Circle of Prayer at North Cobb Christian

It was a morning filled with song and faith during North Cobb Christian School’s annual Circle of Prayer celebration this week.

The school invited all 1,300 students, faculty, parents and community members to the school’s football field to pray for a successful school year, which began Monday.

Robert Gnann, NCCS upper school director of student life, said the purpose of the event is to bring the community together and take advantage of their faith.

“We are so blessed to have the freedom to be able to pray and the freedom to be able to join together and so it is an incredible opportunity to just for us to use that blessing,” Gnann said.

Attendees gathered in a large circle around the field’s 50-yard line where a stage was set for student performers and school leaders. Singers from the school’s chapel worship team performed two worship songs to begin and end the ceremony.

In between student performances, Gnann, Todd Rainwater, chair of the school’s board; and Head of School Todd Clingman took the stage to lead the crowd in multiple prayers.

Student representatives from the upper, middle, and lower schools also got the chance to lead the group with prayers of their own.

Easton Tutton, a fourth grader; Bella Love, a seventh grader; and Tehya Rupp, a senior, represented each school level in the ceremony.

Tutton used his moment to pray for the sick and hurt, Love prayed for healing of everyone’s hearts and minds and Rupp thanked God for grace and mercy.

Senior Parker Holbrook said he loves that students get the opportunity to engage in this tradition.

“I’ve enjoyed celebrating this since the sixth grade,” Holbrook said. “Worshipping the Lord like this ... I’m going to miss that when I go to college.”

Senior Casey Lewis, one of the student performers, said he thinks of prayer as a way to connect with his father.

“When you look at it spiritually, you are connecting with your father and that’s what really builds the relationship as a Christian,” Lewis said. “So I think it’s extremely necessary every day.”

Liam Bagwell, a fellow senior, said he loves the uniqueness of the celebration.

“It’s all high school students that do the worship and that appeals to me more,” Bagwell said.

Jared Hemmings, a parent of lower school student Eli Hemmings, attended to be part of the community in a “moment of prayer and praise.”

Hemmings said prayer for his family is an opportunity to try and do right by the Lord.

“It’s a time to remember what all we have, (where) we came from and what all we’re going to have in the future.”

Clingman told the crowd he wants the celebration to remain special instead of becoming a simple tradition. He said the way they avoid that is by living out their values and praying every day.

“It’s a matter of (prayer) being our daily rhythm,” Clingman said. “If this is the only day of the year that (students) see us living out what we talk about, then it will just become an event ... We try to live out these principles we talk about day-to-day, and if we don’t, then ... it’ll be a once-a-year song and dance.”