By Leslie Flack Miller
BUCKHANNON, W.Va. – A popular West Virginia Wesleyan College on-campus student religious drama troupe in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s will celebrate a reunion with a service and performance on Saturday, July 27 at 2 p.m. at Wesley Chapel.
For over 25 years, group LoveShine spread the message of God’s love not only on Wesleyan’s campus, but into the surrounding community.
The program of singing, worship, reminiscing and religious skits is open to anyone wishing to connect with the people whose lives LoveShine may have touched, Wesleyan alumni or not. Worship will be led by Dr. Steven Tuell ’78, and Paul Brown ’76 and creator of the group, where they will share memories of how LoveShine began.
Parts of the event will be recorded for the archives of West Virginia Wesleyan College, including the singing of the theme song “LoveShine,” written by Leslie Flack Miller ’77.
The idea for the reunion came about as a result of research done by current Wesleyan student Caitlin Ware, class of 2020, in “West Virginia Wesleyan History” class this past spring, taught by Paula McGrew ’78, associate professor of library science and director of library services, emerita.
Ware uncovered the group LoveShine that was active on campus from 1976 to 2003, and McGrew contacted Miller, her former classmate, to see if there was a recording of the theme song anywhere, which there was not.
“That sparked the thought of preserving this chapter of Wesleyan history, and the LoveShine Reunion was organized,” said Miller.
Groups are invited to submit and perform a short 3- to 5-minute religious skit, and all who wish to sing along with the theme song and lend their voices to the worship are welcomed.
The music can be heard in advance in the LoveShine Reunion tab at www.lesliemillersongs.com.
For more information, or to submit a skit to be included in the program, please contact Leslie Miller at lesliemillersongs@gmail.com or Paula McGrew at mcgrew_p@wvwc.edu .
