Our parish mission statement begins with the statement: "The Chapel of the Cross, historically linked to the University of North Carolina and the Town of Chapel Hill, bears faithful witness to the presence of the living God on the campus, in the community, in the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina and throughout all the world."  It is not surprising then, that an important aspect of our mission as a parish is welcoming university students.  We do this, not only in the fall, but throughout the year, and not only in the campus center, but throughout the whole parish.

Some may believe that the major welcoming of students is through Episcopal Campus Ministry (ECM), the university-recognized student group that meets on Tuesday nights.  While ECM is a solid, spiritually-grounded, rocking, and welcoming group, it is but one small part of how we as a parish welcome students.

Some students who do not participate in ECM find their church needs met by faithful participation in Sunday worship.  They maintain their church membership at home, but we are their church home away from home, and they feel part of us.  We should look for them each Sunday and inquire about their student status, their hometown, their major, and their vocational interests.  Most spend the rest of the week with folks the same age as they, and an opportunity to talk to an older (or much younger!) person is often a treat.  So we can welcome students by introducing them to our children and our elders, at least as a first step in getting to know them.

Other students are active in the parish in volunteer roles.  Commonly UNC students are leaders for EYC, teach Sunday school, and work with vacation bible school.  We have student acolytes and student chalice bearers.  Our mission statement would call us to share our many blessings with those students who share their time and talents with us.  Again, inquire about their courses, their families, and their roommates.  Students, like the rest of us, often have celebrations or concerns they need to share with others who are part of their worshiping community.

If you are in the building during the week, you may find yourself able to welcome students who are neighbors of the church (and sometimes study in the building) or students who have a class taught in our library (by a parishioner faculty member) or students who are here as part of our Chapel of the Cross Habitat partnership.  All these students would welcome our greeting and acknowledgement that they add to the life of our parish.