Seneca Valley students and their parents gather around the flag pole in front of Seneca Valley Middle School in Jackson Township on Thursday afternoon during a prayer rally organized by Dutilh United Methodist Church in Cranberry Township. The rally, held to pray for a resolution to the teachers' strike without taking sides, was hosted by Dutilh United Methodist Church in Cranberry Township.

JACKSON TWP — Some Seneca Valley School District teachers and students were on campus together Thursday, though not in the classrooms.

About 70 students and parents gathered in front of the Seneca Valley Middle School for a prayer rally hosted by Dutilh United Methodist Church in Cranberry Township.

At the same time, striking teachers were across campus walking on a picket line.

Doug Raraigh, director of youth ministries at Dutilh, said church leaders organized the prayer event "to fulfill the needs of the community from a spiritual standpoint.

"Students are just starting to be able to verbalize how they feel," he said, and have sought guidance from the church.

Dutilh sent invitations to numerous youth groups, Raraigh said. At least six were represented, including Discovery Christian and Cranberry Community United Presbyterian churches in Cranberry.

The crowd sang several hymns before breaking into smaller groups to pray. Prayer suggestions included students who may be struggling with a lack of daily structure, working and single parents, peace and justice and a quick, efficient resolution.Seventh grader Steven Schepke, 12, of Cranberry said he has been spending time with friends since teachers went on strike Oct. 15. However, he misses being in class and seeing his friends daily."I really want God to figure out what he wanted to do with this, and I thought it would help," he said of attending the rally."I think it will make a difference."Raraigh said Dutilh church has some activities planned for students who do not have classes to fill their days. But the possibility, and hope, of a quick resolution makes it hard for church leaders to plan long-term activities, he said."We have a plan to meet the needs of students as the strike goes on," he said.Raraigh also said when students approach him with questions about the strike, he encourages them not to choose one side over the other but to pray for a resolution."We don't want our discussions or small groups to affect a student one way or another," he said.Emotion plays a large part in how students view the situation, said the Rev. Debbie Pisor, director of family ministries at Dutilh."This is a neutral place of prayer and care for everyone involved," she said of the rally."The church is a sanctuary for good people on all sides to find rest and time to pray and seek God's guidance in the decision-making process," Pisor said.

Judy Boren, who is with Dutilh's broadcast ministry team, said she was pleased by the turnout and students' efforts toward a contract resolution."This is something the kids did," Boren said. "They're not part of the spider web that caused this."The 575-member teachers union has been working without a contract since June 2006. The two sides are about $14 million apart on wages and about $350,000 apart on health care premium contributions as they are trying to agree on a new five-year contract.Teachers must return to school by Nov. 16. No bargaining sessions have been scheduled.

Aaron Price, youth pastor at Northminster Presbyterian Church near Bellevue, leads a group of about 70 Seneca Valley students and parents in song during a prayer rally Thursday at the district's secondary campus in Jackson Township. The rally, seeking a resolution to the teachers' strike that has lasted two weeks, was organized by the Dutilh United Methodist Church in Cranberry.

Zachary Kuran, a fifth grader at Seneca Valley, and his mother, Jackie, of Cranberry Township were among about 70 people who gathered for Thursday's prayer rally.