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The pastor of the Wilson Protestant Student Center doesn’t claim to have all the answers, but he is willing to listen and to help people ask the right questions in order to find peace. Rev. William Friederich says his job is to help students ask questions, because a question is the first step to a conversation.
“I believe that it’s important today to learn to communicate and converse with one another. We need to have dialogue to find out what we have in common,” said Friederich. “That is how we find peace.”
The Wilson Center is an ecumenical Christian ministry. Ecumenical means far-reaching and that the Wilson Center welcomes students of all religious backgrounds. This is important, according to Friederich, so that people do not become so focused on our own beliefs and fail to listen to others.
“I think that the Wilson Center provides an open and welcoming environment for all students to explore the Christian faith, other spiritualities and to be in conversations with people of other religious faiths,” he said.
The Wilson Center is today’s product of the developments of religious organizations that began over a 100 years ago. According to “Live for a Hundred Years: A History of the Maine Christian Association,” by Dorothy Wilson, the first organization’s that provided religious and social activities for the University of Maine students was the Young Men’s Christian Association and the Young Women’s Christian Association.
In 1945, these two organizations joined forces and became the Maine Christian Association (MCA).
In 1950, a new organization was already in the process of taking the place of the existent MCA. This new organization was formed by Protestant denominations. Rev. Elwin Wilson was contacted by this organization and asked to be the Director.
As Rev. Wilson’s wife, Dorothy, whom is also the author of this book, recalls, “For the new MCA there was no parsonage, no student center, only the barest bones of a new organization. It meant starting from scratch.”
A professor at the University of Maine at the time, Dr. Frank Foster, and his wife Catherine, agreed to sell their house on Riverdale, just off College Avenue, to the Wilson’s for the good of the cause. From there the Wilson’s put their heart and soul into the MCA, making it an active center for students to engage in religious and social activities.
In 1955, Rev. Wilson was appointed the Superintendent of the Bangor District of Methodist Churches, and he and Dorothy sold the house at One Riverdale. However through the years, the Wilson’s still maintained a direct role in the activities of the MCA.
In September of 1963, the current members of the MCA met to consider recommendations from a building committee to build a new student center. The members voted in favor of the construction.
From 1963 until 1982, many different Pastors held the position of Chaplain/Director at the MCA and the organization experienced its ups and downs.
In 1980, during a particular time of transition between full-time Chaplain/pastors, it was moved, but eventually defeated, that the MCA be closed and the corporation dissolved. In fact, a study was even conducted on the MCA by the National Institute of Campus Ministries of Boston.
In justification of this study, Bill England, the chairman of the Development Committee, wrote to the participating churches, “The nub of this study came down to the fact that the Protestant ministry on the campus was not effective because the Protestant churches were unable to bring a mature, viable presence to the campus community.”
However the MCA survived this shaky transition period and emerged with new strength. In 1983, the motion to change the name of the MCA Building to the Wilson Protestant Student Center, in honor of the long-term commitments of Elwin and Dorothy, passed unanimously.
Today, Rev. Friederich is the interim chaplain at the Wilson Center, which means he is filling that transition phase between a former pastor and a new one.
Friederich grew up in Pekin, IL and belonged to a United Church of Christ affiliation in his hometown. He graduated from college in 1969 during the peak of the Vietnam War. All through his schooling Friederich had played the drums in various bands including the marching, jazz and rock `n roll.
“When I was drafted for the war, I applied for the U.S. Army Band,” he said, “by playing the drums I didn’t have to carry a gun and I was able to do my duty in that way.”
For three years Friederich toured with the band and was sent to places included Colorado and Germany.
He returned to Illinois where he completed his bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Social Work at Bradley University. From there he continued his education at Wheaton College where he received two Master’s degrees in Theology and Church History. While he was going to graduate school he also working as the assistant pastor at a large church.
After Friederich had completed his Master’s degrees he decided to take a break from ministry. He moved to Aspen, Co. where he lived for nearly five years working for the Aspen Ski Company and Poppies Caf�.
“I skied all day and waited tables at night,” he said.
From Aspen he moved on to Boulder, Co. where he met his wife Maggie.
“We lived in the mountains outside of Boulder,” said Friederich. “I ran a homeless shelter and helped several peace organizations to raise money.”
Six years ago Bill and Maggie moved to Bangor where he completed his third Master’s degree in Divinity at the Bangor Seminary. It was the fact that the Seminary had a United Church of Christ affiliation, along with Ansley Throckmorton, the president of the Seminary, which had brought Friederich and his wife to Maine.
“I was impressed with the leadership, theology, and academic climate of the Seminary,” he said. “I was looking for a cutting-edge theological education and I felt that I could get it there.”
In addition to that, Friederich also saw this area as place where he could continue his lifestyle of skiing, hiking, and kayaking.
After he completed his Master’s degree, Throckmorton offered him the position as the Director of Admissions at the Seminary, a position that he accepted and held for five years. Friederich learned about the interim chaplain position this past September. He applied and has occupied the position at the Wilson Center since October.
In addition to this Friederich is also a professional drummer. He has followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, father, sister, and brother-in-law, all of whom are drum players.
For the past five years Friederich has played in the Paul Sullivan jazz group. He has also introduced drumming workshops to schools and churches. He also began playing the drums in his worship services. The group most recently performed gospel jazz last week to celebrate “Fat Tuesday.”
Rev. Friederich does not hold the traditional Sunday morning worships at the Wilson Center because he encourages students to attend their own local churches within the community.
“I have a lot of students who will go out into the community on Sunday mornings,” said Friederich. “This allows them to become connected to the community as well as the Wilson Center. Students are provided with spiritual support, and a family when they attend a local church.”
However, even though there is not a Sunday morning worship service at the Wilson Center, there is almost always some scheduled event or program going on to participate in. These events are open to students, staff, faculty and the public.
“We try to provide a diverse range of worship programs including traditional, contemporary, and fellowship events,” said Friederich.
One of these activities includes a fellowship meal, also known as “Soul Food,” on Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. At the fellowship meal everyone can enjoy a free dinner and conversation. On Wednesdays, from 1 to 2 p.m. there is prayer and meditation with Rev. Friederich in the Drummond Chapel on the second floor of the Memorial union. Also, there is a Sunday evening service at 6 p.m., and the program for this service is different each week.
Rev. Friederich encourages everyone to take part in the activities offered by the Wilson Center.
“There is a lot of integrity here,” he said.
