Because so many of Andrews University’s students hail from Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries, it is important to have opportunities where those cultures and languages can be celebrated and where students can feel like they belong. Genesis Fellowship provides an on-campus space for just that.
Genesis began in 2022 after a group of students decided that there needed to be a Latino worship service on campus on Saturday mornings. Since then, it has grown—alongside One Place Fellowship and New Life Fellowship, Genesis is now one of the three main on-campus fellowships.
Genesis is a trilingual fellowship that highlights English, Spanish, and Portuguese and the cultures of those who speak those languages. Services, which are held in the University Towers chapel every other Saturday at 11:30 a.m., are open to anyone who wants to join.
Even though there are several off-campus churches that already highlight the Latino culture, Angelica Torres (sophomore, theology), the creative director of Genesis, said, “It is important to highlight this worship environment on campus amongst our students. We have a lot of international students, we have a lot of students who come from very strong Latino cultures and churches, and I think having a space where that can be welcomed is really important.”
Genesis services are conducted primarily in English, with the other languages mixed in during praise time. This makes it accessible to anyone who wants to attend.
“Genesis is not exclusive to people from Hispanic cultures; it is open to anybody,” Torres said. “We have people come and lead worship or preachers that do not represent these countries, but they still help us in our mission of creating this warm and inviting space of worship. It is a space of belonging, not of exclusivity, and you will be welcomed no matter what language you speak or what culture you come from.
“Cariño,” a Spanish word that translates to “affection” or “devotion,” is a sentiment that reflects this sense of belonging and is what the team at Genesis tries to embody in every service.
“Cariño is warm, it’s welcoming, it’s loving,” Torres said. “It’s more than a word; it’s a feeling. It’s a call to action, like something you do, not just something you say.”
A typical Genesis service starts off with a welcome song. Everyone sings along and is invited to greet the people around them, which often involves hugging fellow attendees and asking them how they are doing or what the best part of their week was. It is a chance to feel like you are a part of the Genesis family.
Another opportunity to feel cariño is during the well-being moment, right after the welcome song. Yulian Tinoco, one of the founding members of Genesis, is the coordinator of this weekly mental health check-in. For every Genesis service, Yulian or one of his team members will sit on the couch on stage and guide the audience in a mindful activity to help bring the community closer together.
Music director Samantha Flores knows that music is very important to culture, so she tries to incorporate cariño when planning music for services.
“Music is so intentional in Genesis,” she said. “We always try to have the music apply to the sermon and the whole program.”
Even though songs at Genesis are frequently sung in Spanish or Portuguese, they are often familiar melodies that all audiences recognize.
“Having songs that the audience knows,” Flores said, “helps them be more comfortable singing and helps them have a safe environment for worship.”
Several students who regularly attend Genesis shared what their favorite part of the fellowship is.
Fiorella Oudri (sophomore, health science), who is also a music leader for Genesis, said, “My favorite part of Genesis is seeing a group of people come together. I love cultural church, I love being unified by something we all have in common. I love that they include bits and pieces of Hispanic culture so that everyone can enjoy it even if you’re not part of that Hispanic culture, but also the people who are a part of it get to feel more at home.”
Similarly, Nik Feliciano (junior, music), who regularly attends Genesis, said, “I think it is easier to feel a sense of community when you’re surrounded [by] people like yourself. As a Hispanic person, it’s great to see people just like me enjoying that same feeling of fellowship.”
There are many ways to get involved with Genesis. The best way to start is simply by attending a Saturday morning worship service and talking to one of the team members in person. There are always volunteers needed to help with praise sets, read scripture, assist with well-being moments, greet congregants with the hospitality team, or set up food. The Genesis Instagram page (@auwegenesis) also has a link to their Next Steps page, where you can volunteer or find options for Bible Studies, Baptism, or meeting with a chaplain.
The next Genesis service is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 5, and it will be a special celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month highlighting the different Latino countries represented on the Andrews campus. We hope to see you there!
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.