Traditions

The Hike is an all-day orientation event every first-year student at Grace participates in. Breakout groups, led by student mentors, race around campus in a photo scavenger hunt to win points to buy supplies to build a cardboard boat. The day ends with a splash as teams put their boats to the test in Winona Lake. Students eagerly surround the beach to see who will sink and swim and who will float and win!

Grace’s Homecoming week is packed with fun-filled events, including special chapels, athletic games, a flag football tournament, costume skating, bonfires, tailgating and a parade (led by the homecoming court and various student and community groups). There’s a semi-formal dinner with entertainment followed by an after-party to top off the week’s events.

A favored tradition during Homecoming week among students, T-Shirt chapel invites each dorm to perform an original skit about their unique dorm culture while donning their customized dorm shirts. A panel of judges comprised of beloved staff and faculty decides who is most worthy of the grand prize — a giant stuffed fish.

Day of Worship is one day each semester set aside to praise God and know Him better. Classes are canceled so students can dedicate the day to hearing the Word preached, singing worship songs, and reflecting on what God is doing in their lives.

Grace students get the opportunity to put their faith into action during Supermarket Sweep. In collaboration with the community, students shop for local food banks in a fast-paced competition. Halls complete challenges to earn gift cards to purchase more items, and the team that donates the most items wins. Every year we raise thousands of dollars worth of food and baby care items that help our community.

One week each fall, representatives from more than 40 missions organizations come to share and teach at seminars, chapels, and growth groups about what God is doing in the world. At one event — Taste of the World — students travel across the continents talking to missionaries, tasting foods, and completing activities from different countries to win prizes.

A special faculty band singing festive songs and a prayer request snowball fight are two of the things that make Christmas Chapel one of the best chapels of the year! After a message from the Word, students write prayer requests on pieces of paper, crumple them into balls, and have a campus-wide “snowball fight” before choosing a snowball and lifting the request up in prayer.

The Joust is a four-day competition across campus. The student body is divided into four teams for a variety of competitions: chalk painting, board games, wiffle ball, capture the flag, a spelling bee, and much more. With an Opening Ceremony that rivals the Olympics, students participate in “Ring by Spring,” a race from the Winona Lake beach to the bell outside of Alpha Hall. The Closing Ceremony includes a fear factor and lip sync competition.

Commencement celebrates the accomplishments of senior Lancers and sends them off to make a difference in their careers and lives. Family and friends gather to witness Grace students become Grace graduates. The momentous occasion concludes as graduates turn their tassels, toss their hats, and receive their diplomas.