PUC Students Unite by Growing Dorm Worship Attendance

Pacific Union College has seen a significant increase in student attendance at dorm worship. This attendance increase follows the combined efforts of students and staff to enhance these worship opportunities, showing how listening to students and tending to their spiritual needs strengthens their relationship with Christ and keeps them hungry for His word.

On average, 100 to 120 students attend dorm worship weekly, a great improvement from last year when less than 60 students attended. Students are moving in numbers, encouraging their friends, and gathering together to share their faith.

Last school year, Winning, Newton, and Andre Hall individually hosted worship open to all students. However, the scattered programs felt too similar to students, leaving them drained and unenthusiastic about any worship program. Throughout the week, fewer students attended.

To fix this issue, student leaders and several staff members combined all dorm worship—with Newton, Andre, and Winning Hall—every Tuesday night at Scales Chapel, adopting a three-week rotation to lead each program. This rotation allows students to develop more creative ways to enhance worship without the stress of feeling burnt out. Another change they made is not having a speaker every week, and instead, having an activity to add program variety.

PUC student Jacob Duran has been involved with dorm worship since his freshman year. He first helped through song-leading, and now in his sophomore year, is the spiritual residence assistant for Newton Hall and director of combined dorm worship. Though he does not plan every worship, he checks everything runs smoothly.

“As a student myself, I know how busy each of us can be with academics, extracurriculars, and relationships,” shared Duran. “And I know that we are all on different roads of life. But we hope that students come to dorm worship with their different experiences and enjoy fellowship with each other through whatever means. Ultimately, we hope students find a piece of Jesus through music, the message, activities, and, most importantly, each other.”

Duran has seen and received wonderful feedback since combining dorm worship. “Some have appreciated the variety in programming and participants,” he said. “Others have shared their appreciation for the liveliness of every dorm worship, whether through the songs, icebreakers, or the silly teaser videos the dorms post on Instagram promoting dorm worship. And to no surprise, many people have been thoroughly enjoying the food afterward."