Some ISU students are working to remodel a local downtown building that several campus religious groups will be using.In January, Campus Baptist Church, 57011 E. Hwy 30, will open a student center at 112 S. Sheldon Ave., the former Jacko’s Auto Parts store.Lee Abuhl, minister of college ministries at Campus Baptist, said the facility will be the home of Cyclone Bible Fellowship and Helping International Students, both sponsored by Campus Baptist Church. Abuhl said the Campus Baptist Church has agreed to sell its worship facility at 130 S. Sheldon Ave. to Collegiate Methodist Church, 2622 W. Lincoln Way, for $1.5 million. “Using the new ministry center with Helping International Students will allow us to further fulfill the vision that we can reach Ames to reach the world,” he said. “We’re thrilled to have a new facility.”Abuhl also said the facility will be shared by other evangelical organizations, including the Indonesian Bible Fellowship, the Malaysian Christian Fellowship and the Thursday night fellowships of the Salt Company.The remodeled building will eventually contain a student lounge, four offices, classroom space for free English Sign Language and Teaching of English as a Foreign Language classes, restrooms, a kitchen area, a play area for children and a large multi-purpose room, Abuhl said.

“We at Cyclone Bible Fellowship are very excited about our move into the new student ministry center,” said Dave Hyman, president of Cyclone Bible Fellowship and junior in animal science.Josh Anderson, vice president of Cyclone Bible Fellowship, said the move will be beneficial.”This move allows us to maintain our close connection to the ISU campus as we begin using the beautiful new worship facility the Lord has provided for us,” said Anderson, sophomore in industrial engineering.Paul Wang, president of the Malaysian Christian Fellowship, said the new place will allow the group to grow.”The Malaysian Christian Fellowship needs a place to meet weekly,” said Wang, senior in mechanical engineering. “Campus Baptist Church is very generous in allowing us to use Jocko’s to have our meetings. We’re looking forward to a change of meeting location and new atmosphere.”Salt Company President Jared Van Cleave said he’s “excited about the potential changes and look[s] forward to when the process will be complete.” He said the added room would accommodate the overflowing crowd on Thursdays.”Currently we are running attendance of 250 to 300 students per service on Thursday nights,” said Van Cleave, junior in management. “We would be able to share the space with other groups and organizations. This is great because it allows us to share generously with others what God has so graciously given to us. Lives are being changed and we can’t help be get excited about that.”