Students filled Armerding Hall on Friday, Dec. 8 for “With,” the second prayer vigil of the school year, which focused on prayer alongside others in the room and the global church. In a change from last year’s all-night structure, the event began at 8 p.m. and ended at midnight. This semester the vigils also included a wider variety of worship elements than in past events. The nine student chaplains, who organize the vigils along with other chaplain’s office events, said the change was an attempt to reflect the range of worship traditions on campus.
Amber Simic, a senior Christian formation and ministry major and the student chaplain of prayer, said that this year’s student chaplains want to incorporate more forms of prayer and worship into their events.
“We have a campus that is so diverse in the ways that they enjoy praying and worshiping, and we’re trying to get more breadth in that aspect,” said Simic. “The hope is that, at some point, most people would encounter a form of prayer or worship that is particularly engaging to them.”
For the Oct. 6 vigil, the Chaplain’s Office hosted a string quartet, incorporated spoken word poetry, and included liturgy. All of these elements were new to prayer vigils.
“With” traces its roots to the prayer vigils implemented during the 2022 spring semester by former student chaplain of prayer J.Y. Yoon ’22. At the time, Yoon told the Record that he hoped the prayer vigils would produce lasting effects on campus, long after he was gone.
“You can get good speakers to come and speak at these events and make everyone cry, but that’s not the main goal,” he said. “We’re looking for a true proclamation of the Word that will set a holy conviction on the hearts of the people that come, and that’s something that can’t be extinguished easily.”
Last year’s student chaplain of worship, J.T. Reeves ’23, continued the vigils, holding one per quad. The current chaplains said they hope to maintain a flexible structure as they move forward with more vigils. Last year, the events lasted from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., while the two vigils of this semester were shortened to a four-hour time frame between 8 p.m. to midnight. Simic said she feels confident about this change.
“Four hours feels a little less intimidating and more invitational to people who have never experienced that space before,” she said.
Simic also noted that many students have other time commitments and activities, and she doesn’t want anyone to feel pressure to come to the vigils.
“Pressure is not from the Lord,” said Simic. “This is such a visible ministry, but there are so many invisible ministries.”
Simic said she knows there are people on campus who are actively serving in other ways, like ministering to a friend in a dorm room or going to a class worship night, and that each of these events are worthy of people’s time.
David Jorgensen, senior philosophy major and student chaplain of Scripture engagement, said that having nights like “With” is important for Wheaton’s campus.
“Some people will see these prayer vigils and never go to them, but they are aware that it’s going on on campus — and that’s good,” said Jorgensen.
Annika Reed, a senior Christian formation and ministry major who has attended several of the events, said the vigils provide a space to reorient the Wheaton College community to a posture of relying on God.
“Personally, while I have never had what some might call a ‘spiritual high’ through a prayer vigil event, it does not lessen their importance in my life,” she said. “The variety of options for worship give attendees the chance to spend time with the Lord in the way they need it most.”
Future vigils will be taking place on Feb. 16 and April 19. Jorgensen said he encourages people to attend, even if they cannot stay for the entire event.
“I would love for people to just try one,” he said. “Just stop in for a half hour and see what’s happening.”
Simic said that the hope is for the event to be a safe space.
“We don’t want to talk at anyone or challenge them without giving them the practical support they need to meet that challenge,” she said. “This is a space that is dedicated for you to just be with the Lord.”
