Students give thanks

THANKS — A student participates in the Thanksgiving communion service Wednesday.

Gallery of Gratitude: students interact in Thanksgiving communion

Entering the Gallery of Gratitude, sounds of praise resounding in and around the building set the scene for Liberty University’s Thanksgiving communion service, Wednesday, Nov. 10. With artistic and creative exhibits scattered throughout the building, students reflected and prayed during the walk through communion.

Eight exhibits filled the first part of the evening with a time of contemplation. Each exhibit guided students to take time to pray and give thanks to God and to pause for a moment, remembering all that they have to be thankful for.

Exceeding the attendance of all previous years, the service reeled in 3,203 students, faculty and staff. This is the highest attendance Liberty has seen at the walk-through style communion service set up in the fall semester.

“I hoped to see a large attendance because it is a different service and this means to me that students are taking both the idea of Thanksgiving and opportunity to take communion seriously,” Discipleship Pastor Michael Miller said.

Exiting the exhibit forum, students continued on to the communion room where the tables set-up in the form of a cross displayed the elements of communion. As part of the walk-through experience, the entire service, including the act of communion, is set up to be interactive and taken in each individual’s own timing.

“It has always been my desire that our communion services engage the person and with this being the Thanksgiving season, it definitely calls for us to remember what God has been doing in our lives and reflect on what he’s been doing,” Dwayne Carson, senior campus pastor and vice president of spiritual development said.

With communion being such a personal time of prayer and thanks, the campus pastors desired to have something different with this service, allowing students to take something tangible away from the service.

Upon entering each person attending the service received a keychain to carry through the service. At each exhibit, action cards were offered to add to their key chains and take on Thanksgiving break as action challenges.

“I really enjoyed the interactive aspect to the service and that it was self-directed. This allowed more time of reflection,” senior Jacob Sleeth said. “I also enjoyed receiving the cards during the service to take and continue going through after the service.”

“It was an incredibly powerful time to slow down and reflect on what I can be thankful for, but more than that, it helped set me right with God during a time of craziness,” sophomore Marisa Barber said. “I was able to reflect on God’s glory and never-ending faithfulness when I needed it.”

Extending expert help to the service, the Visual Communications (VCAR) program offered much creative help to creating the exhibits. Professor of VCAR, Todd Smith even created a Jesus clay sculpture for the “I AM” display. Some of Smith’s students also provided their paintings for the various exhibits.

Expressing great thanks to those in military service, a live exhibit was displayed with the help of ROTC, acting as a highlight to the evening. At each hour of the night, military personnel changed guard and gave a salute to the flag.

“It was very moving to see students walk up to them as they were standing at parade rest or attention and ask to shake their hands or say thank you to them for what they were doing,” Miller said.

Ending the communion service, the atmosphere was a reflective one where students, faculty and staff took advantage of the personal time they were given during the service.

“Thanksgiving communion hopefully will help us to break a spirit of selfishness and display a spirit of sincere thanks and praise for God’s blessings,” Carson said.

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