CMU Student Blog

Ministry Quest

2012-01-23T11:01:00.000-08:00

What is your calling? Where do you see yourself going in life? What's next?
If you're about to graduate from high school, these are probably questions that you are wrestling with. These are the questions that I took with me as I embarked on CMU's Ministry Quest program this weekend. Ministry Quest is a two day retreat which explores the vocational call of ministry. It was a group of about twenty people, and the weekend included many sessions with pastors and professors exploring the idea of calling. Present also was Dan Unrau, our pastor in residence from last year, and someone whom I really respect.
He shared his story of call. It's interesting because his story is one of deliberate calling as he was asked again and again to join the church where he is now a pastor. Dan's philosophy puts a lot of weight on the praying people in his community to discern where he should be going. Dan also pays attention to when he feels restless in a place, asking himself whether this feeling is a bad attitude or God's call.
Another presenter, John, talked about three important puzzle pieces in discerning calling. Firstly, look at your outside influences. What are people saying about you? Is the community you are a part of pushing you towards something? This might tell you something about what you are good at, and where you would fit well.
Secondly, look inside yourself. Trust your intuition. Our bodies don't lie, and whether you can't sleep at night or are feeling calm and focused, you should be paying attention to what your body is telling you. Your natural areas of passion are probably very closely related to your vocation.
Thirdly, pay attention to areas where you have experienced loss. These parts of your life are tremendously helpful because they can teach you a great deal. Loss is an opportunity for growth, and this growth can help determine calling.
I'm finding all of this talk about vocation exciting. The most important thing I realized this weekend was that vocation can be a long journey. The stories I heard from current pastors emphasized the unexpected bumps along the way and the uncertainly that often accompanies the journey, especially the beginning and at key points of change. This common experience of uncertainty is, I think, one of the most important lessons of Ministry Quest.

Dance Competition!

2012-01-18T08:42:00.000-08:00

Doesn't it look like it's taken straight out of a scene from West Side Story?

Last Saturday, the International Student Committee went out to a break dance competition. Sean, a CMU student from Saudi Arabia, was competing. The competition took place in a large warehouse which looked straight out of one of those Hollywood movies. You know the ones where a few young people decide they want to dance, work super hard at it for a long time and then make it big? Yeah. Those ones. The competition was set up as a tournament, in groups of two dancers each. The groups went up against one another in one minute dance breaks. It looked very competitive and the dancers did a really good job.

The ISC works hard to create activities for the international students as well as anyone who wants to join their group. It is a part of CMU's student council, which operates many committees including the Doxa (student newspaper), Peace and Social Awareness Committee and Social Activities. Student Council also owns and operates the well-used coffee shop on campus, which is run by student volunteers.

We're about to start a new week of classes over here, and personally I'm looking forward to Ministry Quest, which is an event CMU is putting on next weekend. More on that later!

New Semester!

2012-01-14T23:45:00.000-08:00

We have now been back for about 10 days. Christmas was very packed for me this year with events almost every day. I really enjoyed spending time with Niverville friends and spending some time doing absolutely nothing.

I am SUPER excited about this semester. I am taking two Biblical & Theological Studies courses, both taught by Irma Fast Dueck, who is amazing. The courses are "Marriage and Family in a Christian Perspective" and "Theologies of Power". And I get to take Theories of Communication and Media, which is a course essentially about how communication works. I can't think of more interesting courses. On top of that, I'm looking forward to even more time spent with friends, and, I'm sure, even more growth.

I've made New Year's resolutions of course, and I'm looking forward to doing things a little better than I did last year. I'm very happy to say that 2011 was the best year I have ever had so far. I led a more balanced life, invested energy in my friends, and became more confident in many ways. If 2012 is just a little bit better than 2011, I will be ecstatic!

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas with your family, and ALL THE BEST IN 2012!!!!

Christmas Gala!

2011-12-09T13:59:00.000-08:00

What is he looking at? I'm not telling you.

Time to feast! One of the only major student events in December is the Christmas Gala. It is a massive feast that takes place on north campus for students, staff, significant others, and parents. The event includes speeches and so on. Most importantly, it provides a chance to use the "photo-booth" to capture the moments - moments resulting in the admittedly rather snooty picture above.
And afterwards? We party, to a sick dance playlist late into the night. Is there a better way to celebrate? (No.)

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Stress Relief!

2011-12-04T12:26:00.000-08:00

1. It's winter, and the snow hasn't happened! Honestly, it feels like spring still!

2. I've spent the past few days helping people with their work, and then distracting those same people from their work. Honestly - there isn't a whole lot going on around campus other than work. Late work, overnight work - you get the picture.

