November 10, 2023/12a
A week in the life of a college student can sometimes be rough. Between homework assignments, labs, jobs, quizzes and exams, and extracurricular involvement, some weeks drag on with seemingly no end in sight.
When Friday finally does roll around, especially on such weeks, we can express with a jubilant shout: “Thank God it’s Friday!” On a monthly basis, Gannon University’s Campus Ministry sponsors and provides a free program under the same title, “Thank God It’s Friday,” or TGIF for short.
TGIF begins in Gannon’s Mary, Seat of Wisdom Chapel with an hour of Christian praise and worship music featuring a testimony by a staff member or student. Following the live music and witness, attendees move into adjacent Kraus Hall where a free homecooked dinner and fellowship ensues.
Even though TGIF occurs in a Catholic chapel and centers around Christian praise and worship music, it is open to students and faculty of all religious backgrounds. The praise and worship band; featuring student pianists, guitarists, and vocalists among others; comes from a variety of Christian denominations and backgrounds.
Elsa Lieb, a Sophomore Physical Therapy major, serves as one of the vocalists for TGIF. Lieb remarked that “TGIF is very welcoming to all, and even amongst our worship team there is diversity. We are made up of Baptist background, Catholic background, non-denominational background, and I think that allows for a lot of different and positive diversity just within the group itself.” Sophomore Accounting major Hannah Bielawski also notices and appreciates the many Christian denominations and traditions that are present each month.
“TGIF has a great diversity in both the musicians and in the attendees. There are always people from a variety of backgrounds in the audience singing along and praising the Lord.” At TGIF, attendees are welcomed and encouraged to worship the Lord in whatever way they feel moved by the Holy Spirit. For some, this means lifting their hands in praise, standing, or singing aloud.
Others might maintain reverential postures or choose to simply observe what is transpiring during the praise and worship session. Lieb ensures that the musicians “make an announcement before each TGIF expressing that it is a safe place and however you worship best will not be judged, rather admired.” Bielawski discovers God through the songs that are sung, which she considers easy to follow and sing along. “Listening to the lyrics and really meaning them when singing them has helped me feel a connection to God,” she remarked.
According to Lieb, “Listening to the lyrics and really meaning them when singing them has helped me feel a connection to God.” She “would just like to encourage the reader to attend TGIF and step out of their comfort zone!” The remaining dates for TGIF during the Fall 2023 semester are Fridays November 17 and December 8, both of which will begin at 5:00 PM in Mary, Seat of Wisdom Chapel. Gannon’s chapel is located along the brick sidewalk between Finegan and Waldron
