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MISHAWAKA—Thursday, Feb. 25, was recognized by Christian colleges across America as the Collegiate Day of Prayer, and Bethel’s Spiritual Life team hosted a variety of events encouraging students to participate. At 7 a.m., 2 p.m. and 9 p.m., students gathered in the Shiloh Prayer Chapel for times of prayer and worship.
Mattie Reese, a senior intercultural studies major and spiritual life intern, helped organize and prepare for the day’s activities.
“I’m really happy with what the Spiritual Life team has done, they put a lot of work into making today happen, and I’m really grateful for the team that we have,” Reese said. “There’s so many people involved, and without everybody’s help, it wouldn’t be possible.”
There were also prayer stations set up in the Taylor Memorial Chapel all day for members of the Bethel community to come and go as they were able. There were five specific stations for students to work through. The first station focused on personal reflection, the second on forgiveness and healing, the third on prayer for faculty and staff, the fourth on prayer for other college campuses and the fifth on prayer for the world.
“A lot of the stations have to do with personal reflection, some more than others,” Reese said. “I also think it’s really cool for people to be able to look outside of themselves for the other stations, praying for other college campuses and countries around the world.”
Reese said they had to modify the prayer stations slightly due to concerns about COVID-19, including removing the traditional communion station, requesting participants respect social distancing and providing hand sanitizer for everyone entering and exiting the building.
“For the most part, I was able to keep the stations pretty consistent with other years, which was really nice,” Reese said. “Not really too many changes, which was good.”
Sarah Tamalunas, a sophomore intercultural studies and Christian ministry double major, is also part of the Spiritual Life team.
“For me, it’s such a cool opportunity to be able to join with other students in praying for our country, our school, students and just everything in life,” Tamalunas said. “I know that just having that day, an intentional day to sit down and pray . . . it’s so much more impactful.”
Reese is grateful for the way the Collegiate Day of Prayer brought Bethel together.
“Collegiate Day of Prayer as a whole is really powerful in itself just because we get to come together as a community,” Reese said. “Praying aloud and praying together, just that sense of community, is really cool.”
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