wfn.org | African-American congregation to build Africa University dormitory

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Jan. 27 1999	Contact: Linda Green*(615)742-5470*Nashville, Tenn.
10-31-71B{045}

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - One of the leading African-American congregations
in the United Methodist Church has made a $300,000 commitment to build a
two-story dormitory at Africa University, making it the largest commitment
from a single congregation in the United States.

Ben Hill United Methodist Church, Atlanta, will build a residence hall at
the United Methodist-related school in Mutare, Zimbabwe, over a three-year
period. Construction is expected to be completed by 2002. 

Another residence hall is sorely needed  because the seven halls are full
and more than 340 students are vying for accommodations, said James Salley,
vice president of development for the university.  Construction is to begin
Jan. 31 on a three-story dormitory being built with assistance from the
North Indiana Annual Conference.

The church's decision to construct a dormitory comes at the heels of a
challenge from United Methodist Bishop Felton E. May, vice president of the
Africa University Board of Directors, urging African American pastors to
increase their involvement with the university and with Africa. May made the
challenge during a worship service at the recent convocation for pastors of
African-American churches.

Salley noted that the first major gift to the university came from African
Americans, Jonas and Odette Kennedy of Bennettsville, S.C., and said it is
significant now that an African-American congregation has stepped forward
with assistance.  "It says that African Americans are supportive of Africa
University," he said. Pastor at Ben Hill is the Rev. McAllister Hollins.

Ben Hill has supported the university in the past through its minister of
music, the Rev. Cynthia Wilson Felder, who has held concerts across the
world in support of the university. The most recent was held last October at
New York's Carnegie Hall and raised $65,000 for endowed scholarships.

According to Pearl Perez, missions chairwoman at Ben Hill, the congregation
had initially decided to make a commitment to build a dormitory in 1997 but
put those plans on hold in order to fully support two students with
scholarships so that they could complete their education. 

"The main reason we are doing this is because of the biblical mandate to go
into all the world and make disciples," Perez said. "For me and most of the
members this means going outside the walls of Ben Hill, outside of our
community."

She said the congregation discovered that a residence hall was needed and
that it would fulfill the church's mission of making Christian disciples.
"There are a lot of students that will go out and teach the word, and we
wanted to help them to be able to spread the word by providing a means for
them to be educated and equipped to go out and do what God would have them
do."

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