OU’s International Christian Fellowship gathered in Baker Theatre for its first Praise and Worship Night.
The International Christian Fellowship, a non-denominational Christian student organization, transformed Baker Center Theatre into a place of dancing and worshiping for more than four hours Friday.
The "Praise and Worship" event was the first of its kind and assembled for more than four hours. The students typically meet weekly for church services that unite a mixture of Christian-based faiths under one roof for the purpose of worship.
The organization was created to give students with different denominations of Christianity, including international Christians, the chance to pray. Consisting mostly of students from Ghana, the group was formally known as the Pentecost International Worship Center.
The congregation featured not only prayer, but also included a student-led choir as well as several special guest artists that kept the theater full of dancers all night.
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Steven Hanson-Hackman began the evening with “Hallelujah,” delivering the start of a 15-minute long prayer. Because of Hanson-Hackman's build up of enthusiasm, more attendees participated throughout the prayer. A keyboardist accompanied the prayer, setting the tone for the next about four hours of music.
Next came the International Christian Fellowship’s own student choir. Lyrics to the songs were projected for the participants to read and sing along. The group urged worshippers to dance, sing and jump as they sang African gospel songs, such as the traditional South African “Busa Jeso Busa.” Classic American songs created an inclusive, multi-lingual program.
Helena Yeboah, the assistant music director for the International Christian Fellowship’s choir, lent a hand in choosing and teaching songs to the members at the event.
Yeboah said she considers her spirituality to be a crucial part of her life and credits the organization in helping her get closer to God.
“I have learned so much from everybody,” Yeboah, a first-year graduate student from Ghana studying international development, said.
Guest artist Samorra Sasha performed “Amazing Grace” on the flute after bringing attention to the migrant crisis in Europe and the unrest in Syria. She called each worshipper to reflect upon the tragedy of lives lost as she performed.
Isaac Quaye, a gospel singer from Ghana, and his accompanying choir were also invited. Quaye not only performs, but ministers through song and teaching. He travelled from his current home in Cincinnati to be a guest at the worship, making this event part of his “Back to Worship” tour. On this tour Quaye has been visiting college campuses in order to “reach out to young people.” His goal was to “present Christ as the best hope” for all.
Ophelia Adjei-Awuah, a senior from Ghana, is not a full-time member, but found her way to the event because a couple of her friends are a part of the organization.
“From where we come from, we are a highly spiritual country, and wherever we go we carry that along,” she said. “(Despite) the pressures and everything we face on campus, we still find time to have some of these programs.”
Adjei-Awuah said the meetings and church services were able to help her deal with the stresses presented at OU as well as in her general spiritual goals.
Grace Annor, the president of the International Christian Fellowship, said the organization’s mission is “to spread gospel to all and to give the opportunity to worship no matter where you come from.”
The group meets weekly in Walter Hall Room 145 for prayer meetings, on Saturdays from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and hold church service Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
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