Creating a Place to Belong

Young people are searching for community, connection, and meaning. The Church has an opportunity to meet them where they are. By investing in youth programs and campus ministry, we can create welcoming spaces where faith and community can take root during a pivotal time in their lives.

College is a formative time when young adults are asking important questions about who they are, what they believe and how they want to live in the world. Campus ministry creates an opportunity for the Episcopal Church to meet young people in that important season, not by simply inviting them to church, but by building relationships, creating community and offering a welcoming space to explore faith and belonging. A strong Episcopal presence on college campuses can help young people discover a spiritual home while nurturing the next generation of leaders in the Church.

A Home for Episcopal Ministry

The new Episcopal Ministry House at the University of Oregon will create a visible, welcoming home for Episcopal campus ministry in the heart of campus life. It will provide a consistent place for students to gather for prayer, meals, conversation, study, fellowship and service, as well as opportunities for mentoring, spiritual formation and leadership development.

With a dedicated space and campus ministers to support it, the ministry can build deeper relationships with students and create a vibrant community that extends beyond a single event or worship service.

Youth and Campus Ministry in Action

Across Western Oregon, Episcopal youth and campus ministries are creating places where young people can find community, explore faith, serve others and grow as leaders. These examples offer a glimpse of the impact already taking place, and the opportunity to build on this work in the years ahead.

  1. Episcopal-Lutheran Campus Ministry at Oregon State University

    Canterbury House and Luther House partner to create a welcoming campus community offering fellowship, housing, shared meals, social spaces, a tool library and opportunities for spiritual growth.

  2. Student Food Pantry at the University of Oregon

    For nearly a decade, Episcopal Campus Ministry has helped provide free food to local students through its Student Food Pantry, in partnership with UO's Basic Needs Program and Food for Lane County. The pantry serves students twice a week and responds to a significant need on campus.

  3. Hope & Fire Youth Overnight

    In 2026, young people from around the Diocese gathered in Eugene for a two-night retreat focused on fellowship, fun, and reflection during the season of Lent.

  4. Together Lab Retreat

    Through the Youth Solidarity Movement, middle and high school students participate in retreats designed to foster belonging and create supportive, trauma-informed spaces for young people.

  5. Province VIII Youth Event

    A delegation of 15 high school students traveled to Honolulu in 2026, joining more than 100 others to learn about the first peoples of Hawai’I and explore the history and importance of immigration, an experience that connects faith, culture and a broader understanding of the world.

  6. A Growing Youth Community

    More than 40 young people from communities across Western Oregon have participated in diocesan youth offerings, with students traveling from Portland, Eugene, Salem, Lincoln City, Newport, Astoria and Roseburg, and increasingly inviting friends to join them.

  7. Ascension School: Camp Cove

    The Diocese is expanding its partnership with Camp Cove to create meaningful summer experiences for young people, beginning with middle school students. Through traditional camp activities, community, and chapel experiences centered on the theme "Restore," campers have opportunities to deepen both their relationships and their faith.

Create a Lasting Legacy

Naming opportunities offer a meaningful way to invest in the Episcopal Ministry House and leave a lasting mark on the lives of students, the University of Oregon community and the future of the Church. Your gift can help create a welcoming place where generations of students will gather, grow in faith and find belonging.

  • Priest Apartment: $100,000
  • Student Apartments (18): $50,000 each
  • Campus Ministry Office: $100,000
  • Conference Room: $50,000

For more information on the naming opportunities being offered, please contact Committee Chair Michael L. Jackson at [email protected].