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Feature: Mercy Seat and Koinonia

By Rebecca Dailey ('25)

Both Mercy Seat and Koinonia (Koin) are just two of several ways students can participate in worship on Houghton University’s campus, with each bringing its own unique forms of fellowship. Mercy Seat first began in 2001 and Koin was originally called Celebration in 1978, until it was renamed Koinonia in September of 1999. 

Mercy Seat is flexible but is held on Mondays through Thursdays at 8 p.m. and on Fridays at 7 p.m. in the Wesley Chapel basement. Different teams form the Mercy Seat gatherings, with some participating in worship music and others using the time for silence and prayer.   

Susannah Denham (‘26), who is on the Mercy Seat Cabinet states, “It’s really a great chance to worship and pray with friends or with people that you don’t know too.”

Mercy Seat worship is open to all students who wish to take part. Teams are also always looking to fill open spots.

“Mercy Seat,” Isabella Matton (‘24), the Mercy Seat president, says, “is a club for students to lead their own worship to serve fellow students. It’s leadership based and gives the opportunity for students to serve Houghton and build character.”

Mercy Seat holds many events throughout the semester, such as caroling in the local area during Christmas, hymnal night and The Cry during finals. 

Matton also explains, “We are working on an event with International student Alliance (ISA) as a multicultural night with songs from different cultures.” 

Koinonia is Greek for fellowship among believers, and occurs on Sundays at 7 p.m. as a worship concert including both music and prayer. Four teams rotate throughout the semester and often partner with the Houghton Wesleyan Church for events such as Sunday services. 

Kayleigh Verspoor (‘24), one of the student directors of Koin and a music leader for her team, explains, “Some sit, some dance, some sing but they all come seeking the same thing, the atmosphere of worship.” 

Each week of Koin has a theme for music and the devotion, which are rehearsed throughout the week.

A music team leader, Matthew Arndt (‘25) says, “We try to create an atmosphere of worship, share our musical abilities and bring people closer to God. We do the best we can to serve students through fellowship and reaching out with prayer baskets and prayer leaders.” 

Dr. Sharon Johnson has been the faculty advisor for Koin since the Spring of 2021. She is uniquely positioned as both a member of the Houghton Wesleyan Church and a faculty member at Houghton.

“I’m there as a resource and encouragement for them,” Dr. Johnson explains. “I might give them ideas about music but, they really rehearse on their own and choose the passage of scripture and devotions. Part of supervising is letting them make their own decisions.”

In the spring, Dr. Johnson sits in on interviews for the team leaders, co-directors and the band interviews and auditions. She meets with the Koin members  before the service to talk about their weeks with the music team for that night and the sound team and prays with them.

“I see it as worshiping God,” Jackson Collins (‘27), a band member of a team states, “I don’t see it as a performance but a way of worshiping with the audience and exalting God. Worship starts early in the day and goes on throughout the week as we receive the spirit and go out serving God.” ★

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Opinions

Volleyball: The Sport For Life

Lindsay Seddon

I remember my first day of modified volleyball practice when I was in 7th grade. My mom, who played volleyball in high school and here at Houghton, encouraged me to give it a try. I remember the majority of my friends heading to the soccer field while I headed to the outdoor makeshift volleyball court since the girl’s varsity team had priority for gym time. I remember in those first few days of practice finding the sport really hard, but I wanted to keep trying since it captured my interest. I couldn’t get my serve over the net, passing and setting to target was nonexistent, and a “kill” wasn’t even in my vocabulary at that point. However, volleyball was different from other sports I played throughout my life, and it was the beginning of what became (and still is) a huge part of who I am. 

You see, volleyball is so positionally technical, yet each member of the team has a very important role in the sequence of the game. You can’t get a swing without a set, and you can’t get a set without a pass. Everyone needs to work together to make an organized play happen. Culturally, it’s always been a very polite sport since it’s non-contact, yet the power and aggressiveness especially when going up for a swing or serve can be brutal. When you break it down, volleyball is all about being organized as a team, dominating your position, and keeping the ball in play on your side at all times. I love that. 

