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The sound of the traditional hymn “Great is thy Faithfulness” rang out across The Quad on the CIU campus as dozens of staff members joined in an acappella hymn sing praising God for the opportunity to work together again on campus following six weeks of working from home because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We get to work today for the Lord,” Smith announced as the employees offered a clap of praise while also practicing social distancing.

When the staff was working at home, Smith led the employees in prayer sessions from Shortess Chapel over Facebook Live. But on this day, birds were singing and a warm late spring sun shone through wispy clouds as the group sang, “It is well with my Soul.”

, associate provost for online studies read from Rom. 8:26-39 which includes:

^34��Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

^35��Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Simmons looked up at the staff for a moment and said, “Or pandemic.”

“We get the privilege of doing this today,” Smith said as Simmons concluded the reading. “There are a lot of campuses who can’t do this. We get to read the Word of God on our campus today. Thank God for that.”

Smith urged the staff to pray for the nation’s leaders and to pray for the economy.

“We do not need to be fearful,” Smith added. “Trust God today. He’s in control. He understands our lives and He understands our needs.”

Listen to a bit of the singing at the .��

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