Impact vespers has long been more than just a Friday evening program. It’s a space where worship, leadership and community all collaborate in a powerful and deeply personal way. Behind every powerful praise and worship, touching sermon, and theme is a team of dedicated students. To better understand the heart of Impact, I sat down with members of the Impact team to hear their stories about how they stepped into their roles, what they value most about their positions, and why Impact holds such a deep significance for them.
When Impact Director Vickie D’Haiti was asked about how she got into her position, she replied, “I was asked by the previous year’s religious vice president of the Black Student Christian Forum if I was interested, and I agreed.” When I asked about her favorite part of Impact vespers, she thought about it for a while before answering. “My favorite part about the vespers would have to be Testimony and Praise & Worship,” she confidently replied. “With both elements, I get to experience how God is working in the life of others and how He can impact mine.” For Vickie, these moments are more than just parts of a program but reminders of the transformative and still active work of God. As our conversation went further, she explained the significance of this vespers service. “This vespers is beyond important for so many reasons. The most important one has to be the legacy and culture it carries. It represents the dedicated sacrifice and vision of those before me. Their desire to create a space where Black students can connect their faith and culture is why we exist. Impact Vespers isn’t just another vespers program or co-curricular opportunity, but a living testimony of God’s transformative impact on our lives.” Before we ended, she left us with something to look forward to: “Be on the lookout for African Impact on Feb. 27!”
Though you may not always see her front and center, Hannahbel Henry-Saturne’s behind-the-scenes work is crucial to the flow of every Impact service. “My position on the Impact team, I would say, is an Impact assistant,” she shared. “My usual job is to manage the display on the screen. However, I help out in any other area that I’m needed in to prepare, whether that’s brainstorming prayer activity ideas, creating slides, decorating the chapel, or giving my opinion on executive decisions.” When asked about how she got into her position, she answered, “I got the position because I’ve been a trusted friend to the leader of Impact. We’ve known each other for about five years, so she knew she could rely on me.” For Hannahbel, in contrast to almost everybody else, it’s the sermon that stands out to her the most in every service. “As much as I enjoy praise and worship, I look forward to the spoken word and how I can apply it to my current life situation. The message always seems to be given at the perfect time. I feel like Impact is an important worship space that creates an environment for students to connect with God in a more intimate way. There’s something about being surrounded by your community and reflecting on God that brings people together.”
The final person I interviewed was Samentha Cyprien, the social media coordinator, whose position also came through her connections. “My friend Vickie selected/asked me to join.” When asked what her favorite part of the Impact vespers service was, she talked about its atmosphere and the “vibes” that it brings, instead of talking about a specific part in the program. “My favorite part about Impact vespers is how inclusive it is. It is small, but in a way that everyone feels like family. It brings a beautiful atmosphere while worshiping.” She also highlighted one particularly meaningful vespers from this school year: ProxPact, a collaboration between Impact and Proximity, another vespers space on campus. “It is important because, to me, it symbolizes a oneness. We are all gathered together for one reason. Your background or the club you belong to doesn’t matter.” Through events like ProxPact, Impact continues to embody unity, reminding students that worship transcends different cultures and brings the campus community together with a shared purpose.
Through these responses, one can see that Impact vespers is not just sustained by programming or planning, but by people; students who said yes to an invitation and, in doing so, discovered joy in creating a space for others to encounter God. Whether that’s through music, media, collaboration or leadership, every team member contributes to an atmosphere of unity, inclusivity and intentional worship. As Impact continues for this semester, it remains more than just an event on a calendar, but a living ministry, dedicated to bringing the campus together for something greater than themselves.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.