They say volleyball is a lifetime sport, and I agree. For example, our assistant coach for the HUMVB team, David Bourne, plays for a 55’s and over team who qualified for nationals this past fall. The game changes as you get older, but that doesn’t mean you can’t play. Often you see older teams beat younger teams because their game IQ is so high from playing for so many years. They know how to change up the pace and read the opposing offense which keeps them one step ahead, positioning exactly where they need to be on the court at all times. Another example is our very own Men’s Volleyball team. We have a range of experience levels as a beginner program. However, when they brought home their first win in program history this past weekend, it proved you can pick up the sport and succeed when you train hard and work together as one unit. 

Someone once said that watching our high school varsity volleyball team play looked like a ballet. Not because of its delicate nature, but how we flowed and synced as a team on the court. That’s how organized we were as six individuals behind a 7’4” net working close together in a 30x30ft perimeter court. We knew each other’s tendencies and thought processes. Our setter tailored sets perfectly to each hitter for a flawless swing resulting in a kill. We knew when we were going flat how to reset and pick one another up; finishing what we started together. If we were out of system on the court, we knew as a team we had each other’s backs to better the ball for the next person to keep it in play. I had full faith in our defense because I knew they would never let a ball touch the floor. As a team we weren’t perfect, and we had our losses, but we built trust and respect for one another through it all, and that took us to heights we never imagined. I can see why this person thought it looked like a dance, because we knew how to work together.

After modified volleyball, I began the pursuit of earning an athletic scholarship when making the varsity team my freshman year. During those four years we won sectionals, regionals, and went to states. I played club volleyball all year round where we participated in tournaments across the country, and a dream was fulfilled when I received an athletic scholarship to play for the women’s volleyball team here at Houghton (this is when we were NAIA). To say I loved every minute of it all would be a lie, but how do you learn to work with others and grow in character when you aren’t challenged or go through setbacks? Sports in general are a great teacher of that. However, there is something about volleyball that is so unique. 

Volleyball is a game that takes you on emotional and mental highs and lows. In soccer or basketball a mistake can be quickly erased by stealing the ball back, etc., since the game is in constant motion. If you shank a serve in volleyball, that’s it. The point is gone forever and given to the other team. Between every point in the game of volleyball is the opportunity to mentally train yourself to keep moving forward or dwell on mistakes that can bring a whole team down. Momentum, communication, anticipation, and organization are key, and if you lose it, a team needs to work fiercely to get it back.

Seeing the sport grow over the last decade is proof that it’s rapidly capturing the interest of generations to come. 2023 saw the highest number of men’s volleyball programs added in the NCAA (including Houghton!). In August, a Nebraska Women’s Volleyball match broke the world record for the largest crowd ever in a women’s sporting event, beating the Women’s Soccer World Cup final crowd record just a few months earlier. And last week was the launch of the Pro Volleyball Federation, a professional league for women’s volleyball here in the USA. I love sports, but I love volleyball the most. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think volleyball is the sport for life, and I’m so thankful to know it. ★

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Campus News

Houghton’s New Men’s Volleyball Team

Houghton's men's volleyball team practicing - Courtesy of Svannah Stitt
By Abigail Bates ('26)

Houghton’s new men’s volleyball program began playing in 2023-2024, under its Head Coach Lindsay Seddon and Assistant Coach Dave Bourne.

“When I decided to attend Houghton,” Elijah Sproull (‘26), a setter and rightside hitter, commented,  “I had accepted that I was leaving Volleyball behind, it was hard but I felt that this was where the Lord wanted me to be. I know now he has many reasons for having me here and being a part of this team is one of those.”

Lindsay Seddon, a volleyball alumna of Houghton University, returned in May of 2023 to serve as the program’s first Head Coach, with Coach Bourne later joining her in August. While women’s volleyball has strong roots at Houghton, men’s volleyball was only an active club sport during the 1990s and early 2000s. The current team consists of 14 players—Jerry Buno, Devin Burns, Luke George, Caleb Holscher, Gabriel Lucena, Thomas McGlynn, Anthony Panboon, Jonah Sissel, Elijah Sproull, Jase Stone, Elijah Studt, Devin Tullar, Jared Wright and Luke Yelle—who all entered the program with different levels of experience.

