“What a great way to start the day,” said Kristin McCarthy of the Weber State University InterVarsity staff of Wednesday morning’s non-denominational prayer rally, “See You at the Pole.”
“See You at the Pole” is a national grass-roots student movement that began in the 1990s, with the purpose of bringing Christians and non-Christians from a variety of faith backgrounds together in prayer and worship. The organization prides itself on its student-initiated, student-organized and student-led programs. Done in unison, students across the country typically pray for their campuses and for the nation as a whole. While not necessarily done on the same day, schools and universities in Australia and Canada have recently adopted the “See You at the Pole” movement as well.
Students gathered Wednesday morning around the flagpole by the pond on the south side of the Miller Administration Building. McCarthy said these students were “students from all walks of life, different backgrounds and interests (who came) together with one common purpose — to bring glory and praise to God.”
Keilah Quimby, one of the student organizers of the WSU “See You at the Pole” rally, said she was first moved by the movement two years ago when she attended a rally at the Davis campus. The purpose of the movement, Quimby said, is to bring fellowship and prayer to the campus.
“Fellowship is involved, but the whole reason we’re doing this is to pray for the campus, and that God would work in it,” Quimby said. “We gather as a group on this specific day, not as a political movement or a rally, but to come into the presence of God and simply to pray.”
While other schools and universities across the country can have large numbers of students gathered, the gathering at WSU was small. At times, only six students were gathered. At most, there were about 15 students praying together.
“In Matthew 18:20 it says that ‘for where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am also,’” Quimby said.
Jared Moss, WSU student and leader of the “See You at the Pole” rally, said a “spiritual atmosphere can help with the learning environment.” Moss led the group with worship songs on his acoustic guitar, while another student played a bongo drum and others sang.
Moss said he feels that putting “God first to bring us together in unity” can do great things for the university.
Many of the students who gathered are members of WSU’s InterVarsity chapter, a nondenominational Christian fellowship group that has dedicated itself to bringing together students of Christian faith and those from other faith backgrounds as well as those without one. McCarthy said there were “students from various (academic) departments: music, history, science, and even members of the Weber State University Student Association Senate. All of them getting together early in the morning to pray.”
WSUSA’s Senator for Social and Behavioral Sciences Shalie Barber was one of the students in attendance. Barber said, “Even with all the stressors of school, work and life, we can always count on Intervarsity to be there for us, and anyone that’s searching for community.”
McCarthy said, “That’s why I love IV and the community that it’s building … IV has seen amazing growth in the four years that I have been on staff at Weber. If you ever find yourself bored on a Thursday night, come check us out at 8:00 p.m. in the Wildcat Theater. We have a great time.”
The gathering ended roughly around 9:15 a.m. on Wednesday morning, as the students that gathered went on their separate ways to class and work. Barber left feeling that it was the best way to start her day, and said “praying for my campus opened my eyes to what God is doing here at Weber State.”
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