United Methodist Campus Ministry in the Rio Grande Valley

  United Methodist Campus Ministry in the Rio Grande Valley was founded in 1953 by Dr. J. Lell Elliot and his wife Florence.  The couple met at a Methodist campus ministry in Colorado while working on their undergraduate degrees.  Because of the blessings they received from campus ministry, they were inspired to start a campus ministry program in Edinburg after Dr. Elliot starting teaching at Pan American College.

The campus ministry has always been a jointly supported effort between the Rio Grande Conference and the Southwest Texas Conference. The UMCM board of directors is made up of lay people and clergy from both conferences.  Property on the west-side of the campus was purchased in 1957. The student center was called the "Wesley White House."  The "Wesley White House" was destroyed during hurricane Beulah and the property remained vacant until 1994 when Volunteers in Mission from Indiana built the current student center. Today, despite financially struggles, the ministry continues to grow.  In 2000, with the aid of a grant from the Moody Foundation, the ministry extended its work to South Texas Community College in McAllen. 

UMCM-RGV remains a vital part of the higher education community in the Rio Grande Valley.  The ministry provides spiritual formation, by implementing Bible studies, prayer services, and worship.  Our students are engaged in social service to God's people, serving at a food bank, building homes, and several other programs in which our students help those unfortunate of our community.  Our students are also responsible for maintaining the center, cleaning and even performing small repairs.  The center is used for recreation, meetings, various student gatherings and studying.  The center is equipped with wifi so that the students can study, write  papers and take tests.  Most importantly, the student center provides a place where students hang out in a safe Christian atmosphere, feel safe and comfortable and prepare themselves for their service to their community and God. 

United Methodist Campus Ministry remains committed to developing our students for their called vocation.  Many students are discerning their call to ordained ministry and UMCM-RGV helps students in this process.  We have had several students become elders in the United Methodist Church serving the Rio Grande and Southwest Texas Conference.  UMCM-RGV is also committed to helping our students to became productive members of our community.  Our former students are now teachers, doctors, lawyers, nurses, and many other professions.  Our current students will soon be filling those same rolls.  With God as the center of our ministry, we continue to provide leaders of our community.