“Coach [Lindsay],” outside hitter Caleb Holscher (‘26) stated, “has done an incredible job of getting our program off the ground. She was tasked with taking a team of competitive volleyball players, athletes who had only played pick-up and Athletes who had never played the game and she made a team out of us.”

Due to the program being new, the coaches have been developing its foundations during the current season.

“Our focus this season is to cultivate who Houghton Men’s Volleyball is: and that’s representing Jesus by doing good work in all that we do, together,” Coach Seddon emphasized. 

Holscher put it as a motto of “More of Him,” which he explained as focusing on more of Jesus and less of themselves. He has expressed pride in how his teammates have embodied this attitude through honoring Christ first, building one another up, working hard to improve, preparing the program for future athletes and their brotherhood that encourages one another to be better men of God.

“The team has been amazing,” Sproull declared, “it has been awesome to see the exponential improvement from every player. We are the fastest improving team and that is so cool to be a part of.”

The team’s daily practices begin by warming up and stretching, and then they do partner control drills that focus on refining technique. Coach Seddon explained that when she and Coach Bourne spot weak points during their review of matches from the day prior, they will implement drills during practice to help the team perform better in those areas.

“Our guys are the best!” Coach Bourne expressed. “There is a great deal of cohesiveness and respect amongst all players. They value their relationship with God first and foremost. They work very hard and we can also share some laughs and lighter moments, too. We have many first time volleyball players that have taken learning the game very seriously. This is evidenced by the amazing improvement we have seen by all. All this has been nourished by Lindsay’s coaching and leadership.”

Holscher and Sproull both commented on how amazing their coaches have been this season, with Coach Seddon starting the program and Coach Bourne bringing his vast knowledge and experience to the team. Holscher added that a quote of Coach Bourne’s is “the ball doesn’t hit the floor without a body hitting the floor with it,” exemplifying how Coach Bourne keeps the atmosphere of the team light, while never being afraid to push Holscher and his teammates to give their best, no matter the circumstances.

“When the team [is] dialled in and focused, they are a force to be reckoned with and can keep up with teams who are more established,” Coach Seddon remarked.

The men’s volleyball team had their first match win against Maranatha Baptist this last Saturday Jan. 27 and will be up against Roberts Wesleyan on Saturday Feb. 3. While the team has played Roberts Wesleyan twice without winning yet, Holscher explained that they are excited to get “another shot at it” this weekend.

“So be at Nielsen at 2:00 this Saturday,” Holscher stated, “cause if we beat Roberts you’re gonna wish you had been in the building.” ★

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Campus News

Gillette Hosts Disney Channel Throwbacks

Disney Channel Throwback poster - Courtesy of Emily Fausnaught
By Anna Catherman ('24)

If you walk through Gillette Hall on a Monday night, you’re more than likely to hear laughs on at least one floor. Second New is no exception. Laughter and eyerolls both abound on Mondays starting at 9:30 p.m., when the floor has its weekly event: Disney Channel Throwbacks.

Every floor in Gillette has its own events, tailored by each foor’s Resident Assistant (RA) to the residents. When Emily Fausnaught (‘24) became the RA of Second New, she turned to a bulletin board in one of Gillette’s corners for inspiration. A musical themed board featuring Troy Bolton stirred up her nostalgia for Disney Channel originals. 

“There’s something a little cringey…and also wonderful about them,” Fausnaught said. “I wanted to share that with everyone else.” 

The first week of the movie nights began with the classic Disney Original, “High School Musical.” A few dedicated watchers joined Fausnaught in the floor’s lounge. Week two featured the “Princess Protection Program.” It was met by an even larger crowd, with couches and floor space filled. Attendees munched on popcorn and pretzels. 

