By Grace Bolton, Staff Writer
A chilly February evening at Moody Bible Institute revealed a side of Chicago not often seen. Amid the voices of churches from every corner of the city, a group of Wheaton College students stood with believers of all generations in a simple act of prayer, offering a powerful picture of solidarity.
On Sunday, Feb. 1, from 5 to 7 p.m., Wheaton College’s Engage Chicago club attended the Chicagoland United in Prayer event. The event, hosted at the Torrey-Gray Auditorium of Moody Bible Institute, aimed to join churches and leaders together in prayer for the city.
Hosted in partnership with Together Chicago and Chicagoland United in Prayer, the winter gathering included more than 120 churches, leaders and organizations, representing 58 neighborhoods across Chicago — from Evanston to Englewood.
Engage Chicago, a campus ministry founded in 2024, connects students with the city through volunteer partnerships, educational excursions and prayer gatherings, encouraging them to explore, learn and serve beyond the Loop.
Junior biochemistry and molecular biology major Katelin Siegrist serves as the director of Engage Chicago. She plays a key role in coordinating experiential “go-and-see” events to connect Wheaton students to different parts of Chicago in a more meaningful way.
Siegrist said the event is focused on bridging divisions among local churches across the city and fostering a sense of mutual faith and unity.
“Chicago is one of the most racially and economically segregated cities in the United States,” Siegrist said. “Chicago United in Prayer brought together Christians from different parts of the city and different political standpoints to be unified as the church.”
Siegrist expressed that this year’s prayer event theme, “Nevertheless, We Pray,” was timely as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) efforts continue to affect families across Chicago.
“We must pray for those in our community who are being unjustly taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, coming alongside the fears and the suffering of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ,” Siegrist said.
Engage Chicago demonstrates its commitment to prayer for the city through weekly prayer meetings on Thursdays during the fall semester. These sessions respond to growing concerns surrounding immigration and violence across Chicago.
The cross-denominational prayer event was the culmination of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting (Jan. 12–Feb. 1) in which churches across the city and suburbs committed to daily prayer and fasting for the City of Chicago. The initiative, led by Chicagoland United in Prayer, concluded with the citywide gathering on Feb. 1.
Noah Loomis, a sophomore Christian formation and ministry and economics major, is Engage Chicago’s By The Hand coordinator. By The Hand Club for Kids is a Chicago nonprofit providing after-school programs, academic support and mentorship for children in under-resourced neighborhoods.
Loomis emphasized the importance of Christians to look beyond political divisions and instead come together in prayer and action.
“I think too often as Christians we’re afraid to engage in prayer gatherings we might think have political undertones when in reality the Bible calls us to love our neighbour,” he said. “The united prayer gathering was one small way to fulfill that.”
Chicago Worship Collective and a multi-church choir from across the city led the worship during the prayer event.
The Vineyard Church of Hyde Park, a multi-ethnic and multi-generational church located on the South Side of Chicago, was actively involved in the Chicagoland United Prayer Event.
Aimee Tucker, community life and mission pastor at The Vineyard Church of Hyde Park, helped coordinate prayer at the event. She shared a devotional message from the book of Nehemiah, encouraging listeners to emphasize courage, unity, and faith in the face of opposition. Her church served as one of the representatives from the Hyde Park community.
Tucker described the event as a collective time of prayer focused on the city, guided by Scripture and centered on shared action.
“As we gather together in Jesus’ name for God’s kingdom to come to Chicago as it is in heaven, God meets us in our unified voice lifted to him,” Tucker said. “We prayed together around the themes of confession, consecration, collaboration and commitment, guided by the story of Nehemiah.”
Tucker emphasized the Christian responsibility to show compassion to their community, including caring for those affected by increased immigration enforcement.
“Following a year that has been challenging for many of our friends and neighbors with increased immigration enforcement activity in Chicago,” Tucker said. “We want to be at the forefront of those who are seeking to love our neighbors well and seek the peace of our city.”
Hannah Bridges, a sophomore Christian formation and ministry major and participant in the spring 2026 Wheaton in Chicago cohort, interns at The Vineyard Church of Hyde Park this semester. As an intern, Bridges serves the Hyde Park residents by helping with the food pantry, supporting children and youth programs and assisting with community outreach events.
Bridges stated that the United Prayer Event served as a tangible expression of faith lived out in a community. “We can experience God’s kingdom here and now in many ways, one of which is the unity of God’s people,” Bridges said.
In a city defined by division, Bridges shared that the gathering embodied a hopeful vision for a future of reconciliation amid Chicago’s long-standing neighborhood divisions.
“In the midst of what is commonly described as a ‘city of neighborhoods’ that has marked Chicago’s history, this was a beautiful opportunity for unity,” Bridges said.
