Southwestern community gathers to pray for the new academic year

Staff, students, and faculty gathered in the Rotunda of the B.H. Carroll Memorial Building Monday morning to fellowship and pray for the upcoming academic year. The normally quiet, grand space quickly turned into a loud congregation of warm smiles, excited words, handshakes, and hugs as members from all parts of campus life met or reunited beneath the iconic dome.

As everyone gathered in a great circle around the room, Dean of the School of Church Music and Worship Joseph Crider led the group in a hymn, dozens of voices echoing “I Sing the Mighty Power of God” throughout the halls of the building, before Southwestern Seminary President David Dockery called the congregation to bow their heads to pray.

One by one, voices raised around the room in praise and prayer for the year to come–prayers for the students, for the faculty, for the institution itself, and for those around the world it strives to engage. This proceeded for 20 minutes, before concluding with a group recitation of the Lord’s Prayer and a final singing of the Doxology.

Dockery was pleased with the turnout and the overall feeling of spiritual renewal at the first Rotunda Prayer preceding the new school year, saying, “For the past two years, the Southwestern community has dedicated itself to becoming a prayerful community. We recognize our deep dependence on the Lord for his enablement and provision and protection for our shared growth. So, we want to begin this new year in that same way: our hearts filled with Thanksgiving and rejoicing and recognition of the work of God’s Spirit in our midst.”

Director of Prayer Melana Monroe said she hopes the weekly prayer time will spread into a tapestry of prayer across campus.

“One of the things that I’m working on right now is a map of everywhere all across the campus where we have prayer going on regularly,” Monroe said. “So, kind of the fabric of prayer.”

Speaking on the first rotunda prayer specifically, Monroe said, “This is absolutely the bulwark, this is the fountainhead of it. Absolutely starting with this, but then it just flows into every building and every department.”

She added, “This is kind of becoming the prayer altar. It brings our heritage and our future together.”

Once the semester starts August 19, prayer will be held every Monday in the B.H. Carroll Memorial Building Rotunda at 11:30 a.m. and is open for all students, staff, and faculty to attend. The Southwestern community is also invited to pray together at the MacGorman Chapel at 10:40 a.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, prior to chapel services starting August 27.