Spring Break
Bell tower offers shelter, rain or shine, to student worship
Founded two years ago, the group meets daily under the bell tower in the Library Quad from noon to 1 p.m.
Makenna Bishop
Issue date: 6/3/09 Section: News
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The ministry started two years ago, when Austin Williams, now a junior in English with a German minor, wanted to start a Bible study somewhere on campus.
After talking with friends, Williams settled on using the bell tower as a good meeting place on campus. He said they started to meet for 15 minutes each weekday to pray and worship together.
Now Williams and other students meet Monday through Friday, regardless of the weather, from noon until 1 p.m.
"We just meet up and pray for campus and pray for each other," Williams said. "There's no real formula that we follow."
The group changes daily, and the size can range from one other student to as many as 10 students.
"There is complete peace at the bell tower," Williams said. "It's a place where students can drop their bags and drop their burdens. We just want to support and encourage other students."
Williams said sometimes a student will bring a guitar and they will worship God together.
He said his co-workers will see him in this setting and ask him about what he and his friends are doing, and other times people from other campus ministries will stop by and ask questions or participate.
Williams said they are not on campus to force any of their beliefs on other students. He said he knows that being forceful with faith will not bring about any change, and will turn students off to Christianity.
Walter Piper, a junior in biochemistry and biophysics, said he wasn't a Christian when he started to hang out at the bell tower. He said a friend, who knew he was questioning his beliefs, told him about the Bell Tower Ministry and that he decided to take a leap of faith and check it out.
Piper said he quickly became friends with Williams, and that the Bell Tower Ministry was a way for him to come into his newfound faith.
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