3. A few days ago, I got into a really good truth or dare game in the lounge. People came and went - and the scary truths ("what's the name of the person you most regret telling you liked?") were matched by equally scary dares ("be tickled for 1 minute without fighting back!"). I know - kind of juvenile. But it's what students will do for stress relief!

4. Another aspect of any sort of stress time is that some people show up to fewer classes. This is not generally a good strategy if you want good grades, but when four 10-page essays are due, you sometimes need to push through. Time management!

A CMU Christmas!

2011-11-29T12:48:00.000-08:00

Christmas @ CMU is one of my favorite times of the year. Many different concerts, lots of people I know both inside and outside of the school, and hot apple cider make it an evening I really enjoy.
The event is a massive "create your own concert" experience which takes place all around north campus. It happens twice, and during each of them the place is simply packed with people. My family comes every year, so it's a good time to see them and to catch up.

I can't pick just one highlight, so I'll have to go with two. I really enjoyed the reading of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". The Grinch was played by Dietrich Bartel, one of our music professors, during the first event and by Earl Davy, VP Academic, for the second. They had very different styles, but both of them made me burst out laughing in the audience. Well done! Secondly, this year we ended the evening with a rendition of the Halleluiah Chorus - the largest I have ever been a part of.
Christmas @ CMU was exactly what I needed to get relaxed and ready for Christmas. And as an extra bonus, the residence students got hot apple cider all day. Merry Christmas to all!

Student Life + Christmas @ CMU!

2011-11-24T14:12:00.001-08:00

Crunch time continues. Yesterday I managed to get together with a friend and go to Starbucks with some people, but I still had to get five hours of studying in. I need to keep working to survive!
One way that we are taking breaks is through Settlers of Catan. We have played absolutely ridiculous amounts of this game in the past while. How ridiculous? Two games a day for ten days straight. It's becoming a very serious endeavour for at least a few of us.

People have also been trying to continue to exercise. Sometimes working out is just what is needed - and the weather is still quite warm! There's also a group going out for wings this week. Still others have been taking the opportunity to prank their friends, making their lives just a little bit - well, fun, hopefully!
Christmas @ CMU is coming up soon, and so lots of students have worked hard making cookies out of the goodness of their hearts. The event is this weekend, featuring a bunch of live music, cookies, and apple cider. You should come! Here are the dates: Saturday, November 26 at 7 pm, and Sunday, November 27 at 3 pm.

To remember is to work for peace

2011-11-12T16:15:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, November 11th, was Remembrance Day. Mennonite Central Committee has for years produced Remembrance Day buttons with the phrase, "To remember is to work for peace."

"On Remembrance Day we honour those who fought in war and we remember what they gave in service of our country. The "peace button," an initiative of Mennonite Central Committee, invites us to remember and to work for peace. Together let us seek and apply non-violent ways toward more justice and safety in our world." (MCC)

MCC yesterday held a "flash mob" at the Forks in observance of Remembrance Day. I went with two CMU friends. Over a hundred people gathered at the Forks Marketplace. Many students from the school were there, as well as others from my church. In a low-key gathering, we sang "Freedom is Coming", unveiled a peace banner, and dispersed.
We remember. And we will do all we can to work for peace.

Crunch Time!

2011-11-08T14:11:00.000-08:00

     Well, it's the beginning of November. Mid-terms are right behind us, and many of my fellow students are hard at work on their papers. It is not uncommon for us to have between 10,000 and 15,000 words to write in our various assignments at this time of year.
     Of course, we also need to have fun. Two weeks ago, we had the Fall Ball, with some outrageous costumes, a spooky haunted house, and a fire truck to boot. (It turns out that smoke machines turn on fire alarms. Who knew?) Student Council had been collecting song suggestions for the party from students, so the music positively rocked (although my favorite song, strategically placed on ALL FOUR suggestion sheets around campus, was not chosen!) There have also been random dance parties here and there, and longer snack times at 9pm because everyone wants to keep the essay away half an hour longer. Yesterday, Sean on our floor turned 18. Something had to be done! We trecked to the local Original Joe's and toasted in his honour. OJ's was the first time that the floor had been able to get together and go out somewhere, and it was a blast. Between the conversations (which ranged from politics to classes to sport teams) we took a well-deserved break from everything.
     I didn't notice it as much this year, because I'm taking less courses, but this is a very stressful time for many students. I know a few people who are writing papers all night and stressing over the work they have to do. I wrote papers for what seemed like forever in my first year. Believe me, you will get better at dealing with it!
    There's still a good deal more work to be done (and fun to be had) before the term ends. I see some snow-ball fights in my future...!