One of the enthusiastic attendees was Gabby Wiltse (‘27). She scoured the internet for lists of Disney Channel originals, so she could suggest what the floor should watch next. 

“I kind of love Second New,” Wiltse said.

Others were less thrilled, but still supportive. Adelaide Sullivan (‘24) noted that she is an avid anime watcher. Watching Japanese-style animation, such as Demon Slayer, One Piece and My Hero Academia, taught her to analyze things closely. She finds the drama in the Disney Channel Original Movies to be a little over-the-top. 

“It’s hard not to overanalyze High School Musical,” Sullivan said. “It was not a terrible movie, but I think it could have been a more complex [storyline] instead of having drama just for drama . . . it was easy to tell what the bullies were going to do because their actions were predictable, as were the actions of others.”

Disney Channel Throwbacks will continue every Monday throughout the rest of the semester, with selections announced weekly prior to the event. The next gathering is on Feb. 5. ★

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Columns

The Creator (2023) Review

Written By: Joseph Schmidt (’24)

Set in 2070, 15 years after a nuclear detonation in Los Angeles that started a war against AI, Sergeant Joshua Taylor, played by John David Washington, an ex-special forces agent, is recruited to hunt down a mysterious terrorist going by the name Nirmata, or “Creator”. The United States military has gained valuable information that Nirmata has created a super weapon which could cause the US to lose the war against the AI threat. But when Joshua discovers the super weapon is a robotic child, he finds himself at a loss of what to do.

“The Creator” honestly surprised me as a movie. When I first saw the trailers for the movie, it looked like it was nothing more than a Star Wars rip off, which I suppose is what happens when you get the fantastic Gareth Edwards, the same director who created “Rogue One”. But when I first watched the movie, I was pretty interested in all the concepts of robots, humans and AI all interacting together in a shared universe, only to have AI become the main threat. However, “The Creator” shows an interesting perspective from both sides of this war against the AI. It shows the fear and anger of the US and the US military, who have vigilantly fought against robots, simulants and AI in order to make sure there is no more threat of nuclear extinction, but it also shows the perspective of New Asia, the country harboring and supporting the robots, simulants and AI because they believe that these beings are as real as humans are.Yet, the story never shifts away from Joshua and the super weapon child known as Alphie, played by Madeleine Yuna Voyles.

Joshua’s reason for going after this super weapon is because he’s trying to find his wife, who is in New Asia and supposedly helping the New Asian forces create Alphie. Joshua’s mission was to collect the super weapon or destroy it in order to find his wife and return home with her. However, after the mission goes wrong, Joshua and Alphie must find their way across New Asia and avoid the New Asian forces looking for them both. As Joshua understands what’s at stake, why begin to see and understand more of the perspective of New Asians and how that convinces Joshua to switch sides over the course of the movie. This was something I appreciated, that Joshua didn’t have a quick moment where he changed sides in the middle of a battle, but instead slowly began to understand why Alphie was created as a defense for the New Asians, not an offense.

Overall, “The Creator” is definitely one of my new favorite movies. A compelling story, a new approach of conflict and love and trying to understand that just because something isn’t alive doesn’t mean it’s not real. We watch Joshua struggle as a soldier taking care of Alphie as she learns the world, trying to avoid threats while guarding what he had considered a threat. We watch Alphie gain more understanding of her enhanced abilities and how they impact the people of New Asia in many different ways. We watch the brutality of war, the tactics used in the midst of fear, and the sacrifices and losses that come as a result. No one in this movie is safe. It made the movie seem so real despite being set in 2070.

However, some things were predictable in the movie. While deaths are inevitable and some are definitely shocking and surprising, some events are incredibly predictable. In fact, some are pretty stupidly coincidental as well. And while these coincidences and predictable events aren’t relied upon for the story to continue, it did make me a tiny bit disappointed by such cliche scenes.

In conclusion, I did enjoy the movie. I loved this movie. It surprised me, made me emotional on my first watch through in a few parts, and played into tension beautifully. Not to mention that the cinematography was impressive. It’s definitely worth the watch if you’re a Sci-Fi fan, and it keeps you engaged from start to finish. Seriously, watch it for yourselves!

