAMUG and Galveston College students

The William Temple Episcopal Center (WTEC) welcomes students, faculty and staff of all faiths from The University of Texas Medical Branch, Texas A&M at Galveston and Galveston College.

Welcome all new and returning students for the fall!

Come join us for service, or just drop by to hang out and relax. We have free wi-fi, a kitchen with coffee and snacks, an outdoor labyrinth and meditation garden, and cable television with an Nintendo Wii are coming soon!

It’s a Party and you are invited!!!

We’re starting the year with an Open House Wednesday, Sept. 3rd at 6 p.m. Free food and drinks will be served, while new and returning students enjoy an evening together and talk about plans for the coming year.

The WTEC building with 8,000 square ft. of space, chapel, labyrinth and gardens are adjacent to the UTMB Campus and across town from TAMUG. WTEC offers a safe haven for worship, study, spiritual formation and nurture, pastoral care training, recreation and dynamic, interactive education.

All UTMB, TAMUG and Galveston College students, faculty, staff and the Galveston community are invited to:

• Sunday 5:30 p.m. Worship followed by free dinner
  
• Tuesday 12:15 p.m. Holy Eucharist followed by free lunch
  
• Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Activity Night and Fellowship
  
• Thursday 12:15 p.m. Christian Meditation
  
• Friday 7:30 p.m. Compline
  

Our Activity Night and Fellowship will take the place of the popular game nights held last fall. Come and bring your friends.

Watch the UTMB e-mail daily announcements and our website for information on future events and activities. Facilitated labyrinth walks are held approximately one hour after sunset on the full moon each month. Check listing under Labyrinth for more details!

UTMB is home of the oldest schools of medicine, nursing and allied health sciences in the state and currently has 23,000 living alumni. In addition to the 2,500 students there are nearly 700 medical residents and fellows.

Enrollment at TAMUG has increased from 551 in 1987 to 1,650 students in 2007, 57 percent plan to pursue a master’s or Ph.D. degree.

Galveston College provides the citizens of Galveston Island and surrounding region with academic, workforce development, continuing education, and community service programs. The College serves an ethnically diverse population of approximately 2,200 students each semester in credit programs and nearly 5,000 individuals annually in continuing education and workforce development programs.

Of the 2,500 UTMB students, 500 to 600 are International students. Through their extended families WTEC expects to touch an additional 2,200 lives. These students attend the annual Thanksgiving service and dinner, a collaborative effort between the UTMB Office of International Affairs and WTEC. This year’s bountiful Thanksgiving dinner and worship service was attended by over 100 International students and their family members representing 15 countries. Their voices were like an angel’s chorus while saying the Lord’s Prayer.

In 2007 WTEC served more than 1,000 students in the Center, through special events, labyrinth walks, and individual utilization of the Center for study. The Center also reached out to the campuses with programs and dialogues attended by more than 500 staff and students.

Meeting or Special Functions Reservations

The use of our center is offered free of charge to student groups for meetings and special activities. For more information or to reserve space, please call the Operations Manager at (409) 762-8641.

Hours of Operation to be extended to Friday and Saturday evenings

This year we will be increasing our hours of operation, and with this increase, the number of students reached could be more than doubled. Tracking the physical count of students will be easily done, but the spiritual impact on the hearts and souls of some of the world’s most brilliant young people and tomorrow’s leaders is immeasurable.

Future Activities

Our immediate goals are to (1) increase Episcopal presence on the TAMUG campus through ecumenical services and activities (2) bring both student bodies together for community service projects; and (3) have a regular events and services – all planned by students.

Student Advisory Committee Formed

Any students interested in joining our student Advisory Committee my call and speak to The Rev. Kyle Stillings, (409) 762-8641 or email him at kylestillings@gmail.com. Current student Advisory Council members include Wendy Darlington, a UTMB student, president; Margaret Brown, secretary, Sai Hou Gandham, Aiswanya Ravindran, Pavani Aaugavouapu, Zhizhou and Jihong Chen.

Mission statement for the group is to “provide social, spiritual and service opportunities to the students, faculty and staff of UTMB.”

427 Market St. Galveston TX 77550

Office: (409)-762-8641 | Fax: (409)-762-0244