Pastor's Corner: See You at the Pole 2019

Wednesday, Sept 25, 2019, at 7:30 a.m., students gathered at the flagpoles of Havre High School and Havre Middle School to enjoy pancakes, donuts and orange juice and spend some time praying for their schools.

I had the privilege of bringing the donuts and orange juice for the Havre Middle School gathering. I arrived at 7:30 a.m. and one student was at the flagpole. I went into the school office to make sure our presence was known and welcomed by the school administration. When I came back out, at least 20 students were gathered at the flagpole. We handed out dozens of donuts and lots of cups of orange juice. Shortly after that, one of the students said, “It’s time to pray at our flagpole.” The students made a circle around their flagpole and two students led them, out loud, in prayer. The students’ prayers focused on three areas: 1) safety and protection for their school from violence; 2) healing for those afflicted with a wave of sickness sweeping the school; and 3) joy and peace to replace depression and anxiety in the lives of the students, staff and administration.

After their prayer time, I made the statement to them that, because off their prayers for their school, that I believe that God will protect their school from violence and release the requested healing upon those that are sick and suffering. I praise God for praying students that have a passionate desire to see God do something great on the campus of their schools and in the lives of their friends!

I was absolutely impressed by the passion, attitudes, and prayers of these students – and the sheer number of them! To put things in perspective, I have been bringing donuts and orange juice to this event since 2009, when our youngest son, Matthew Curtis — now 24 years old — was in the eighth grade there. We had about the same number of students that year as this year, but in the years since, we have only had a few. Last year, 2018, only one student showed up, a young lady. She was a bit shy about it, but she prayed for her school and her friends, and we ate donuts and drank orange juice together.

Perhaps you are wondering what “See You at the Pole” is and how it got started, etc. Here are some quotes from the “See You at the Pole” — SYATP— website:

What is the theme of this year’s See You at the Pole?

The theme of SYATP this year is “If My People Pray…” This is a phrase taken from the scripture 2 CHRONICLES 7:14, which states: 2 Chronicles 7:14 New International Version — 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

What is See You at the Pole?

“See You at the Pole™ is a global movement of prayer which is student-initiated, student-organized, and student-led. It revolves around students praying together on the fourth Wednesday in September, usually before school and usually at the school’s flag pole. It involves student in elementary schools, middle/junior high schools, high schools, and colleges/universities across the globe. Adults often pray in support of the students on campus by gathering nearby, at their places of work or worship, or at city halls.

Why meet at the flagpole in front of the school?

“In 1990 when youth ministers in Texas first challenged young people to meet on a common day to launch their school year in prayer, one of the concerns what how to help those who wanted to pray together find each other. It was noted that virtually every school has a flagpole, and the flagpole provided an easy-to-identify place to gather. Also, one issue that the teenagers were praying about was the spiritual health of their country and their leaders, in obedience to 1 Timothy 2:1–2. Hence, the location and name of the event!” 1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NIV) — “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people —  for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”

How did See You at the Pole start?

“See You at the Pole was inspired by the initiative of students in one youth group in Burleson, Texas, early in 1990. The teenagers felt led to go and pray at night at several area schools during a weekend youth group retreat. They had a profound time of prayer, and their experience was shared with thousands of other youth from across Texas in the form of a challenge in June 1990 at a large conference. More than 45,000 students on 1,200 campuses in Texas and three other states were documented at the first See You at the Pole in September of that year. The movement continued to grow nationally and internationally from 1991 on.”

What do we do at See You at the Pole?

“In keeping with the student-led nature of See You at the Pole, it is important for students to prayerfully plan how they will use the time during their See You at the Pole gathering. In fact, the event itself was born in a time of prayer by one youth group that dared to follow God’s leading to pray for their schools.

“Many gatherings have included student-led worship, Bible reading, prayer in large and small groups, and even a message by a student leader. Most have placed a high value on participation by those attending. Some have decided that 7 a.m. on the fourth Wednesday in September did not work best for them — Australian youth meet in May, which is the beginning of their fall term, and others choose a more convenient time, according to what works best for them.”

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The Rev. Edroy “Curt” Curtis, president of the Greater Havre Area Ministerial Association and lead pastor of Havre Assembly of God Church, with quotes from the SYATP website and the Bible.