Final Grade: 8.7/10 ★

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Campus News

Alumna Returns to Perform in Organ Recital

Jennifer Velázquez playing the organ - Courtesy of Savannah Stitt
By Rebecca Dailey ('25)

At 7:30 p.m. on this Friday Jan. 26, Houghton welcomes back alumna Jennifer Velázquez (‘91) to perform an organ recital in the Wesley Chapel. Velázquez’s husband also graduated in the Class of ‘91, and her daughter and son-in-law both graduated from Houghton with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music.
Judy Congdon—Professor of Organ and Harpsichord, and Houghton’s Organist—speaks highly of Velázquez, “Jennifer is one of many, many very fine organists who have been trained at Houghton over the years. Jennifer is a gracious, lovely person and a musician of formidable talent. Though I was not her teacher I have watched her musical journey through the past several decades, and I consider her a treasured colleague and friend.” 

At eleven, Velázquez began learning to play the piano, and then started playing the organ at fourteen and really liked it. 

“I talked to my teacher about organ junior-senior year of high school,” Velázquez commented, “and ended up at Houghton.”
For 25 years, Velázquez was the Organist and Associate Director of Music and Worship at Independent Presbyterian Church (IPC) in Memphis, Tenn. She has previously performed at Houghton, and in England, Scotland, and Ukraine (for a mission trip). She now focuses on organ repertoire and performance.
Velázquez explained that she “Mostly plays music already written and will be playing One Piece by Dr. William T. Allen [in the upcoming recital].” 

Dr. Allen was a former Houghton Professor of Piano and Theory, and later a composer in residence.
The organ, a unique instrument with a rich history of being played in churches and concert halls, is both a keyboard and a wind instrument. This is due to the varying sized pipes that are grouped together on the instrument. 

 Benjamin VanTine (‘25), a current student studying organ explained, “The organ which is the oldest keyboard instrument is also a wind instrument, different knobs are used to achieve the desired sound. This is where the phrase ‘pull out all the stops’ comes from. An Organ has to be preset to create the wanted sound.”

Wesley Chapel’s organ was built in 1961-1962 by Walter Holtkamp Sr., who was one of the leading American organ builders of the mid-20th century. 

“Its many sounds are produced by 3153 individual pipes,” Professor Congdon shared, “the largest of which are 16’ long and the smallest only about the size of a drinking straw.  The pipes are controlled by a player seated at the 3-manual console . . . the recital will feature sounds from the hushed to the colorful to the robust and magnificent.” 

VanTine leaves off with, “[playing the organ is] a way of expressing what you want to be heard but you need to work to develop music abilities. Inner musical ability, which must be learned but often starts with inspiration or a gift from God.” 

Velázquez developed her gifts through rigorous training at Houghton, which prepared her for graduate school and her church work later on.

“[I am] very grateful the Lord brought me to Houghton,”  Velázquez stated.

All attendees of the recital have the opportunity to hear for themselves the sound Velázquez has developed over years of perfecting her art. ★

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Campus News

Senior Recital: Lucas Myers

By Olivia Kleinau ('24)

On Monday Jan. 29 at 8 p.m., Lucas Myers (‘24) will perform his Senior Recital in the Center For the Arts Recital Hall. 

Myers, a pianist, explained that most of his preparation is a mix of practice as well as studying music scores. He will be performing a broad variety of pieces at his recital, including works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Claude Debussy, Johannes Brahms, Robert Schumann, Frédéric Chopin and Philip Glass. Myers’ pieces include aspects of German Romanticism, French Impressionism and Contemporary Minimalism. 

​​Fellow piano major, Katrina Kauffman (‘26) shared, “I’m super excited for his upcoming recital, I have always really admired his playing. He is definitely someone I look up to as also a piano major.”

Myers shared his excitement for this upcoming recital as it is his first real attempt in creating a themed recital. He will be combining piano repertoire with other art forms to create an overarching storyline tying all the pieces together. The theme Myers’ chose for the recital centers around the idea of rebirth. 

