To address the ever-present need for spiritual community among young people, Southern California Conference (SCC) Campus Connect Ministries launched last fall under Senior Youth and Young Adult Ministries to support Adventist students attending non-Adventist colleges and universities in Southern California.
At the heart of this new and growing ministry is Ruth Chung, member of Upper Room Fellowship company. As a counseling psychology professor at University of Southern California (USC), she got involved with USC’s Adventist Christian Fellowship when she began working as a faculty in residence eight years ago. Chung and another faculty member were supporting the fellowship, but between covid and the high turnover of graduating students, the momentum was difficult to maintain, and they eventually lost their student organization status. Pressed but not discouraged, Chung set out to connect with more Adventist students throughout Los Angeles County.
“I just feel very passionate about trying to create campus communities where students can come together and talk about the challenges of navigating their faith as Adventists in a secular environment,” Chung said. “Young adulthood is such a dynamic period of development; it’s very formative. The things that happen during this time are so impactful.”
After finding support with leadership from SCC and Pacific Union Conference, who saw Chung’s vision and understood the opportunities for ministry at college campuses, Eden Seo was hired as a chaplain for Campus Connect to help create community, provide resources, and support students as they develop their faith.
Seo, along with a team of young adult pastors and lay leaders in SCC, quickly went to task visiting campuses. They set up meet and greet events offering pastries and prayer. These introductions led to forming small groups at USC, Pasadena City College, and Los Angeles College of Music.
“It’s a time to fellowship and hang out,” Seo shared. “We’ll worship together, have a Bible study with an open discussion, and we always have food. Each small group is not going to look the same; it depends on the school.” The groups have also gotten together for hiking, service projects, and meals.
Slowly, more connections are being made throughout Los Angeles County, with Seo also getting to know students at California State University Northridge (CSUN) and University of California Los Angeles. Because of laws in place to protect privacy of students, the team doesn’t have access to a list of students who identify as Adventist. The ministry largely depends on students seeking them out—one campus at a time.
“These students come from all over the country,” Chung said. “If you have a child, grandchild, cousin, nephew, niece—anyone who’s attending a non- Adventist college—we’re here. We’re eager to connect with them and minister to them.”
