why i call st. mike's home...

nobody@vox.com(the rev. nicole janelle) — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 15:44:26 -0700

As a nearly-lifelong member of the Episcopal Church, I decided to come to UC Santa Barbara because of the warm welcome I received at St. Michael's, among other factors. I have had the joy and privilege of serving as a member of the choir there, and have met many good friends through the weekly suppers for college students. I am grateful for all the support and opportunities for service and spiritual growth that our Episcopal Campus Ministry has given me.

From April-July 2007, I studied abroad at Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan. I was powerfully blessed to be living in a city with several Anglican churches, and to become a part of the community at the one closest to my apartment, St. John's Episcopal Church. From the very first service I attended there, the welcoming feelings I got from the community were just as strong as they had been when I first went to St. Michael's. I was part of a growing community of international young people there, with people from Korea, Indonesia, and Myanmar. We shared several wonderful times of bonding together, including two meals at our priest's house and a lunch that we all cooked together and then shared in the parish hall. Many of those young people were invited to come to church by a Mr. Yamamoto, who is their teacher at a private Japanese language school and who is a member of the congregation. I am hopeful that I and the rest of the College Crew at St. Michael's can reach out to our peers as boldly as he does to his students.

The Anglican Church in Japan was an important and enriching part of my life there until the week before I left Japan. One of the impressions I took away from the experience was that the ties between separate church congregations there are very strong. I thought the number of times guest preachers came in and preached the sermon at our church was quite high for a four-month period, which also suggests a high degree of cooperation between churches. Also, at least four churches came together to form a choir that rehearsed two Saturdays a month, of which I was a member. I had a wonderful experience in Japan, and I look forward to another great year at St. Michael's.

Amy
Incoming senior from Upland (CA), Japanese major
Choir member

~~~

Despite being a campus ministry, St. Michael’s has been giving me a lot of opportunities to reach out to people outside the campus. Our campus ministry co-hosted the annual Province 8 retreat with the campus ministry at CSU Channel Islands in spring 2007. More than seventy college students and young adults from California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Washington and Hawaii gathered here at Santa Barbara. During this three-day retreat, we dedicated ourselves to God through prayers, Bible reading and communion. In addition, we had an enjoyable immersion experience with the migrant farmers who worked in a strawberry farm in Ventura County, to know more about the job and the everyday life of the migrant farmers. Besides that, we also shared our thoughts on a wide variety of topics, ranging from social issues to church and faith, in the workshops. The retreat has built up a network among college students from different part of the country.

In summer 2007, St. Michael’s Campus Ministry sent me to the Peace Camp as a counselor. The Peace Camp was a five-day camp for middle school students organized by the Revs. Julie Morris and Will Wauters with the support of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. The camp was held at Camp Stevens in Julian, San Diego County, California. During the five days, I assisted the chaplains (including Nicole) in planning and leading activities for the campers, and discussed with the campers about how to be peacemakers. This was the first ever Peace Camp in our Diocese. Thanks to the grace of God, the camp had gained some success, and we hope to make the Peace Camp an annual program!

Apart from these activities, I am also involved in the formation of a young adult group for college students and young adults in the whole Santa Barbara area, intended to benefit the students at UCSB, Santa Barbara City College and Westmont College. On behalf of St. Michael’s Campus Ministry, I have been communicating with a group of students at Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Santa Barbara, and collaborating with them in this exciting new ministry.

Alan
Incoming senior from Hong Kong, physics major
Diocesan Convention delegate

~~~

My name is Jazmin. I'm a junior at UCSB and women's studies major. Last school year was my first experience in St. Mike's College Crew [Student Group]. College Crew is a very important place because college is a really confusing time. Not only is there the separation from parents and all of goodies that go along with being at home, Isla Vista can sometimes be a very lonely, isolating place. Sure, there are lots of parties and other social activities, but there are few places to really connect with peers and have a safe space. The Little House at Saint Michael's provides that space. Not only is it a place for College Crew to meet, but any student can get a key to use the space for studying, prayer, or just taking a quiet moment out of the whirlwind that is college. College Crew is more than just a meeting of like-minded individuals in a private room once a week, in fact I would say that is only one small part of it. We are entirely student driven and while the Reverend Nicole does attend, she does so as a friend and mentor, someone we can turn to for advice, whether it be about deciding to get baptized, missing our family or just the little day to day details. College Crew is a place where anything can be brought up and although we may all have
differing views, there is room for everyone at the table.

Jazmin
Incoming junior from Santa Barbara, women’s studies major and queer studies minor
Bishop's Advisory Committee (BAC) member, Diocesan Convention delegate

~~~

Coming to UCSB as a freshman, I found the school a bit intimidating in size and a long way from home. To assuage my homesickness, I immediately began signing up for as many clubs as I could and soon was attending ballroom dance, community service organizations, dorm events, and seminars with startling frequency. I found a spectrum of
activities and interests I enjoyed, but still missed a greater sense of community in the somewhat-isolated student population. That changed one Sunday when I came to St. Mike's at the invitation of my piano teacher. While trying to locate the bike parking on the luscious church grounds, I felt peace at being in such a nice place of nature, and following choir practice and service, such a place of nurture. I value the wide age range of the congregation, sharing different perspective, lifestyle, and experience. The family mentality has made my three years in Santa Barbara a loving and supported experience. Following that first Sunday, I have returned to St. Mike's regularly, to sing and socialize with friends, teachers. My second year, I joined the Bishop's Advisory Committee and found another side to the church: finances, grounds, membership, business. All the while, teamwork and a lot of faith propel the church. I enjoy learning the wheels behind the Sunday service, a useful tool for any student. The church serves a vital function as a mission to the community of Isla Vista and UCSB, welcoming newcomers and practicing good work. Serving on the BAC has further opened my eyes to the opportunities to serve in the community and the awesome things the church already does. As much as I enjoy participating in the choir, I enjoy the planning and organization from the BAC. I look forward to the fall when I will return not only to my courses, clubs, and friends, but also to the comfort and family at St. Mike's.

Sarah
Incoming senior from Elk Grove (CA), biochemistry major and music minor
BAC member, Choir member

~~~

Saint Michael’s University Church is an important place for me to take part in the university and community life of Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Isla Vista. I am a professor in UCSB’s Department of Music and enjoy engaging with students, faculty colleagues, and university staff in that capacity, but Saint Michael’s offers me a chance to interact with many of these same individuals in a different way. I am especially attracted to the gathering of individuals I would have little opportunity to meet elsewhere. This includes professors and students from different university departments, and congregants who may or may not be associated with the university in any other way. Saint Michael’s is a place where questions of faith are encouraged, where worship is practiced, and community is affirmed. Saint Michael’s helps me enact my vision of true campus and community life: there is not real separation of the “ivory tower” from the rest of society. In all human interactions, we as Christians are called to love, serve, and support those around us. This Episcopal Campus Ministry is one place where I feel I am able to accomplish this ideal.

Tim
Associate Professor, Department of Music
Affiliated Faculty, Global and International Studies
Bishop’s Warden & BAC member, Choir member

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