FORT WALTON BEACH — With the beat of a bongo, the strum of a guitar and the voices of more than three dozen people, See You at the Pole began Wednesday morning.
The global initiative to pray for the world, nation, state, county and prospective school is an annual tradition that students say is a means to bring everyone to their knees in prayer.
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“This is an example of how God has called us all to worship,” said Blythe Greene, a leader with Fort Walton Beach High School’s Christians in Action. “We come to the flag pole because we are praying for our nation specifically. Figuratively, this is a symbol of our freedom to worship.”
Students, faculty and area folks gathered just after 6 a.m. to sing, pray and hear scripture in front of the high school as part of the event. See You at the Pole began in 1991 and has since grown to include more than 20 other countries.
As students led in music, folks gathered around their pole closed their eyes with heads bowed while some lifted their heads to the sky and others lifted their hands.
“There’s no one like you. None like you,” the group sang out. “Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other.”
“This is a global effort to pray,” said Tyler Zern, president of Fort Walton Beach High School’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes. “We come here to pray for our school, county, nation in a sweet setting.”