Chimes Street is lined with various establishments that cater to the needs of college students, but Mars Hill Ministries hardly resembles any place for religious and spiritual gatherings. 
“It has a nice aesthetic quality and it’s engaging,” graduate student, Michael Sanders said. “It’s definitely different from anything on this block.”
The unconventional ministry that Joel and Vickie Willson started on Chimes Street focuses on appealing to the alternative college students outside its doors. 
Before coming to the university, the Willsons used to pastor a church in Zachary, La.  The youth at this church attended the university and the majority of them were involved in the School of Music.  The university intrigued the Willsons and they began spending time around campus and becoming an advocate for spiritual growth by “sitting on benches to pray for the campus and its students,” Joel Willson said. 
They brought day-old bread and an assortment of pastries from Albertsons which they began giving away to students on a route they developed.  It was through this sweet tooth satisfying route that the Willsons met and formed relationships with students which led to the formation of Bible studies. 
The Willsons felt they were making such a positive impact that they attained the current building they are in and began its renovation.  The Willsons are both artists and tend to “express ourselves in art,” Joel Willson said, which is reflected in the building and its worship space. 
“Our definition of worship is different from the traditional ideas of what worship is, worship to us is an expression of everything we do,” Joel Willson said. 
The name, Mars Hill, originates from the Bible, Acts 17 when the apostle Paul went to talk with the local priests who worshipped many gods and his goal became to teach these priests about the unknown God, which is Mars Hill’s message: “Revealing the unknown God.”  The university ministry Mars Hill is not to be confused with the new emerging church also called Mars Hill. 
“Worship is really important to us,” Joel Willson said. “We provide a contemporary worship which is laid back and involves less lecture and more participation.” 
Mars Hill is the host of countless jam sessions including jazz, classical and special guests.  The musical gatherings are planned spontaneously throughout the year.  The jam sessions are an opportunity for “the guys to get together since most participants are music students,” Joel Willson said. 
Mars Hill is also beginning to sponsor art openings for students and former students.   A regular gallery space will be a new dimension of the ministry and all of the art is family oriented and expressive of the creators. 
Services for Mars Hill include: Student Fellowship held Fridays at 7pm, and a Worship Service held Sundays at 5pm. 
According to Campus Life, there are 29 Religious/ Spiritual additional organizations throughout the university.   The range of these specific organizations is not limited to Christian faiths, but also includes the following faiths: Jewish, Muslim, Baha’i, Islam as well as many nontraditional spiritual groups. 
 
Sources:
Joel Willson – main pastor
Michael Sanders – quoted individual
http://marshill-lsu.com/index.html
http://appl003.lsu.edu/slas/cslistudorg.nsf/ListByType?OpenAgent
 
Links to be Posted:
http://marshill-lsu.com/index.html
http://www.lsu.edu/campuslife/html/studentorg/studentorg.html
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000431777333&ref=ts#!/pages/Mars-Hill/131319406886524
 
Contact Information:
Claire Caillier
(337) 280-9198
[email protected]