Hymns on the Hill: A Student-Run Gathering Demonstrating Faith and Commitment

By Tyler Murdock

If you happen to be taking an evening jaunt around nine o’clock pm on a Sunday in Buena Vista, Virginia, you might be perplexed to see a group of students gathered in a circle on the porch of Main Hall singing familiar hymns. Although odd to those new to Southern Virginia University, this phenomenon has become a common Sunday scene and a beloved tradition for the campus community.

Since the early days of the University, students have assembled each Sunday in front of historic Main Hall to gather together to socialize and share their favorite hymns, always ending with an enthusiastic song, “God, Be With You Till We Meet Again.”

Although music has continually been an important aspect of Southern Virginia University, the longevity of this student weekly gathering, independent of formal direction from the University, highlights the students camaraderie and their commitment to their faith.

Tara Brown, a third year student is one of dozens of students who actively participate in this weekly musical gathering. To her, “Hymns on the Hill” (as it has affectionately been called) has meaning much more than the music — it is an outward expression of her personal religious devotion.

“[Hymns on the Hill] is a time every week that I consistently give to God. My sign to him of my faithfulness. And no matter what else is going on in my life, no matter how many assignments I have due on Monday morning, I can take 30 minutes to gather with my peers and feel the spirit singing our favorite hymns”

“We aren’t told to, it isn’t and assignment or a calling” Tara further explains, “it is purely because we want to feel close to God.”

Rain or shine, students continue to gather together and sing, even through the cold winter months. And although it remains a mystery as to when Hymns on the Hill originated, there is no end in sight of a weekly tradition which has become another unique feature of this small liberal arts university.