September 29, 2022
East Texas Baptist University students, faculty, and staff gathered on Wednesday, September 28, for the annual See You at the Pole event, a global day of student-led prayer. The tradition that started in 1990 at a high school in Burleson, Texas, has since grown to see upwards of three million students in the United States and over 20 countries gather to pray at their school’s flagpole.
“See You at the Pole is a time where students can just gather and simply pray and thank the Lord for all He has done,” junior nursing major Abby Powell said. “It’s a great experience, and I am really grateful that I got to take part in leading and seeing how the students are so grateful for what the Lord is doing. It’s a great way to see community among the students and see how much they love the Lord. I hope students continue bringing this morning of worship into their day, week, and year.”
Each year, the Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) coordinates the event. This year, the BSM focused on four prayer movements, including the adoration of God, confessing sin to God, being thankful to God, and offering prayers of supplication to God. They encouraged students to come together and pray for the needs of themselves and others.
“Each year’s See You at the Pole is special because of the students that lead and how they seek to host the event,” ETBU BSM Director David Griffin said. “This year, the music was led by Julianna Silguero, and the prayer movements were led by Anna Clark, Joseph Maique, Abby Powell, and Jessye Skarda.”
ETBU has participated in See You at the Pole for over a decade, and has consistently seen an enthusiastic student response. In addition to the yearly event, ETBU students are regularly encouraged to seek God’s truths and strengthen their faith by attending weekly chapel services, joining prayer groups, or getting involved with BSM-hosted events such as retreats and prayer conferences.
“See You at the Pole is an awesome opportunity for students to gather and pray for their fellow students and pray for the school year,” Junior Mollie Dittmar said. “I came with my roommate, so just being able to stand with her and pray for each other’s needs was really impactful.”