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| For five years, students have shared in singing hymns on Sunday evenings at student-organized Stadium Singing. |
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In the fall of 2000, just 50 people gathered under the stadium seats to sing the songs of Zion together.
Now, only five years later, it has become so popular that not everybody who comes can fit under the stands.
It began when four Ricks College students wanted to share their love for the hymns with others.
They invited about 50 people to the first meeting and it increased from there.
Kari Thomas, a senior from Rockland, Idaho, said she feels good about her experience.
“You’re singing songs of praise with a lot of other people and it’s like you are praying together,” she said. “It’s just a great way to end the Sabbath day. It’s neat to share that with others.”
Stadium singing starts with an opening prayer every Sunday at 10 p.m.
Students sing for half an hour then close with a prayer.
There is a hymn request list, so if you have a favorite hymn, you can write it down and everyone will sing it the next Sunday.
“The main purpose of stadium singing is to provide an activity that will help people observe the Sabbath, feel the spirit, which music seems to communicate so very well, and to help bring the students together as we sing as one,” said David King, director of stadium singing.
“And I would also suggest that it helps keep some couples from being alone in cars or apartments during those cold Rexburg nights,” he said.
For some people it brings back memories of other spiritual experiences they have had.
“I like stadium singing because it makes Sunday end in the best way ever. I like to sing hymns with a big group of people,” said Ashley Munns, a junior from Menan, Idaho.
“I love the spirit there. It makes me feel like I am on my mission again because there was a lot of times that we would go singing to the people and they enjoyed it a lot,” said Munns.
Students from all over the world gather together and sing hymns with one voice. It gives them an opportunity to share in the spirit of music.
