By Melanie J. Knox, Opinion Editor

The Bible Lectureship tent, which was a tradition until recent years, has been resurrected for the second year in a row on the mall outside Moody Coliseum.

In the early days of Lectureship, the tent was used for exhibits and was set up in the parking lot that is now the Teague Center.

The tent was done away with largely because of safety reasons,, but Dr. Mark Love, director of Ministry Events, brought it back last year.

“I was trying to think of something that would be innovative and yet still traditional,” Love said, “and I noticed there was very little fellowship space.”

The exhibit area is now in the Double Gym in Moody Coliseum, but Love said that area is not great for fellowship.

He decided to incorporate a “pie and coffee” tent, which he said was a huge success last year.

Members of Women for ACU make the pies, and the profits they make go toward scholarships.

At 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, singing groups will perform in the tent. Monday the North Richland Hills Church of Christ high school praise team will perform; Tuesday The Light will perform; and Wednesday, The Group, which has performed in Chapel twice, will sing.

The tent cost $2,000 to set up, and Love said the benefits of the tent are worth the cost.

“For a lot of people, the tent touches a place of nostalgia,” Love said. “Our classes are great and the lectures are great, but it is nice to have a place where people can sit back and visit.”

The tent was set up on Wednesday and has an AstroTurf carpet. Abilene has experienced rain recently, but Love said he hopes it won’t interfere with the tent fellowship.

“Of course, that’s part of the Lectureship tradition too,” he said. “People remember standing in the tent with the wind picking up the poles, but hopefully we won’t have to deal with that.”