Building by Building + Prayer by Prayer
One week before she led a prayer walk at Washington & Jefferson College, CCO campus staff member Celeste Carl took a prayer walk of her own. As she circled the campus, she asked:
“God, where do you want us to go and how do you want us to pray?”
And the answers were oddly specific—so Celeste took notes.
Then she made a map and a list, and a week later, more than 30 members of five different Washington church congregations showed up on campus to walk and pray. For two hours, they followed the route on the map. In small groups, they prayed these specific requests—
Over residence halls, that they would be places of:
- safety
- good, challenging conversations that are filled with love, not condemnation
- breaking down fears, anxiety, and depression
Over fraternities and sororities, that they would be places of:
- true Godly brotherhood and sisterhood
- community, safety, and being seen, instead of places known for rape, drunkenness, hazing, and gossip
- inclusion instead of exclusion
Over academic buildings, that they would be places of:
- God being known
- academic faithfulness
- the willingness for students to ask God, “How does this relate to the Bible?”
Over the Student Health & Counseling Center, that it would be a place where:
- every student who needs counseling will receive it without waiting for long periods of time
- God will be known as the ultimate healer
The group also prayed over places like the library and the cafeteria, over public safety and the admissions office.
At the end of the walk, they gathered around Celeste and Grant, a Christian student leader.
And together, the group prayed over them.
Photography by Joe Shannon @realjoeshannon
This fall, our staff are reaching out to Generation Z: a generation like none other. Gen Z describes those born between 1997 and 2012. The traditional first-year college student was born in 2004, right in the middle of this range.
These newest college students experienced at least two years of high school interrupted by the pandemic.
Right now, CCO staff are meeting these students where they are—in residence halls, libraries, academic buildings, and cafeterias. These can be places of pain and confusion, or they can be spaces of healing and truth.
We are asking God to flood these places—building by building, prayer by prayer—with the life and hope-bringing presence of Jesus.
Will you join us?