Ministry
The founding ministry of UniChu is to be the church-home of Episcopal Lutheran Campus Ministry at Stanford. We are also a regular worshiping congregation (even when school is out) as College Terrace's progressive Protestant congregation. The primary pillars on which this community is built are "Spiritual Development/Christian Education" and "Social Justice." Spiritual Development/Christian Ed includes Worship, Prayer, Pastoral Care, Sunday School, Adult Education, Confirmation, Baptism, Eucharist, and Mutual Support. These are the ways in which we encounter the God within and celebrate the good news of Christ for us. Our Social Justice pillar is how we proclaim the good news of Christ for all of creation and includes volunteering, stewardship, in-gathering, knitting, cooking, serving, prayer, and service on boards of directors - ways we encounter God in the world around us as we seek to bring about the promised Reign of God.
Apart from our primary ministries as the church-home of Episcopal Lutheran Campus Ministry at Stanford and College Terrace's progressive Protestant congregation, there are a number of ministries/agencies housed here at UniChu, and we thought you might like to know about them:
Alcoholics Anonymous
AA is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership; it is self-supporting through participant contributions. AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, political organization or institution. The primary purpose is to stay sober and to help others do the same. For a schedule of AA group meetings at UniChu (currently Monday night and Thursday evening), please contact the AA hotline at 408.374.8511.
Amigos de Palo Alto
Amigos de Palo Alto is a Spanish Immersion preschool housed at, but not affiliated with, University Church. Amigos offers parents a safe, loving, and trustworthy environment where they may leave their children, both for childcare and to begin learning from bi-lingual instructors how to speak and learn Spanish the same way their native language was learned — naturally! The two preschool sessions are offered: Monday, Wednesday and Fridays from 8:30 AM to 11:45 AM and Tuesday and Thursdays from 8:30 AM to 11:45 AM. The After School Program known as Amigos Fun Club is designed for children in Kindergarten, First and Second grades. The program offers story time, arts and crafts, games and homework help if needed. Children will have a chance to socialize in Spanish, regardless if Spanish is the language spoken at home or acquired through our immersion program.
South Bay Sanctuary CovenantSouth Bay Sanctuary Covenant (SBSC) is an interfaith, non-partisan organization of churches and individuals in the Bay Area from San Francisco to Santa Cruz. The group is concerned with peace, justice and liberation for the people of Central America and for the refugees who have fled from these areas. SBSC began in 1983 by assisting Central American refugees who had fled to the U.S. to protect their lives. Later they expanded their concern to include crucial problems facing people in Central America, especially El Salvador, that were forcing them to flee to the U.S. They have advocated for better local and national policies to improve conditions for refugees here and in Central America. SBSC has a partner community in El Salvador called Comunidad Octavio Ortiz (COO) in the southeastern region of the country. Historically, this is one of the poorest and most neglected regions, and one of the areas hardest hit by El Salvador's civil war, which ended in 1992 after claiming 75,000 lives. SBSC raises funds throughout the year to support sustainable projects that empower the people in COO and in other communities in the region. SBSC also sponsors a delegation to COO each year where participants get a first-hand experience of life in El Salvador and review projects supported by SBSC. SBSC is supported by four of the original Sanctuary churches which in 1983 publicly announced their protection of Central American refugees who fled here because their lives were in grave danger in their homelands: First Presbyterian Church, Friends Meeting, St. Thomas Aquinas (formerly St. Anne’s Chapel), and our own University Lutheran Church (now UniChu). More information from steering@southbaysanctuary.org.
The Friends Program
The Friends Program is a therapeutic group program designed to address the developing needs of young children with Asperger’s Syndrome and their families. The goals of the program (housed at, but not affiliated with, University Church) are twofold. The first is to address the areas in which these children have the most difficulty: social communication, social interactions, and joint symbolic play with peers; the second is to help the children cope with the daily challenges of school, such as making transitions from the playground or a group activity. The parents group provides the parents with guided observations of their children in the therapeutic group in addition to participating in a parents-only group facilitated by a therapist. The group aims to enhance the parent’s understanding of the child, provide guidance and support for the daily issues the parents are encountering, and provide an empathic setting for parents as they struggle with the impact that their child’s diagnosis has on various aspects of their lives. The Friends Program is housed at, but not affiliated with, University Church.
Music Lessons
Talented Musicians have their music studios on our property as a service to the community. For the Violin Studio, contact Tim Thorne at tmt2760@gmail.com.
Stanford Associated Religions
The Office for Religious Life has as its mission "To guide, nurture and enhance spiritual, religious and ethical life within the Stanford University community." As a member of Stanford Associated Religions, ELCM is committed and devoted to ensuring lively, thoughtful and supportive contexts for Stanford students, faculty and staff who wish to pursue spiritual interests. We recognize that a spiritual/religious journey can be an important, balancing complement to the numerous challenges one faces in the pursuit of academic and career goals.
Links and Resources
ELCM @ UniChu NEWSLETTERS
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ELCA Homepage
This page is the Internet gateway to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
ECUSA Homepage
This page is the Internet gateway to the Episcopal Church, USA.
Bible Gateway
Look-up anything in the Bible online!
Daily Prayer
From Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
Lutheran World Federation Youth and Young Adults Blog
UniLu - Berkeley
The Lutheran Campus Ministry at UC Berkeley
Berkeley Canterbury
The Episcopal Campus Ministry at UC Berkeley
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