Music is the Heart of Reunion

May 16, 2018

The organ reverberates throughout Hughes Auditorium as voices sing out in unison to the first verse of “How Great Thou Art.” Asburians across generations raise their hands in worship from the wood-backed seats that class after class has sat in. This is a generation-spanning tradition bringing together alumni from all over the world. This is Asbury University. This is the music of Reunion.

From a concert with the Salvation Army Fellowship Band and Songsters to the Old-fashioned Hymn Sing, Reunion is not only a time to catch up with your fellow Asbury University classmates but it’s also an enriching musical event and time of worship.

This year, you can expect to hear awesome and lively tunes at the Sunday morning concert from the Salvation Army Student Fellowship Band and Songsters, as well as worship led by alumni at chapel services throughout the weekend. View full Reunion 2018 schedule.

Joshua Bracken ’14 has been playing the organ at Reunion for the past six years. Bracken was a Music major during his time at Asbury and now works as an organist at a church in Knoxville, Tenn.

Bracken’s involvement with Reunion typically includes playing the organ for a couple of the Chapel services and during Friday’s popular Hymn Sing event.

What’s his favorite thing about participating in the musical performances and worship times during Reunion weekend?

“Definitely getting to play for the Hymn Sing just because of the atmosphere, people coming back and lifting their voices as one and singing hymns of the faith that I didn’t typically get to hear during my time at Asbury,” Bracken said. “It has just always been refreshing to come back and hear people sing.”

Younger alumni can look forward to hearing styles of worship music from earlier decades, more evocative of the classic Wesleyan tradition, at the Hymn Sing.

“People always come up to me and tell me how much they enjoyed the Hymn Sing just because most churches do not typically have the same tradition that [they experienced during] college,” Bracken said. “It always brings back special memories to them when they come back and hear that. They can come back to this place 25 years later and it still sounds like it did when they were 18 to 21 years old.”

Come celebrate Asbury’s deep Wesleyan heritage through music and reminisce with your fellow classmates at this year’s Reunion.

To register for Reunion 2018, visit asbury.edu/reunion.