Chaplain's Welcome
It’s an exciting time to be a part of the Episcopal and Anglican tradition! Welcome to the campus ministry and community at St. Mike’s. We are an inclusive community, celebrating the dignity of all people as we work together to promote peace and justice.
We come from all walks of life – some of us are students, some faculty, some Isla Vista, Goleta, Carpinteria and Santa Barbara neighbors. Some of us were raised in the church, others of us are new to the church and still others of us are seeking souls.
We offer programming for the Santa Barbara-area university and residential community that includes student activities, meditative worship, forums, social events and retreats. Every Sunday morning we gather at 10am for a multi-generational community Eucharist with music.
We believe the Gospel doesn’t matter a rat’s tail if it doesn’t touch and transform lives. Do you have a passion for environmental ministry, community outreach, ministry and the arts, intellectual and spiritual exchange, radical welcome, multicultural ministry, alternative liturgy, service-learning projects, young adult formation, peace-making and/or social justice? The opportunities for creative ministry here are great!
Whoever you are and wherever you find yourself on your spiritual journey, you are welcome here. We invite your questions, your stories, your hopes and your doubts as we journey together in spiritual community. Come check out the “church with hips” on Picasso Road and test our hospitality! We’re not your parents’ church. We hope that you will find us a welcoming place for discernment, reflection, exploration, study and spiritual growth. May you learn to give, laugh, love, play, lead, go deeper and be passionate about the world during your time here.
I’m always happy to meet with students, student groups, staff, faculty and area residents on or off campus. Please drop me a note (revjanelle@gmail.com) or give me a call (805-968-2712) to schedule an appointment. I generally am in the office (Little House—adjacent to the chapel) Sunday through Thursday. Also, be sure to check out our Facebook group and blog, as well as this website for inspiring reflections and up to date information on our program offerings. But do come to church -- because there is more to life than just a relationship with your computer!
Hope to see you soon in the neighborhood!
Peace,
Nicole Janelle+
Chaplain & Vicar
+++
Why I call St. Mike's home...
reflections from some sojourners
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
~~~
Why St. Mike's is so cool...from a Jewish gal's perspective.
1. May peace be with you. Or
just peace is cool too- I just like the idea that we are all keeping in
mind the idea of peace, I feel like it is such a positive statement and
that it is something we should strive for everyday in our world and in
our lives. It seems all too easy to forget that such a thing can exist
in our violent and war filled world. The especially big bonus of this
time is the chance to connect with everyone else that comes- to
actually physically connect by touching someone's hand, and to get to
know people. It's a very warm gesture.
2. The bread (cracker) and wine (body & blood).
Why I don't even partake of the actual refreshments, I love this part
because everyone joins in a circle. It feels like everyone in the
community is coming together, which is extremely powerful. It gives
everyone the time to reflect and have a moment to connect with whatever
they feel like they need to connect with. Everyone gets their 5
seconds, and everyone gets to watch everyone else get their five
seconds. It's nice to be blessed- it just feels like someone is looking
out for you.
3. The sermon.
This totally rocks my socks. I have such reverence for the Reverend
(well I guess that must be where the word comes from) who is able to
bring stories that are so old to life. She inspires me to want to go
out and change things, better myself, better our world, make it a more
just place- who would have ever thought that the bible could be brought
to life so relevantly in our society today?
4. The music. The piano is hot. It's cool to hear everyone get into it and sing together.
What I hear from the people of St. Mike's louder than anything:
We care about you. You are part of our community here ("wherever you are on your spiritual journey"). You're safe. Welcome.
I think all of this, and I'm a Jew, so chances are, whatever you are, you'd probably like to hang out at St. Mikes too.
Elizabeth
Staff, Office of Student Life
UCSB Alum
~~~
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
~~~
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 Rancho Cucamonga (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