St. Mike's University Church
& Campus Ministry
An inclusive, welcoming and progressive community
in the heart of Isla Vista!
Who we are is an intentionally inclusive and multigenerational congregation and campus ministry, an ever-changing pastiche of people seeking to know and love God, neighbor, and stranger. Better than who we are is what we intend to be: people pursuing spiritual and social transformation, people trying to follow Jesus’ loving example and commitment to justice and compassion. Whether student, faculty, staff or community member, we offer you a place where you can belong, where you can discern the meaning and purpose of your life, where others will care about you and you can show you care for others. We welcome newcomers every week.
We are delighted to welcome YOU!
Whoever you are and wherever you find yourself on your
spiritual journey you are welcome here.
Absolute faith is not a requirement at St. Mike's.
An open heart is.
ALL are welcome.
Welcome home!
Vicar and chaplain Nicole Janelle is always happy to meet with students, faculty or community members. Email her to set up a time to meet (revjanelle@gmail.com)!
What sort of church is St. Mike’s -- as a newcomer how do I learn more? First and foremost, St. Mike’s is a community that welcomes everyone, invites you to bring your whole self to church and encourages you to ask lots of questions! We don’t check our brains at the door every Sunday morning. We are intentionally inclusive. We are queer friendly. We strive to welcome warmly all who wander through the door.
Our Sunday church community is made up of students, faculty (yes, you might see you professor on Sunday morning!), staff and community members. The ethos of our worship and community life is shaped by the Episcopal/Anglican tradition (a blend of the best of Protestant & Catholic traditions), but in reality a mishmash of people from all sorts of church upbringings (or not!) make up our community. We strive to create a space for people to explore their spiritual lives through a variety of practices including, but not limited to: traditional church services, yoga classes, small group conversations (like our weekly dinner forum series sponsored by Progressive Christians at UCSB), student retreats, community dinners, community gardening and leadership opportunities.
To learn more about our funky and lively community, peruse our website and join us for a worship service, discussion group, yoga class or other gathering. You, your friends and your family members are all welcome. We look forward to welcoming you!