The recital itself will center around the theme of rebirth, and will explore the way in which we as people often go through an internal death while going through times of intense hardship only to be reborn again,

“[The recital] will explore the way in which we as people often go through an internal death while going through times of intense hardship only to be reborn again,” Myers explained, “finding a deeper capacity for love and joy as well as a heightened capacity to appreciate the beauty of life when we reemerge into the land of the living.”

Myers also stated that he finished his coursework last semester, giving more time to prepare for this upcoming recital. Last semester he was taking 19 credits on top of commuting from Rochester, NY to Houghton University. He had to find as many pockets available in his schedule to practice as he could manage, and on top of that make sure he was intentional in balancing heavier practice sessions with periods of rest on the weekends. One benefit of the commute was that it gave Myers the opportunity to do a lot of listening and mental practice.

Myers expressed that overall he is, “super pleased with the way it is shaping up.” ★

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Stories In Focus

Feature: Dean Jordan

By Jiana Martin ('26)

Dean Michael Jordan has been Houghton’s full-time Dean of the Chapel for 12 years. Additionally, he works half-time as a professor for various theology and biblical literature classes. After marrying his wife, Jill, and graduating from Houghton in the class of ‘99, he attended seminary and earned his master’s in 2002 from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary. For the next seven years, he pastored the Exton Community Baptist Church Church in Exton, PA, and returned to school to earn his Doctorate. In 2009, he received his Ph.D. in Liturgical Studies from Drew University. 

“I like that I get to have a pastoral connection with any student that wants one,” Dean Jordan thoughtfully replied. 

Dean Jordan enjoys being a teacher, but his role as a pastor has allowed him to have a different type of relationship with anybody who wants to “just talk.” In regards to students, he can connect with them and get to know them as people without worrying about their academic achievements.

As for Dean Jordan’s favorite places on campus, he really likes how the new Spiritual Life office turned out. In general, he enjoys quiet, sacred and sanctuary spaces, such as the prayer chapel space in the basement of the Wesley Chapel. 

“I also like how outdoorsy Houghton is and I like having so much that is walkable and breathable,” Dean Jordan added. 

Last Thursday, Jan. 18, Dean Jordan spoke at the first faculty lecture of the semester, based on his upcoming book, “Worship in an Age of Anxiety.” This is his first book and he is excited for its release later this year on June 2. 

“I have always valued writing,” Dean Jordan commented and was encouraged by his friend, a professor from Yale, to write a book. 

A couple of years ago, InterVarsity Press reached out to him about a series they were planning to do called Dynamics of Christian Worship. This gave him the opportunity to put pen to paper. The first part of the book looks at anxiety and discusses how churches have often talked about it in the past. Dean Jordan explains that the book contemplates the question: What are some ways that churches can do what we do in a way that is more anxiety informed?

During his lecture, Dean Jordan talked about the prevalence of anxiety and how it has increased in American culture over the past 20 years. He also touched on what people are learning when they get help for anxiety and in what ways the church helps or hurts them. 

Dean Jordan hopes the lecture was a good opportunity for attendees to start reflecting more conscientiously on the ways they practice worship.

“Hopefully, a lecture like this can help people understand some of the backstory to a lot of these worship practices and help them be a little more informed in the way they think about worship,” Dean Jordan concluded.  ★

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Opinions

Good Tidings & Good Grief

By Molly Connolly

As the holiday season runs its course, we see familiar scenes of warmth: being wrapped up in flannel and knit blankets, lilting melodies drifting through the air with warm sugar and spice scents swirling around us. We see friends and family gathered around tables filled with favorite foods as good conversation and love abounds. However, in those beautiful moments of fellowship and company, it can sometimes make the spaces once taken up by loved ones who aren’t with us anymore that much more obvious.

