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Twenty-Plus Years of Early Morning Prayer
By Jadell M. Forman (Class of 1990)
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It's Thursday morning, almost 6:30 - time for Faculty Early Morning Prayer.
The first few to arrive inside the Fireside Room arrange a dozen chairs--upholstered in bright red fabric--in a circle. Intermittently, more faculty and staff stroll through the quiet morning and into this makeshift sanctuary. Sounds of clanging pots and pans can be heard in the cafeteria above. The air smells like doughnuts.
Earth science professor Dr. Nate Meleen, after setting up the sheet music, starts strumming his ukulele and humming hymns. This is practice, he says. Eventually, those who have nodded greetings and seated themselves within the circle start singing the words. This is worship.
The prayer time starts with a cue from that week's leader, either biology professor Dr. John Korstad or someone he's asked to lead. "I'm not in charge," he regularly clarifies. "The Holy Spirit is in charge."
Likewise, he consistently deflects credit for the start of this prayer meeting. "It wasn't my idea. The Lord gave me the idea."
Twenty-one years ago, Korstad encouraged and connected a group of ORU faculty and staff to start praying for the university. They're still praying. Through the years, attendance has fluctuated in number and membership. Approximately ten people--mostly faculty and a few staff--show up these days. And others are always welcome.
Early on Meleen offered to lead worship. Typically, the group follows the Lord's Prayer in various formats. Sometimes the leader cues the group by praying each line, elaborating, and then allowing for elaborations from others present. Another common format: the leader asks for volunteers to take each section. One taking "Our Father who art in heaven...," another taking "Thy kingdom come...," and so on.
Each person represents a unique perspective. Humanities professor Dr. Gary Pranger often prays for China, reminding the group of the worldwide church. He and theology professor Dr. Trevor Grizzle prayerfully mention scores of alumni by name, many of whom serve faithfully in remote locations such as Nigeria, Burma, and Venezuela. Carol Lyons, who works in Campus Security, prays with an informed view of "trespassing." Dr. Mark Roberts, director of the Holy Spirit Research Center, weaves his eclectic, vast perspective into the prayers.
About his decision to regularly attend, Roberts says, "It's the best thing I did when I came here in '99. Professor Gerry Landers invited me and introduced me to...great people I may not have met otherwise for months." Pranger and Meleen see a correlation between several blessings within their lives over the past years and the Lord's response to the faithful prayers of the group.
Dr. Dominic Halsmer, chair of the engineering, physics, and physical science department, awakens early and attends for fundamental reasons. "It's definitely [for] the all-you-can-eat breakfast"--a $2.25, post-prayer chance to break bread (or in Halsmer's case, French toast) in the cafeteria.
"Actually, that helps," confesses this fifteen-year attendee. "But the main reason is that I believe--based on rational evidence--that the prayers of the righteous, made that way by Jesus' sacrifice, are powerful and effective. And if I don't schedule in regular times of prayer, I tend to neglect that essential spiritual discipline."
Korstad emphasizes, "We especially see this as a time to lift up corporate prayers for ORU students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, and partners." And like him, participants deeply appreciate this ongoing opportunity--now in its third decade--to commune with God and each other through prayer.
