Houston County Students Celebrate “See You at the Pole” at Local Schools
By Greg Ritchie
Messenger Reporter
HOUSTON COUNTY – Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 7 a.m. local time, students around the globe will celebrate “See You at the Pole.” (SYATP) Houston County students are no exception as they have organized prayer events near the flagpoles of local schools.
This year’s theme will be “Wholehearted,” based on Jeremiah 29:13 – “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
SYATP is a global movement of prayer which is student-initiated, student-organized and student-led. It revolves around students praying together on the fourth Wednesday in September – usually before school and usually at the school’s flag pole.
The movement was inspired by the initiative of students in one youth group in Burleson, Texas early in 1990. The teenagers felt led to go and pray at night at several area schools during a weekend youth group retreat. Their experience was shared with thousands of other youth from across Texas in the form of a challenge in June 1990 at a large conference. More than 45,000 students on 1,200 campuses in Texas and three other states were documented at the first SYATP in September of that year.
The event is scheduled on campuses, outside of normal school hours. The Supreme Court in 1990 affirmed this as a part of Constitutionally protected free speech. Most school administrations are happy to hold the event, although some will neither encourage or discourage attendance.
The event is more than just one day of prayer. Students are challenged to find creative ways, places and times to pray throughout the Global Week of Student Prayer—Sept. 24-30.
On Wednesday, Sept. 27, students are encouraged to gather at a school flagpole or other community location to pray. This means that, all around the world in every time zone, for 24 hours, students will be praying for their school, friends, families, churches and communities.
This is the 33nd year for “See You at the Pole,” bringing students together to intercede for their leaders, schools and families, asking God to bring moral and spiritual awakening to their campuses and countries.
The San Diego-based National Network of Youth Ministries coordinates SYATP. Doug Clark, national field director of the Network, noted, “See You at the Pole is a ‘moment.’ We hope adults and students will consider turning that moment into a movement by praying every day. This year, with the continued challenge of disruptions that have affected the US and every country, we need to ask God to pour out His Spirit on us more than ever. The heart of SYATP is extraordinary prayer.”
Students themselves plan the agenda and the message at each event. The students in Houston County will be praying for blessings on our nation, our area and on all of us.
Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]
