The Belfry has a long and interesting history! Here’s a quick overview at our over 5 decades of ministry at UC Davis!

Lutheran Roots

Beginning in 1955, Davis Lutheran Church (DLC), located about half a mile from UC Davis, initiated the Lutheran Campus Ministry (LCM) at UC Davis via its lay members. In the mid-60′s, the Missouri Synod (then the parent body of DLC) independently appointed a fulltime campus pastor who began work with DLC and eventually became The Belfry Pastor. The ministry was thus housed primarily at DLC. In 1970, Pastor Don Ranstrom was called to be the Pastor of LCM.  In 1983, LCM began renting the building at 216 A Street, directly across the street from campus, and the building was purchased in July of 1988 using funds from the national LCM Inc., and local donations.

Episcopal Partnership

In the Fall of 1985, joint worship of Lutherans and Episcopalians began, and by 1988, income from the rental units behind The Belfry enabled an Episcopalian, Helen Laverty, to join The Belfry staff as a lay minister. On May 10, 1990, a ”Memorandum of Understanding” was signed by local Lutheran (Pr. Dick Smith) and Episcopal (the Rev. Barry Beisner) leaders, making the partnership official. In 1993, Sara Potter replaced Helen Laverty and was later named “Lay Episcopal Chaplain.” She was succeeded in 1996 by Christine Rich, and in 1998 with Margaret Grayden. Then, in September 1997, The Rev. Sarah Motley was called as the one-quarter time Episcopal Chaplain at UC Davis.

Ministering at UCD and CSUS

During the mid-1990′s, the LCM at CSU Sacramento closed, and responsibility for the ministry there was transferred to Pastor Ranstrom and The Belfry. About this time, he was honored with the prestigious “Campus Ministry Award” by the ELCA in recognition for his outstanding service to UCD. Pastor Ranstrom retired from The Belfry in August of 1998 after 28 years of service as Lutheran Campus Pastor at UC Davis, and CSU Sacramento. He was succeeded by Pastor Stephen Simmonds. At about the same time, Rev. Sarah Motley’s position was increased by the Diocesan Convention to one-half time. This partnership continued until 2004, when the Sacramento Episcopal Lutheran Campus Ministry incorporated, taking back the CSUS and community college ministry entrusted to The Belfry. Shortly after that happened, Rev. Sarah Motley was redeployed by the Diocese of Northern California, with responsibilities for diocesen-wide staff support and a campus ministry capital campaign.

Call To Common Mission

In the summer of 2000, the “Call to Common Mission” document was approved by both denominations, putting the two churches officially in full communion with each other. In 2001, The Belfry was recognized by the Diocese of Northern California and the Sierra Pacific Synod for its joint campus ministry. In September of 2002, The Belfry adopted its current name, “Lutheran Episcopal Campus Ministry” (LECM), and is sometimes used with the tagline: at The Belfry.

50th Anniversary

In April 2004, The Belfry celebrated its 50th anniversary since campus ministry efforts began at DLC, its 20th year at 216 A Street, and 15th year with Episcopalian staff members. A Festive Soup Supper was held in DLC’s new fellowship hall on the site of the original DLC student center. Dr. Martin E. Marty attended and appeared as the 15th St. Augustine’s Chair Lecturer in conjunction with the anniversary celebration. Two years later, in 2006, Pastor Steve Simmonds resigned and Interim Pastor Marty Lettow took over. Then, in 2008, the Rev. Jocelynn Jurkovich-Hughes was called to be the Campus Chaplain of the Belfry.  She was the first Episcopal priest to be called to be the full-time pastor of The Belfry.

Some Highlights of Featured Speakers

Nov 1990 - Faculty lectures at UC Davis by Lutheran and Episcopal seminary professors
Feb 1991 - Inaugural St. Augustine Chair lecture by Elias Farajaje-Jones of Howard University
Spring 1996 - Inaugural Philip Knutson conference, “SEX: Can We Talk? Conversations on Human Sexuality,” held at UC Davis
May 1998 – Quest for Peace conference and month of emphasis at UC Davis
May 2002 - Belfry co-sponsors Care for God’s Creation conference at UC Davis; Dr. John Haught of  Georgetown University is St. Augustine Chair lecturer and conference keynote speaker
May 2004 - LECM co-sponsors interfaith Care for God’s Creation: the Blessing of Water conference at Davis Community Church, with co-chair Chaplain Sarah Motley