This week, the library lobby was transformed into a place of prayer and reflection as many students gathered to participate in the Joint Prayer Movement. The movement consisted of student prayer on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 12 to 2 p.m. and a time of corporate worship on Thursday.

Wentiirim Annankra, a Barnabas in Bolt-Heyns-Timmer, said that God laid this movement on her heart about a month ago and she had to follow his leading.

“It’s not something I could have thought of on my own,” she said.

She brought the event to her Barnabas team, which was very supportive. From there, she brought it to co-associate chaplain for residence life Nate Bradford and the rest of campus ministries, who endorsed the event as well.

A Google Doc allowed students to sign up for a slot to pray. Each day of prayer “had a different focus,” according to Annankra. People prayed for things like Calvin, Grand Rapids, perseverance of students and spending time meditating on specific passages.

Drew Wazinick, a sophomore who signed up to pray, said that the students who prayed followed a sheet provided by Annankra.

“It was not as much people-to-people but praying for campus as a whole, corporately seeking his will to be done.”

A total of 21 students signed up on to pray. A number of students also stopped as they were passing by to be prayed for by the students who were in the lobby.

Annankra spent some time asking students in the lobby if they would like to be prayed for and received many warm responses.

“I would just go ask people, ‘Can we pray for you?’ and they would shout, ‘Yeah!’” she said.

Mercy Emmanuel, a sophomore who signed up to pray on Tuesday, thought it was helpful to have students pray with other students.

“It’s inviting, because some students might find it hard to pray alone,” Emmanuel said.

Waznick said this movement joins the many other people and organizations doing this work already.

“[We are] joining in what God is already doing … because God’s been doing things on this campus for so long,” he said.

First-year student Kayla McLean thinks prayer is important part of being a Christian:

“Prayer is acknowledging God’s presence — ‘I know that you’re here, I know that you’re alive.’”

Annankra originally felt called to organize the event because she wanted to put together the time of corporate worship, which took place after the days of prayer. Those days were designed to lead up to the Thursday worship event.

“The prayer was the appetizer for the main course,” Annankra said.

The night of corporate worship consisted of testimonies, worship and prayer.

One of the goals of this event, according to Annankra, was to help people follow God’s leading.

“Whatever God lays on your their heart, I hope people respond and not worry about how hard,” she said.

Another goal was outlined by McLean:

“We all can say we’re in the hope of expectation — expecting people to draw closer to him and each other. That’s our hope in Christ.”

Annankra was very thankful for the support of students, Pastor Mary and campus ministries and emphasized this movement was corporate.

“God bless Pastor Mary and campus ministries for support,” she said. “The focus was not on me, but on God and the community who supported it.”