Courtney Hong
Living Assistant
Keith Novosel/staff photo.
Jeff Davenport has been the
director of UM for two years.
On Tuesday nights, hundreds of Pepperdine students gather in the sanctuary at Malibu Presbyterian Church near Pepperdine to worship through University Ministries, popularly known as UM.
“There’s worship music, a talk from a Texan that usually hits pretty hard in the truth department, weekly videos, and fellowship with your peers,” said Eryn Longobardi, junior student University Ministries staff member.
UM, which is about 10 years old, is designed to minister to students who are looking for something different.
“UM exists to help students to know God better,” said Jeff Davenport, director of UM for the past two years, echoing the ministry’s simple mission statement.
Davenport said an overall theme for the year “is receiving from the Lord and asking him to move in our lives as opposed to us moving things.”
“My suitemate told me about it,” said freshman Bianca Bruns, who hesitated to attend initially because she is not Presbyterian. “It’s a comfortable environment where you can worship freely. I was totally blown away by Jeff, the incredible energy and passion as he speaks. Every one of his messages could reach out to someone who hardly knows Jesus and who has an incredible walk with him. It’s totally helpful, especially during the craziness of the week, just to have that refreshing.”
About 400 faces can be seen at UM each Tuesday night, although not necessarily the same ones from week to week. Although students can participate in service projects like the upcoming Thanksgiving food drive, Davenport stresses that the purpose of these is not to “offer programs with UM written on them. We just care that people are in community and loving each other and encouraging one another. We want people to be reliant on each other.”
Students have the opportunity to serve the UM community through leadership positions.
“There are about 30 adult and student staff members who volunteer their time to plan service projects, lead small groups, head up hospitality on Tuesdays, run video and sound equipment, plan events like the Big Bear retreat and other events throughout the year,” said Longobardi, who was involved with planning the retreat that took place last weekend.
Additional ways that students serve at UM include being part of the worship team, which meets every Sunday night to prepare for the week, or becoming a prayer team leader or communications representative.
“We strive to be a group that helps feed students on Tuesdays, but really tries to get them involved in small groups – it’s in closer groups that the real growth is seen,” Longobardi said.
Student leaders are chosen to be a part of the staff through an application process, but beyond that Davenport takes note of where their hearts are in their desire to serve as leaders. The two student interns are hand picked, based in part on what other students have to say about them. Their primary role is to help with the practical as well as spiritual direction of the ministry, such as praying with Davenport after UM every Tuesday, and building up the student leaders.
“Their hearts are so sincerely in love with the Lord,” senior intern Kristin Buzzell said of the leadership team. “It’s inspiring to be around them.”
As for the purpose of UM, Buzzell said “things are well put together, but that’s not the focus at all. Students really experience the Lord there, and that changes them.”
10-28-04
