Connect with Cal  

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As a university church, we have been blessed and have had the opportunity to bless through our connection with Cal. We believe that we are on this corner in part to love and serve the UC Berkeley community. Join us as we affirm and deepen this connection; then, take the next step by making or renewing a personal connection to Cal.

Our Historical Connection

In 1878, First Pres was founded by 27 individuals who wanted to minister to the growing university community. Ministry models have changed over the years, but our commitment to UC Berkeley continues as we invest resources, money, and time toward developing relationships and helping college students grow in Christ.

Our Geographical Connection

Our church campus is located on an urban, dynamic, and diverse corner, two blocks away from UC Berkeley. We are across the street from a campus dorm that 1,000+ students call home. Although our congregation draws from six Bay Area counties, we walk, ride, and drive through the heart of Berkeley every time we come to church.

Our Emotional Connection

We have third- and fourth-generation UC Berkeley alumni who call First Pres home. You might see our pastors decked out in BLUE & GOLD, and many hearts cheer when the cannon goes off to announce a Bear touchdown. There are couples in the church that credit Cal for bringing them together. And, you don't have to be a Cal alum to tell time by the Campanile.

Our Missional Connection

UC Berkeley is our Jerusalem — the first mission field we come across when we step off the church campus. The Cal student population, like many other mission efforts, cannot promise consistent attendance or giving potential. However, in reaching out to those 35,000+ students, guaranteed to disperse to the four corners of the earth after graduation, we have a unique opportunity to join God where he is already at work.

Take the Next Step

Our desire is that we, as a church, would be engaged with our university neighbor in small and big ways. Here are some suggestions:

• Take advantage of the many athletic, cultural, and academic events offered on campus. You don't have to be affiliated with Cal to go to a basketball game, a poetry reading, a concert, or a campus museum exhibit. Have fun as you get to know your neighbor! Click here to browse events at Cal.
• Pray for Cal professors as they teach and influence Berkeley's next generation of movers and shakers. Click here to find out about Berkeley Christian Faculty Fellowship, a group of faculty members who are living out their faith in a place of rigorous scholarship and exploration.
• Want to get involved? Consider being a FoCUS partner or hosting a FoCUS small group for dinner. There are other ways to get involved with UMin at First Pres; please contact Nick van Santen, Minister to College and University Students, at (510) 848-6252 ext. 264 or at nickv@fpcberkeley.org.