ON • CAMPUS Chen doesn’t want students to come back to Columbia and say, “Why didn’t you tell me about Christianity?” Additionally, Chen recognizes the impact the Ivy League universities have upon the culture and desires to see the campuses return to their Christian founding. “There is this urgency you feel, believing that God has promises for these places,” said Chen. “I just think about the many thousands in the community at Columbia and imagine how we have a responsibility to them.” However, some in the community don’t see it that way. According to Byrd, while the Columbia administration granted permission for Sharing on the Steps, he has received feedback from the chaplain’s office that the student
government was not “excited” about the event. Mostly, Byrd said the concerns have to do with the testimonies being broadcasted through speakers. Passersby don’t have a choice about listening, he explained, “There’s no way to filter out the message.” But, he said, that won’t keep them from holding the event again next year. And that’s good news for Chen, who says it’s important to keep reminding people of God’s promises for Columbia, and not to let the past be forgotten. “When God’s Word goes out, when scripture goes out, you don’t know what kind of effect that can have on campus,” she said. By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer
AN EARLY MORNING PRAYER MOVEMENT Cornell Christians Unite to Seek God Each weekday from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m., at a time variety of Christian ministries such as Chinese Bible Study, when most college students are either getting the Korean Church at Cornell (www.kccem.org/outreach. CORNELL ready for class or still asleep, a group of widephp), Campus Crusade for Christ (www.cornellcru.com), eyed Cornell University freshmen gather to read Scripture and InterVarsity’s Grace Christian Fellowship (http://grace and pray. christianfellowship.blogspot.com). “It was an incredible feeling to wake up relatively early “Sometimes we read from a certain book in the Bible in the morning and join fellow brothers and sisters in comthat we have been going through such as Galatians, Titus, munion with God,” said Hye Soo Rho ’14, who started the and Ephesians, and then we share about which verses God prayer meetings. “It really began [this semester] with ‘CU at has spoken to us the most,” said Olivia Lee ’13. “Additionthe Quad,’ which united Christians all throughout the campus ally, we share prayer requests, have a brief time of worship, to pray for the school and the nation. I thought it would be and after, most of us eat breakfast together.” cool if I could gather the freshmen to do something similar on As more people attended the meetings, upperclassmen a more consistent basis.” also began to check it out. After much encourage“The first time I went was one ment from some upperclassof the most refreshing days of men and a conversation with my semester,” senior Joshua William Poon ’13 about his Lequieu. “Here were young experiences attending daily men and women from all sorts morning prayer meetings of ministries seeking God and throughout high school, Rho growing in the knowledge of set up a time and place for the Him. It was inspiring, really.” meetings. “The prayer meeting At first only a few students showed me that God is workattended the gatherings; but ing here at Cornell, and He is The “Eight at 8” morning prayer series was one of eventually between four and transforming lives and drawmany prayer events held at Cornell during the fall six students started to particiing people to Himself. I am semester. pate regularly, representing a quite grateful. Just going to
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The Ivy League Christian Observer