About Our Church

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Our Mission & Vision

A Christian community guided by scripture, growing in faith and serving others.

Mission & Purpose

At University Church, our mission is rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ, as outlined in Matthew 22:37-39. We are called to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to extend that love to our neighbors as ourselves.

As a community of believers, we come together as a family, bound by our shared commitment to scripture and our collective journey of growth. We affirm our belief in God as the creator of us and the entire universe. We recognize Jesus Christ as God’s son, equal to the Father, and acknowledge the Holy Spirit as an equal part of the Trinity residing within each of us.

Our purpose is to facilitate your growth in faith as we, in turn, encourage others on their faith journey. Following Christ’s teachings, we serve one another in love, understanding that we are all brothers and sisters of the Father.

We do this through our Small Groups, Bible Studies, Youth Group, all while following God’s Word.

Leadership

Our church’s leadership is made up of staff, elders, deacons, and support teams who lead our congregation through our mission and support the community at large.

Meet Our Staff & Leaders

Penny is the organist and secretary at University Church. She is seen here in our Kent, Ohio campus sancutary.

Penny Graves

Secretary and Organist (Staff)

Penny is the organist and part-time secretary at University Church. Outside of her church work, she enjoys crosswords and word puzzles, watching Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, and British/Australian/New Zealand/Canadian mystery shows, spending time with her grandsons, and participating in community groups.

To reach out, email secretary@kentprez.org 

 

With our rand change, we changed our logo. This symbol is based off the 40 foot cross on the outside of the church building. We the people make up the pieces of the church which is the body of Christ according to Ephesians.

Andrew Bastian

Clerk of Session and Co-Leader of Campus Ministry

Andrew graduated from Kent State University in 2017 with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Accounting & Finance. Andrew has been with the church since his freshman year in 2013 and has grown into a strong Christian leader with an equal passion to serve.

To reach out, email clerk@kentprez.org 

 

With our rand change, we changed our logo. This symbol is based off the 40 foot cross on the outside of the church building. We the people make up the pieces of the church which is the body of Christ according to Ephesians.

Anvesh Kuchipudi

Co-Leader of Campus Ministry

Anvesh serves as the Co-Leader of Campus Ministry, bringing a dedicated heart to student discipleship. He graduated with a Masters of Public Health from Kent State University, and has been active in Christian leadership since 2024. Anvesh is driven by a passion for sharing the Gospel with students, helping them move beyond surface-level understanding into a deep, flourishing relationship with Jesus. 

With our rand change, we changed our logo. This symbol is based off the 40 foot cross on the outside of the church building. We the people make up the pieces of the church which is the body of Christ according to Ephesians.

George Tompkins

Custodian (Staff)

We are grateful for all the work our custodian puts in to keeping our main building and our Paloma room clean. We ask the congregation to also show good stewardship to assist in the same process too! 

If there is any cleaning or upkeep request for the church, please leave a maintenance request in the custodian’s mailbox, or send an email to secretary@kentprez.org. 

 

With our rand change, we changed our logo. This symbol is based off the 40 foot cross on the outside of the church building. We the people make up the pieces of the church which is the body of Christ according to Ephesians.

Meet Our Elders

Session (Board of Elders)

Teaching Elder: 
Ruling Elders: Andrew Bastian, Patty McCarter, and Tom Batters

The elders of the church are chosen from the congregation to decern and measure the church’s faithfulness to the word of God. Together with the minister of word and sacrament (Teaching Elder / Pastor) are to exercise leadership, governance, spiritual discernment, and discipline for the life of the congregation and the church as a whole.

If anyone has any questions that need to be addressed to the session, please email the Clerk of Session at clerk@kentprez.org

 

With our rand change, we changed our logo. This symbol is based off the 40 foot cross on the outside of the church building. We the people make up the pieces of the church which is the body of Christ according to Ephesians.

Meet Our Deacons

Board of Deacons

Deacons: Anna Meadows, Flora Edwards, Penny Graves, Kay Lee, and Ann Ward

Deacons are elected by the congregation to lead the congregation in compassion, witness, and service representing the ministry of the church in the world and the presence of the church. Like Jesus Christ, the deacons are called to love and care for the poor, the hungry, the sick, the lost, the friendless, and the persecuted. 

If you or someone you know needs assistance from the Deacons, please reach out at deacons@kentprez.org or email the church office at secretary@kentprez.org 

 

History of UNIVERSITY Church

Our History

UNIVERSITY Church has its beginning on March 15, 1959, when 20 persons met in a classroom at Kent State University, establishing the only Presbyterian church in Portage County. Dr. Henry Lietman, minister of the United Presbyterian Church of Cuyahoga Falls, acted as clerk.