Students, faculty members and alumni gathered at the new Christian Student Fellowship (CSF) building to celebrate its grand opening on Saturday, August 9.

Those involved with CSF shared their fond experiences with the organization and played worship music in the new space near William T. Young Library on central campus.

CSF’s lead pastor and director, Brian Marshall, said the new building is meant to accommodate the organization’s growing membership, as it has more space and amenities than their previous building. 

“There’s more rooms in the building for students hanging out,” Marshall said. “There’s a gymnasium, there’s a huge industrial kitchen for cooking … all the different things that provides just more and more space to host students.”

In an earlier interview with the Kernel, Marshall said the building has prayer and worship rooms, study areas and limited student housing. 

The opening of CSF’s new building has been long anticipated, with the almost decade-long process including building Lewis House, CSF’s temporary home, as well as buying land and paying construction costs. 

“After 10 years of praying and working and dreaming, we have finally opened the new CSF building,” Marshall said. 

The nearly $20 million project was funded almost entirely by donations, with 10% of the costs coming from a loan, according to Marshall.

Mitch Barnhart, the University of Kentucky’s athletic director and a volunteer for CSF, said the organization helps the campus community through service and that he was grateful for the opportunity to be part of the new building’s funding campaign.

“More and more students are coming to campus with challenges, and they can come in a variety of forms,” Barnhart said. “This ministry does an amazing job of helping them meet those challenges and meet those emotional, physical and material needs that maybe they’re coming with.”

Barnhart said he hopes the new building can serve as a “beacon of light for people,” providing them with a sense of hope, love and community. 

“There’s a community here (UK) that’s very, very special,” Barnhart said. “We want to take those people, bring them in and help them. If they want to have a relationship with Christ, then we help grow that.”

The building will open to the campus community on Monday, August 18, according to Marshall. 

“We’ll be here with K Week events and welcoming students in, all the sweat and stains that I’m sure they’ll provide around the building,” Marshall said. “It’ll be open from the very first day.”