University of Virginia Library

Charlottesville Churches Offer
Students Houses Of Worship

Photo by Chuck Hite

Charlottesville's churches offer
religious opportunities to students
of nearly every faith. Many are
located within walking distance of
the University. They include:

Baptist University Baptist
Church, 1223 W. Main St.;

Catholic St. Thomas Hall, 331
Kent Rd.;

Episcopal St. Paul's Memorial
Church, 1700 University Ave.;

Jewish Temple Beth Israel,
1824 University Circle;

Latter Day Saints Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,
1003 Monticello Rd.;

Lutheran St. Mark's Lutheran
Church, 100 Alderman Rd.;

Methodist Wesley Foundation;
1908 Lewis Mountain Rd.;

Presbyterian Westminster
Presbyterian Church, 190 Rugby
Rd.;

Seventh Day Adventist
Seventh-Day Adventist Church,
2437 Jefferson Park Ave.;

Unitarian Thomas Jefferson
Memorial Unitarian Church, Rugby
Rd.

The University Chapel, near the
Rotunda, is also open to students.
The chapel, built in 1890, is
non-denominational.

Two churches offer services
especially geared for students. St.
Paul's Episcopal Church has an
evensong service which emphasizes
modernistic approaches to worship
and innovations in church music.
Instead of the traditional organ and
choir, the music is provided by
contemporary instruments such as
guitar.

St. Thomas Hall also caters to
those who prefer more experimental
kinds of services: Their folk
masses and rock masses are designed
to appeal to the y
generation.

Besides regular services and
activities, many churches sponsor
youth groups. Among the groups
for University students are the
Baptist Student Union, the Newman
Club (Catholic), the Wesley
Foundation (Methodist), the Hillel
Foundation (Jewish) and the
Lutheran Student Organization.

The YMCA also offers a religious
program. The University
YMCA is the nation's oldest chapter
on a college or university
campus.

The YMCA leadership works in
close cooperation with students and
professors. It sponsors seminars as
well as a University series on
religion. Programs are designed for
all faiths.

The headquarters for the YMCA
is located in Madison Hall. The
organization is responsible for the
compilation and distribution of the
"Jeffersonian," a student guide to
the University.