Prayer groups welcome students

Sunday, 22 February 2004 17:00

Donna Frake, staff writer February 23, 2004

Inside the walls of Oconomowoc High School, two small, student-led groups are praying for more members.

Literally.

A prayer group and a Bible study group meet, on separate days and times, on a weekly basis.

Every Wednesday morning, some 15 minutes before the start of the school day, a cluster of students meets to begin the day in a special way - with prayer.

The group has been in place at the school over the last decade and welcomes students of all faiths to kick off their day in worship.

On Monday afternoons, at the close of the academic day during the school´s activity period, a small band of students have begun a Bible study group that plans on incorporating a service component to the group.

OHS teacher Jackie Sargent lends her classroom for the students to use for the prayer group.

It´s been at least 10 years that we´ve been doing this, she said.

It´s nondenominational, and largely a word-of-mouth group. It meets from about 7:10 to 7:20 a.m. It´s not associated with any particular church. It´s just a safe, quiet place to pray, Sargent said.

The group began at the request of students.

Some kids asked me, they wanted a place to pray. It´s a welcome place for every student, she added.

Sargent said the group is small; about seven to 10 students attend on any particular week.

After a crisis, there are many more who attend. After Sept. 11, a lot of kids came to pray, she noted.

It´s a small, little group. It´s low-key, but dedicated, she said.

The teacher opens her classroom for their use, but that is the extent of her involvement.

By law, I cannot participate. I provide my room as a place for them to go, but I am not able to pray with them, she said.

For OHS sophomore Scott Pagel, who has participated in both groups, the experience is beneficial on many levels.

He discovered the existence of the groups after talking with a teacher, Steve Sladky.

I had talked to him about how I was a Christian and he told me about the Bible study class, Pagel said.

It was really cool. I got to meet new people and make new friends. They invited me to come to the prayer group, he said.

Pagel said that he derives strength from those groups, as well as a church youth group he belongs to.

They´re a huge encouragement to me in everything I do, he added.

For senior Kristyn Eske, the prayer group is something she looks forward to.

It´s an uplifting and energizing way to start the day. My whole life revolves around my faith. It´s nice to take that 10 minutes each week to pray for the other students and the teachers in the school, she said.

You go away with a smile on your face. It makes your day, Eske added.

The time together is short, but well used.

We get the desks together and do what we call ´popcorn prayer,´ about whatever is on our heart, she explained. The prayer intention is said aloud so that others can pray along.

Often a member of the group will prepare something for members to reflect upon.

Through the prayer group, Eske said, you see changes in lives. It makes an impact on people´s lives and they have a desire to know God more.

The high school has two other Christian clubs (FCA and Young Life), so you have that connection. It´s been our hope that more people will make that connection, she said.

Sargent said she sees a willingness among students to share their faith journeys.

I think kids are fairly open about their faith. I don´t think they are particularly intimidated about being known as a person of faith

Personally, I think faith is quite evident in a positive way on our campus. People are more accepting, the teacher noted.

The students are really pretty faithful about praying for the country, for the president. They also pray for their family, for friends, for school - things that are on their minds.

Sargent said that even after a decade of small numbers, she fears each year will be the last.

Knowing the schedule-filled lives that students lead, Sargent noted that many factors could contribute to the size of the group.

Every year I think its not going to go anymore and then a new crop of kids keep it going.

Kids in this school are such great kids. They deserve more credit than they get, she said.

Sladky said the Bible study group is in the process of working on a focus for its service project.

It´s a group of kids who want to help out. We´re hoping that more kids will find out about us and want to join in and serve with us, he said.

Right now we´re trying to get more kids involved, Sladky added.

Junior Leah Holst said she thinks there has been a renewed connection between students and faith-based organizations.

I´m seeing it more and more, especially after Sept. 11. We need something to be involved in and believe in and for many of us, that´s the Bible. It´s a search for truth, she offered.

Holst noted that the Bible study group often discusses a number of religious issues and noted that students of all faiths are welcome to attend.

Sladky agreed, noting that a student from Iran attended the Bible study and shared the tenets of her Bahai religion with the group.

That was an outreach for the kids to reach all different faiths, Sladky said.

That was really fun. She heard the core of what we believe and we really got to talk about what she believes in, Holst said.

The Bible study is a key part of Holst´s week.

It´s important because it helps me. It gives me an extra boost for the week and strengthens me to stand up for my faith and for what I believe in, she said.

© Copyright 2004 Oconomowoc Focus (Wisconsin, USA)
Original story: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm? newsid=11013735&BRD=1402& PAG=461&dept_id=173492&rfi=6

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