On Sat. Sept. 21, Vespers sponsored Mountain Worship on top of the Beauty Spot in Erwin. Nearly 50 students gathered to worship Jesus together through songs and scripture.
Those who ventured to the mountain gathered in the parking lot outside of the Student Union Building to carpool in a Milligan van or ride with fellow students. After a 30 minute drive up to the Beauty Spot, students began the short trek up to the mountain top where a campfire and s’mores ingredients awaited.
Upon arrival, students were encouraged to take pictures in front of the view that earned the mountain top’s name: “Beauty Spot.” While the worship team set up, those individuals who wanted to were invited to make s’mores and socialize.
Senior Colby Mckeen opened the service with prayer and a devotional. “We are here to sing songs for God, about God,” Mckeen said, “Forget everything about Milligan, everything about school or whatever else is going on.”
Worship was led by seniors on the Vespers team. These students include: Maggie Cook, Cora Wymer, A.J. Trabold, Teve Mushayamunda, and Michael Anakwe. All of the worship was done acoustically. The songs included were: “This is Amazing Grace”, “Who You Say I Am”, “Ten Thousand Reasons”, “King of My Heart”, “Build My Life”, “O Come to the Altar” and “Nothing I Hold Onto”.
In between worship songs, members of Vespers came to the front and shared verses from Psalm 33, 46 and 63.
Although “Go Tell it on the Mountain” was not originally a part of the worship set, students ended up singing it following the ending of “Nothing I Hold Onto”. The worship service started at 6:45 and lasted until just before sunset.
Rachel Dyer, a sophomore education major, has gone to mountain worship for the past two years. “I had a good experience both times during the worship session,” Dyer said. “It is an amazing opportunity to admire God’s creation and worship Him with your peers.”
Following the conclusion of the worship service some announcements were made about the upcoming Vespers events such as the on campus prayer walk taking place on Sept. 27. After a final prayer that concluded with the classic “Go in peace,” students loaded back into the vans and cars and made the journey back home to Milligan.