Helen Harray
Hey, along with Richard, I am the minister at studentsoul. 
I'm the sort of person that desperately wants to make church a fun and relevant place to be. This has always fired me up. I want to worship in an environment where the whole of me is engaged in a vital and connected relationship to Jesus Christ. Knowing that I am a visual and kinesthetic person makes me determined to develop a model of church where the arts are valued and where we learn in ways that stimulate more than just our ears. Connecting the right brain with the left is one way of putting it.
I am also committed to building community where students learn the art of healthy intimacy in relationships and where mental and emotional health is balanced with the God stuff.
I'd love to get to know you and I'm pretty good at listening. Counselling is one of the things I do besides organizing services and camps and most importantly helping students to find their own identity and a place to serve and use their own gifts. If you give studentsoul a bit of time, you will find a place to be nurtured, challenged and provoked and hopefully you will leave Dunedin more whole and more in love with Jesus than ever.
Please introduce yourself to me.
Richard Dawson
Hi, I’m Richard, senior pastor of Leith Valley Presbyterian Church and co-pastor with Helen of studentsoul. Our ministry into the university is something we as a church totally believe in and want to see grow and improve year by year so as many students as possible have their faith strengthened through their study years and are prepared for a life of mission when they leave. We’re also very concerned to see students become confident enough to share their faith in a reasoned and appropriate manner with as many as God sends them to.
God’s love has and continues to completely renew my life and I look forward to sharing that with you this year.
Andrew Harrex
Hi there, it is a huge privilege to be able to join the team at Studentsoul for 2010 as part of my training to become a minister in the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand. I have heaps to learn but it seems to me that God's deepest desire is for us to acknowledge the relationship he wants to have with us and I like to see people encouraged to explore, live and grow in that relationship. I love watching sport, riding a bike, seeing some of New Zealands outdoors and hanging out with my wife Christine and our four kids, Toby, Anna, Katie and Emily.
Students on the studentsoul ministry team for 2010 are Neill Ballantyne, Campbell Clark and Stephen Trebilco. Allister Laurent is our treasurer.
Allister Laurent
Hi I'm Al, a 4th year student at the University of Otago. I'm the studentsoul treasurer for the third year in 2010. It was a challenge to start with like anything new but is a lot easier now. This year is my fourth in Dunedin studying a Graduate Diploma endorsed in Accounting. Next year I hope to get a Chartered Accounting job somewhere and qualify in the short term. Then run my own organisations in the long term.
I'm passionate about our campus of 20,000 scarfies and seeing lives changed.
Studentsoul is a really awesome church to be a part of as it's made for uni students. It's interactive and café style with opportunities to get to know others. There are no churches like it in Dunedin. To start with you may think: 'Is this actually church?' I know I did to start with! We are in a new location this year which is going to be awesome. Studentsoul encourages you to use your gifts in all sorts of ways. Studentsoul has really helped grow my faith from a youth group one and challenged me immensely to stand up for what I believe in. I'm looking forward to seeing you this year.
Neill Ballantyne
Hey there, I am Neill Ballantyne and part of the studentsoul Otago ministry team.
I am a third year student at Otago University studying politics and theology. I grew up on a small farm just out of Oamaru and most recently schooled at Waitaki Boys High School. I especially enjoyed my High School years as I was able to participate in a wide range of extra-curricular activities which included many leadership opportunities. I have a passion for the outdoors which has been instilled in me through my time growing up on a farm and through involvement with Scouting New Zealand. It is when I am immersed in nature that God is most real to me and I hope to run some tramps and camps for studentsoul, in 2010. I have attended Weston Presbyterian Church virtually my whole life which has given me a firm spiritual foundation which I believe has been greatly built upon in 2008 and 2009 through fellowship at studentsoul and the "For Life" Christian Group at Studholme College.
I am also passionate about youth advocacy and am the Public Liason Officer of the Dunedin City Council Youth Action Committee. I also volunteer for the Global Poverty Project and am the Chairman of the Combined Christian Groups on campus. I believe that youth and young adults are capable of amazing feats and endeavours, and with the aid of God we are capable of doing great good on our campus. This is why I wanted to be on the studentsoul Ministry team in 2010. Feel free to get in touch by emailing balne450@student.otago.ac.nz or come see me at studentsoul on Sunday nights in the George Street School Hall.
Campbell Clark
Hi, I’m Campbell; I’m from Invercargill, and I’m a 3rd year PE student. I began going to studentsoul at the start of my first year at Uni and really enjoyed how the services differ from the more traditional style of church that I was used to. I found that the interactive, visual way of learning helped me to gain a greater understanding of what was being taught and really challenged me to think for myself. It has also been great to meet and make friends with so many new and exciting people.
My interests away from church include sports particularly cricket, tennis and badminton, as well as fishing, listening to music, watching movies, doodling and reading a good book.
I was really pleased to get offered the chance to be able to become part of the studentsoul ministry team and I am especially looking forward to growing and maturing more in my relationship with Jesus as well as being part of and helping studentsoul to continue to grow within the university community.
StephenTrebilco
Hello!
I’m Stephen and this is my first year on the ministry team at studentsoul. I have the privilege and challenge of coordinating the music team this year at studentsoul.
I am currently in my second year at Otago University, studying Economics and Political Studies. These subjects have always interested me and I greatly enjoy studying ‘the big picture’ of how the world works as well as looking at the smaller details within the ‘big picture’.
While this is my first year on the ministry team at studentsoul I have been aware of studentsoul since its inception because I have lived in Dunedin most of my life and attended Leith Valley Church which has a strong connection with studentsoul. I feel very connected to the people and goals of the church and really enjoy opportunities to be involved wherever I may be needed
Outside of church life I have always been active, playing sports such as football competitively and interested in playing almost any other sport!! Music has increasingly been part of my life as I am involved in organising Samstock, a music festival held annually. Aside from that I have a part time job teaching Maths at Number Works and also tutoring economics at the Student Learning Centre.
I am really looking forward to this year and am keen to make it a year to remember at studentsoul.