A closer look: A week of faiths
By Christian Mignot
April 6, 2004 9:00 p.m.
For many students, attending church may be a rare occurrence in
their college lives, and usually might happen at times like Easter
or Christmas.
Yet a group of eight UCLA students call the University Lutheran
Chapel on Strathmore Avenue home ““ literally.
As part of a live-in program organized by the church, these
students rent low-cost rooms within the chapel building ““ a
tall structure which soars high above the North Village area and is
characterized by the 63 stairs required to get to it from the
street.
Although they are not all Lutherans, the students living in the
chapel are brought together under the same roof by their Christian
beliefs.
Living in constant immersion makes it easier to come to terms
with one’s spirituality, said Samuel Brady, fourth-year
political science student.
“Even if you are not actively trying to find (spiritual
truth), it slowly sinks in because you are constantly surrounded by
it here,” he said.
In addition to participating in liturgies and events, each
student volunteers 10 hours every week for the chapel.
Congregational vice president Dan Fynaardt said group activities
with like-minded fellow residents are particularly conducive to
spiritual growth.
“A lot of people get into the habit of making worshipping
God and growing in faith just a Sunday thing,” Fynaardt
said.
“By living here at the ULC, it’s not just a Sunday
thing ““ day in and day out we have opportunities literally
right at our doorstep to grow and break out of our comfort zones to
truly become models of Christ,” he added.
Faith St. Jean, the campus ministry associate who oversees the
ULC, said the live-in program allows students to remain dedicated
to their spiritual life, while still providing them with a fun,
college-life atmosphere.
“It’s like (MTV’s) Real World,
Christian-style,” she said.
At the same time, the constant immersion in religious beliefs
sometimes puts extra pressure on the students, she said.
“It’s not like you can sleep through Sunday morning
services,” she joked, adding that services are usually
delayed until everyone is awake.
Living quarters within the chapel are made up of five bedrooms,
a common living room and a kitchen.
Residents at the ULC are gearing up for Easter Sunday services,
during which some will play music.
