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A Full-Court Blessing
Celebrating the John and Polly Collier High Court
I observe that two of the ways God created us are as dreamers and workers. He added the love of Jesus and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Thus, God’s people have built buildings to honor Jesus and His kingdom throughout the years. Most of these buildings were constructed out of necessity, giving us a place to fill with His followers and share His Word in community with one another.
The Early Days of West U Athletics
In 1940, our fairly new West University Methodist Church (WUMC) had grown to the point of needing to appoint its first Associate Minister, Rev. LeRoy Stanton. He led an Athletic Committee that served under the Education Committee. You can still see some of the trophies from those early days on the shelves!
During the 1940s and 1950s, WUMC began a men’s softball league, and many teams participated. The YMCA sponsored volleyball for girls and football for boys under 12, and we sent many teams to compete. We even had our own bowling league. By the early 1960s, we had over 20 coaches and more than 200 adults, boys, and girls playing sports.
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Then, in the early 1980s, WUMC joined UCAL (the United Christian Athletic League). The founding churches were St. John’s, St. Luke’s, St. Ann’s, and River Oaks Baptist. David Allums and Jack Robbins were early coaches. In later years, John Brewer was chairman of the UCAL Board for ten years running. However, the WUMC sports program grew so large and sponsored so many teams that not having our own gym became a problem.
A Vision for the Future: "The Challenge"
Our first 90s News told the story of our original Chapel and the buildings that followed. This story is about our latest building, the John and Polly Collier High Court. In the early 1990s, our West U community was growing and changing as young families and their children moved in. The city was expanding the parks, and WUMC members wanted a place for our children and sports programs to flourish.
Following much talk and great deliberation, the path toward building a gym began. Understanding that the majority of the congregation were seniors, the committee had to agree that the space could also be used for wedding receptions, and that all sports equipment would be out of sight during these functions. The conversations were difficult, but our seniors wanted the best for our children, our youth, and our church. They moved forward alongside the younger members.
The Administrative Board and our congregation understood that we were building on the faith legacy of yesterday (1936 onward) for the people and ministries of today and tomorrow! “The Challenge” was set before the congregation. Rev. Douglas Caldwell was our pastor, Steve Roberts was our Administration Board Chairman, John Brewer was the Finance Chairman, and Rob Owens, a member of WUMC, was the architect. So, with 46 families agreeing to divide the congregation into units to raise the $2.3 million needed, the mission was launched!
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Chairmen Jeff Springmeyer and Steve Scott had talked, dreamed, and planned, and now they led “The Challenge” for the ministries and people of tomorrow. Today, 16 members of that original building group have died, 32 have moved, and only 4 remain. What a gift has been given! Praise God for the inspiration, love, and vision His people had for the future.
Our goals were:
- To offer opportunities for members to grow in Christ.
- To offer opportunities for visitors to grow or open new relationships with God through Christ.
- To reach out to the community.
- To enhance the existing ministries of WUMC.
- To reach out to youth through unique programming and help foster their faith journeys.
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Opening the Doors and Honoring a Legacy
On September 10, 1995, WUMC cut the ribbon to our Christian Life Center, “Built to Serve the Kingdom of God”! Rev. John Collier had his guiding hand in the project, the process, the people, and the usage from the beginning to the opening. He, along with John Brewer and a team of overseers, was present every hour the gym was open for a period of time. In 2006, the Board of Stewards voted to change the name of the Christian Life Center to the “John Collier High Court.” Following Polly Collier’s death in 2024, the name was lovingly changed to the “John and Polly Collier High Court.”
In 2006, Tristan Anderson became the Director of Recreation and Facilities. In a recent interview, John Brewer provided these statistics: by the end of the 2026 season (32 seasons in total), we will have had 100,000 basketball players play 10 games and practice on 10 Saturdays!
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The minute the gym originally opened, it was brimming with children and youth. As previously reported, the Children’s Ministry had multiple programs, including Kids on the Court three days a week. They joined with the youth for Crossover on Wednesdays.
The UCAL programs continued full speed ahead, 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and all day Saturday. In 1998, WUMC offered a basketball program for high schoolers and hosted 18 teams!
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In 2006, Tristan Anderson, John Brewer, and John Collier put their heads together to form a league apart from UCAL. This local league, the United Coaches Athletic Program, is run in our gym alongside the YMCA and West University Baptist gyms. It boasts over 45 teams, and the youth and their parents love having the program right in the neighborhood. Post-COVID, a pickleball court was added, and it runs on a full schedule.
More Than a Gym: Worship, Fellowship, and Community
In addition to sports, the John and Polly Collier High Court is used for the preschool on cold and wet days. The graduation program is also held there for our little ones heading off to kindergarten! Our music programs host musicals there, and they join with the Fellowship Committee for “Coffee on the Court.”
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WUMC has used the court for long seasons of worship, including Easter in 2024 when the air conditioning was out and being fully replaced. It takes a great amount of work to set up and break down the worship space, but our custodians and laypeople do a wonderful job making each service work.
We have hosted only one wedding reception, but we host many funeral receptions there each year. The large space serves us well. Additionally, we are blessed to have an elevator to access the court. There is great emphasis on maintaining the floor of the gym and the entire facility. People see our pristine floor and find it hard to believe it is thirty years old! Kudos to fine leadership!
In 2026, we feel the John and Polly Collier High Court truly enhances our existing ministries. Our church and ministry opportunities are endless. If you have a suggestion for growing our ministry through activities on the court, please share it with Rev. Preston!
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CCSC Congratulates West University Methodist on its 90th Anniversary
As we continue to celebrate our 90th anniversary, we are reflecting on the relationships that have shaped our church's history. This week, our 90 News highlight comes in the form of an anniversary blessing from one of our most cherished community partners: the Christian Community Service Center (CCSC).
West University Methodist has enjoyed a long, fruitful history of alongside CCSC. We are incredibly grateful for their mission, their dedication, and the vital work they do to serve the Houston community every day. Join us in receiving their gracious blessing as we look forward to many more years of serving our city together.
| | Join Our 90th-Anniversary Celebration by Participating in the New Pictorial Directory | | |
Photography Dates & Hours:
September 22, 2:00 – 8:00 PM
September 23, 2:00 – 8:00 PM
Register Online
www.ucdir.com
Church Code: tx908
Password: university
Register In-Person
A registration table will be setup in the sanctuary every Sunday in August.
Participants get a free 8x10 photo print and free directory. If September 22 & 23 dates do not work for you, please email Mattie Loucks at mattie.loucks@gmail.com
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Special thanks to:
Author, Joy Hall
Logo Designer, Kathy Meyn Chauvin
90th Anniversary Committee
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