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Time to Get Practical: Redekop School of Business

2011-10-22T16:47:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, Canadian Mennonite University announced something really exciting. They are opening up the Redekop School of Business as the business section of the university. This will be a full business program offering a Bachelor of Business Administration as well as a Bachelor of Arts with a Business major. The school is being supported financially by the Redekop family of Fraser Valley, BC.
Through this school, CMU hopes to combine a biblical perspective and emphasis on global peace and justice with top-notch business instruction. This is what gives the school its distinct edge. We need more highly motivated people with a strong drive for innovation and entrepreneurship who care deeply about the people around them, are honest, and stand up for what is right. Our university could be one of the key institutions training these types of people.
I've always believed that business is one of the main ways we can influence the world around us. In one sense, a successful business is usually doing something important to a lot of people. Non-profit organizations also need to apply business skills to a huge extent to be able to use their resources as efficiently as possible. CMU does an excellent job of giving people the environment they need to become responsible, ethical, Christian people who genuinely want to make a positive difference in God's world. This is, however, not always enough. We must be smart in how we work. We must know how our economic and social systems work. In short, we must apply our heart to the world in an effective way.
I think the business school will be able to provide more of this practical side in a way that is complementary and fits perfectly with the good work that CMU is already doing. And that is really exciting.

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Making Intentional Time for God

2011-10-18T13:58:00.000-07:00

Feeling spiritually empty? Like you're not feeling God in your life? It's something that a lot of people struggle with. One of the things I appreciate about CMU is how we create an environment that helps keep us close to God. One recent example of this is a small group that has been formulated with the intent of spending intentional time with God. Every week day, for an hour, this group gets together to spend time in silent reflection with God. We read through the Psalms, one a day, and then spend some time in silence, making space for God. The practice is called Lectio Divina, or spiritual reading, and it is a practice that Christians have used for thousands of years to help facilitate connections with God.

Spiritual disciplines are a bit of a paradox. They don't create intimacy with God, but when practised regularly they can create good conditions for God to move in our lives. These disciplines include prayer, fasting, spiritual reading, and many others. They can be very important in opening us up to intimacy with God.

One class that has helped me a great deal in this regard is Exploring Christian Spirituality. This intensive class pushed me to articulate my understanding of Christian spirituality and to practice spiritual disciplines. My idea of Christianity greatly changed through the experiences I had that semester. I learned that the impetus was at least partially on me as an individual to cultivate opportunities for God to enter my life.

If you're interested in spiritual disciplines, a great place to start is Soul Feast: An Invitation to the Christian Spiritual Life by Marjorie J. Thompson. It's an easy read, and a good introduction to spiritual disciplines and practices.

What I especially appreciate about this group is the community aspect. I feel so much more comfortable spending time with God if it is with others as well. Going on the journey together provides us with a support network, as well as ongoing opportunities to help others.
If you are on campus and want to join, swing by Lee's apartment in Katherine Friesen Apartments at 10:30 in the morning Monday to Friday. If you don't live here, maybe you want to experiment with some spiritual disciplines, either with others or by yourself. The spiritual growth can be amazing!

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An Exceptional Weekend

2011-10-06T14:51:00.000-07:00

I had an excellent week. A bunch of people left us last weekend for soccer tournaments in Edmonton, leaving the campus rather empty for the weekend. The Fall Festival was taking place, and I managed to catch a lecture on Friday evening about human rights and their connection to the Bible. At snack on Friday, a bunch of us decided that something had to be done. We decided to throw a dance party in basement floor Poettker residence. And by that I mean a three hour dance party with a massive boom box.

It's a good day.

On Saturday we decided to go to the Forks and have a picnic. Turns out there was a celebration and fundraiser for the Make a Wish Foundation going on at the same time, so we were able to get our pictures taken next to some mascots. The Forks is a large tourism spot you should visit at the centre of Winnipeg, two intersecting rivers which have been a meeting place for thousands of years and is a major tourist attraction.
Sunday I got to go to my home church, River East Mennonite Brethren. CMU is providing transportation this year, which is very exciting, because I will be able to get to my home church all year. Sunday afternoon was also the Marilyn Peter-Kliewer Folk Fest. This took place in the "back 40", a clearing and wooded area next to the campus. We had various student bands playing, as well as snacks and an amazingly hot afternoon!