Grief in a season marketed on the basis of curating an exuberant display of joy, excitement and sociability can make an already incredibly complex experience that much more difficult to process. The ever-looming pressure to be a chipper Kris Kringle for Christmas can make the growing and groaning of grief feel Grinchy. If we’re lucky enough to not be the ones grieving, which can be complicated in its own right, seeing friends, family or loved ones in pain, being distant, or just not quite being themselves can be tense, awkward or even isolating, not just for us, but for all involved. 

I want to encourage all of us to take those tense or awkward moments, or the moments where we feel alone in our grief, and embrace the heart of our hurt. When we are missing the loved ones we no longer gather with, I want us to reflect on the memories and traditions we had with them. Continue those traditions or make new ones in remembrance of them. Allow yourself to be sad, angry, and hurt when those feelings come up. You do not owe anyone the comfort of convenient emotions, and you deserve to feel fully and deeply in all circumstances.

 For those who are not grieving but have someone close to us who is living with grief, don’t be afraid to be beside them at this time. Be a constant and supporting presence. Ask them about their lost loved one. Don’t force a silver lining, but give them a way to share the love they have for the person they are missing. In those moments we are given the bittersweet blessing of getting to share this love, and learn about the love we wouldn’t have been able to experience without that person.

There isn’t any right way to process loss and there isn’t a set way to support someone going through that process, but I urge each and every one of us to take those opportunities to grow closer together rather than to shy away from those “uncomfortable” or “inconvenient” emotions. Instead, embrace it all throughout the holiday season. Ways we can incorporate the grieving process can take a myriad of different forms, whether that’s trying to follow their famous cookie recipe, watching their favorite Christmas movie, singing along to their favorite seasonal songs, hanging up their stocking and filling it with some of their favorite snacks. Regardless of its form, let that love be lifted up in ways the season already encourages. Let laughter, tears, and everything in-between flow freely and make space for those feelings to be felt for those around you. ★

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Campus News

Christmas Prism

Christmas Prism Photo - Courtesy of Savannah Stitt
By Isabella Bratton ('26)

Houghton’s Christmas Prism will be held on Friday, Dec. 1, at 7:30 p.m. at the Victory Highway Wesleyan Church, and on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 8 p.m. in the John & Charles Wesley Chapel. After Saturday’s performance, there will be a After Prism Party in Van Dyk Lounge at 9:30 p.m.

The concert showcases several of Houghton’s music ensembles such as the Men’s and Women’s Choir, Symphony Orchestra and soloists. 

The ensembles have been preparing for months, and are looking forward to seeing their work come together. 

Freshman Zoe Zachery (‘27) expressed excitement for her first choir concert at Houghton. While she’s excited, she explained how it is also nerve-wracking due to Prism’s commendable reputation. 

Zachery stated, “The most challenging part of preparing for prism is the memorization of all the songs that we are performing … it’s kind of nerve racking but I know that I’m prepared. It’s just the fact that prism is such a big concert and it’s really important to people.” 

Sophomore Anthony Fry (‘26), a member of the Houghton Choir, reiterated Zachery’s statement, specifically noting that the most challenging moment for him was memorizing a song in Haitian Creole.

A member of the Women’s Choir, Sophomore Elizabeth Wertz (‘26), is looking forward to showcasing the hard work all the ensembles have put in. 

Wertz said, “The song I’m looking forward to most is called ‘What Strangers Are These?’. This song really builds and it tells an incredible story.”

Senior Kaitlin Kleinau (‘24) appreciated the efforts of her choir director, Dr. Kevin Dibble, to keep their heads in the right place before performance. 

Kleinau wrote, “Dr. Dibble always reminds his ensembles, during prayer and devotional time right before the concert, to be present, spiritually and emotionally. The audience before us will never be the same group again, and our peers will be ever-changing. However, God is with us in this moment, and we simply have to make music for Him. If we can reach one soul because of our worship, then all praise be to God.”

Wertz hoped that the audience would not only enjoy the concert but take away something valuable. 

“I hope,” Wertz wrote, “that the audience will be able to see God’s glory from our performance and realize that nothing is possible without Him. He is the reason for our successes, and He is the one that should be praised.” ★