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See You At the Pole Rally

By LORETTA FULTON Senior Staff Writer

Post-rally celebrations will keep the spirit moving into the night Wednesday as students observe the annual "See You At The Pole" prayer vigil.

The 45-minute vigil begins at 7 a.m. around the flagpole at every middle school and high school campus in Abilene and area schools, said Keith Bevill, coordinator.

At 7 p.m. "I Saw You At the Pole" rallies will be held at Radford Auditorium on the McMurry University campus and at Crossroads Community Church, 221 Oak, near the courthouse. Purpose of the evening rallies is for students who took part in the prayer vigil to share their experiences.

On Wednesday morning local students will join others across the country and in some foreign countries in a prayer service.

"Teens will be praying for their campus and the kids on the campus," Bevill said.

he event started in 1990 as a Baptist function but has spread to youths of all denominations.

In fact, that's one of the benefits of it, Bevill said.

"It's a unifying of Christians outside the circles of their own groups," he said.

Last year 1,800 students took part in the observance locally. The vigil is student-led and mainly involves praying, although some observances include music.

"It's all going to be pretty simple," Bevill said.

Bevill will be at Christian radio station KGNZ, 88.1 FM, all morning to take phone calls from each campus reporting on the number of participants.

In addition to the evening rallies, revival services will be going on at Hardin-Simmons University and students are invited to participate. Between 200 and 250 HSU students are expected to take part, said Palmer McCown, director of the Baptist Student Ministry.

The evening rally at McMurry will be led by Jon Randles, speaker, and Jeff Berry, music. Berry also leads the music for the popular college program, Grace Ministries.

The event at McMurry is sponsored by Wylie area youth and churches and the Big Country Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Refreshments will be available in addition to the praise and worship type service.

Middle school and high school students are invited to come to the Crossroads church, said David Haynes, youth minister.

"They can tell about what they did and what they prayed about," Haynes said.

The rally at the church will include worship, testimony and music. Also refreshments will be served.