Enjoy your fall!

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The End of September

2011-09-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

     The first month of school is drawing to a close, and boy has it been a busy one for me! The way my schedule worked out, much of the work for the semester is already done. The weather has been quite good for the past week, but the occasional cold day has proven that winter is on its way.
   One of the most positive influences for me over the past while has been Wednesday night worship, as well as doing my studying with other people in their rooms. I've been going to my friends' apartments a lot to escape the business of dorm life - I'm sure I'm not the only person who cannot spend much time in their dorm room!
   Sports has been a very important thing for many CMU students at this time of year. A lot of people are involved in the soccer and basketball teams, and we have been doing quite well. The womens' team has won their first two games in the Manitoba College Athletic Conference tournaments with some very competitive schools.
Now, it's time to delve into autumn leaves, Halloween, and Pumpkin Spice Latté's. Bring on fall!

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Retreat!

2011-09-22T14:54:00.000-07:00

     I really appreciated the retreat this year. The weather was less than cooperative, but all we needed was a little bit of flexibility and it turned into an awesome weekend. The weekend opened up with a worship session. The theme was "All Things New" and I'll admit I was a little skeptical at first that they would be able to get past the clichés.
     They did.
   Someone put a LOT of thought into these three worship sessions. I particularly enjoyed the first one because David Balzer talked about the risks involved in forming new connections and how it makes us vulnerable to do so. I remember my first retreat when I hardly knew anyone and I can't think of a better speech for the first year students. Owning the fact that meeting new people and making new friends can be hard, David encouraged us to take the risk because God has created us to be social and God has created us to be in community with each other. I stayed up late into the night at the campfire, and then spent some quality time chatting back at the cabin.
     The next day was packed. After the morning we had some free time. There were a lot of activities that people could choose from, including trail rides and wall climbing. I appreciated the hot tub!
   One of the main highlights for me was another coffee house that evening. Now people had had more time to prepare. I wasn't going to do anything, and then a good friend of mine suggested that we sing the classic Veggie Tales song "Cheeseburger". Yeah we did! The main thing I remember about Saturday was how good it was to have a whole day to chill with my friends in a place that wasn't CMU campus.
Oh, yeah. And that night around the second camp fire, we definitely spent half an hour belting out Disney songs at the top of our lungs. And had several theological discussions taking place partially IN the fire pit because the fire pit was so large that we could have a few people inside without problems.
     Our school puts an intense amount of work into these trips and I think it really helps to set the mood for the year. Now all we need is a hot tub at the school...!

Life!

2011-09-20T23:22:00.000-07:00

     Most of us have been at CMU for about two weeks. The small amount of time we've spent together has already been packed with welcome week activities, first classes, meeting each other and making friends. Here's what's been going on at the CMU residence this week:
     1. Classes. By this time everyone has finished their introductory classes and are settling down for the real work. The first part of a semester can feel more relaxed than later, when papers are all due at the same time. There's more free time for getting involved, chilling late into the night, and pranking our friends (more on that later...!) Course change period continues for a few days, so classes are still shuffling, but soon that will be settled as well and we will be able to sink into what we're learning.
     2. Community.  Since the beginning of September, we have developed some close connections among different floors. Over meals, late night craziness, and common experiences (what was that prof thinking?) we are already growing together. One particular area where we get to be a team is with pranks. There's some intense rivalry between the first floor men's and second floor women's residences. These fun competitions allow us to vent our capacity to cause havoc and keep the atmosphere from becoming too tame.
     3. Camp Arnes Retreat. This past weekend most of us went to Camp Arnes, a retreat centre, to have fun together. The theme of the weekend was "all things new". I enjoyed having some conversations with people I haven't talked to in a while, playing crazy outdoor games, and chilling in the hot tub. We also witnessed the second talent show, which was even more interesting than the first.  As always, I got back relaxed and ready to work.
Twelve page essay, here I come!

Welcome Week 2011!

2011-09-08T14:50:00.000-07:00

We celebrated the new year by basking in the excellent weather at the outdoor BBQ yesterday!

Well, it's that time of year, folks! Here at CMU we are in the middle of Welcome Week, when the campus transforms into an endless party to meet all the new students and get psyched about the year. Some highlights:

1. Go-lympics, which pitted the different residences against each other to win the Gerbrandt Goblet (a name which has my personal support, based on our illustrious president, Gerald Gerbrandt). In order to do so we had to participate in challenges like careening through a tiny hula hoop in a potato sack during the sack race, and attempting to pulverize our opponents in a massive game of tug o' war.

