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

Rev. Aaron Meadows has been the head pastor at University Church for over 10 years. He is originally from North Canton, Ohio and studied at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh.

Aaron Meadows

Pastor

Pastor of UNIVERSITY Church. Aaron studied Biblical Literature and Theology at Malone University. He completed his Master of Divinity degree at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

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

Penny Graves

Secretary and Organist

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.

Destiny, our energetic youth director helps nurture and encourage teenagers to have a faith-filled time.

Destiny Tackett

Co-Director of Campus and Youth Ministry

Destiny is a co-director of campus and youth ministry. She is a graduate of Malone University with experience in Christian leadership since 2023. She is passionate about bringing the gospel to students and help them understand what it means to grow in their faith.

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.

Lauren Meadows

Co-Director of Campus and Youth Ministry

Lauren is a co-director of campus and youth ministry. She is a recent graduate of Malone University, with a degree in Finance and Business Administration. In her free time, she loves to meet new people, travel, go to art museums, and read. She is excited to be working at University Church, and to have the opportunity to be a part of a great community.

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.