grace hayashi on the open mic

One of the difficulties in working with college-age students is trying to minister to the wide variety of people at different faith stages and geographical places who are somehow still connected to our community.  It's not always easy because we recognize that God is not calling all of you to be a part of our community here on a regular basis but we do want you to feel connected whenever you're around.  For this reason, I [chris] really appreciated the chance to catch up with Grace Hayashi during her spring break and hear about what's it's like for her to come back "home" [if that's what you want to call it].  I asked her to write down some of what we talked about and i think it's a refreshingly honest read that some of you students who are away can relate to, but, it's also an eye-opening read for the students who are local.

So without further ado, read on and see life through the eyes of Grace Hayashi [she's the one on the right].

Coming back home is getting progressively more and more weird. The more connected I feel at Westmont College, the less connected I feel to Torrance/Gardena.

God has been doing so much in my life at Westmont. I went from almost certainly a Chemistry major planning to go to medical school to a Religious Studies major with no plans at all. God has constantly been challenging me to set aside my pride and to rid myself of insecurities about how others will view me. Turning down UCLA for a private Christian school in Santa Barbara that few have heard of was just the start.

Better late than never!

Our 3rd annual EPIC camping trip is just around the corner [3/18-20] so we decided it's time to post some memories of our 1st and 2nd trips [compliments of Naomi Chen's YouTube channel and Facebook pics]!  Let's step into the DeLorean for a nice trip back in time... 

Here is a video of our first EPIC camping trip for your enjoyment -

And then some pics from our 2nd EPIC camping trip -

This year's trip promises to be more of the same.  It's just a time to get away for a weekend and unwind.  We'll sit around the campfire at night and just catch up with one another.  We'll play co-ed football at the beach, board games, and ninja during the day.  And all of this is topped off by some gourmet meals cooked by the master chef Dennis Sata.  $30 buys you a weekend of fun, food, and good company!  Space is limited so be sure to sign up ASAP!