2. Orientation, which lasted for three and a half hours, and included a massively detailed discussion on academic integrity and several very informative skits detailing community guidelines. We look forward to this morning every year....

In this photo, Rianna Isaak represents a very strong scent which is just too strong for the onlookers on the left. Moral: it makes sense not to use scents!

3. Friends! I have missed my friends SO MUCH since I left in April. Several evenings have already been spent on long walks and just chilling in this place we call home. Last night we definitely pulled out the Monty Python. I had to work allllll the way until after the move in day, but this was made up by the fact that I covertly moved in a day early so I could spend an evening chilling with buddies before the dorms opened (which was probably not allowed. ooooppps!)

4. Coffee House. The usual performance madness, now run by Clare Schellenberg and Coby Friesen, our Arts and Entertainment Directors. We chilled, drank sweet free coffee and listened to music, poety, and drama. Our ever-present hosts, Clare and Coby, were New Yorkers who just thought everyone was "faaanntasic!"

Two of the most developed Coffee House personalities I have ever seen.

Welcome to CMU 2011. Friends both new and old, crazyness, pranks, studies, challenges, weather (!), unplanned events, fellowship groups, sports, worship, and more are in store for us this year. Time to GO!

CMU Grad 2011

2011-04-17T16:50:00.000-07:00

Last Week of Classes

2011-03-29T08:52:00.000-07:00

     Well, here we are at the last week of classes. Yours truly has just realized that he really needs to get moving to get everything done because he's been putting too much on the back burner. We are all out of here in just over two weeks.
   The weather has been excellent for the past while, which is good because it allows us to get outside for walks after we've been feeling rather cooped up in residence for the past few months. During this time of intense work, it's important to keep from feeling isolated; to still make time for others.
     It's also important to make time for God. I've realized how I'll start to feel really empty if I skip spending time praying and reading for more than a day or two. It's kind of crazy how direct this connection can be - my happiness right now is directly connected to spending time with God.
   It's interesting to think about life being comprised of relationships, and our happiness being dependent on how we're doing in those relationships. Our friendships with God and others - how much of a bearing does that have on our happiness?

Pranks

2011-03-15T08:47:00.000-07:00

Picture time. What is this, do you ask? Let me interpert the picture for you. The clothes in the snow belong to Matt Mayers. He is being pranked by Rianna Isaak. Why is he being pranked? I believe it was for throwing something at Rianna. She froze the clothes, by the way..!

What did Matt think of all this? Let's ask him.

He won't say anything. Is he actually upset, or just faking it? We'll never know.

Was I asked to help? Yes, I was. They asked me to get some clothes from Matt's room -- so I locked his door and then told them it was locked and I couldn't get in. Oops!

I was also pranked by Rianna -- she put cafeteria food (FROM THE FLOOR!) under my pillow. Will there be retaliation? Stay tuned....

Show your Support!

2011-03-11T07:54:00.000-08:00

Sports are an important part of the lives of many CMU students. The CMU Blazers have men's and women's basketball, volleyball, and soccer teams. This upcoming weekend is a big one for us -- the men's and women's basketball teams face Red River College on friday and saturday. I'm sure there will be vans heading out -- go and support your CMU Blazers!
In the spirit of this weekend, I want to share a video my friend Laura made on the bus trip to Bottineau North Dakota last semester. She's a member of the student media team. Take a look:

Vlog - Laura Tait "Bus trip to Bottineau" from CMU Media on Vimeo.

The sports teams have been very busy this year -- it's been an especially good year for the women's volleyball team, who had 15 wins, with only 1 loss to Providence College. We had mixed results in other areas, but fun was had, and that's what counts, right? This weekend we're vying for 3rd place in our games against Red River. If you're around, come on out!

Mikado Sneak Peek

2011-03-04T07:30:00.000-08:00

The Mikado is going brilliantly. We've been working hard to put the finishing touches on it this past week, and the first show was yesterday. It's showing tonight and Saturday at 7:30pm, and Sunday at 3pm, so come on out if you want to see an awesome show! Tickets are $5 for students, $15 for adults, and $12 for seniors. Phone CMU at (204) 487.3300; they are also avaliable at the door.

Into the Craziness!

2011-03-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

Well, it might be a surprise to some of you high-school students, but in the university world we are more than half-way through the semester. My life is getting crazy with Mikado practices every night and a 25 page paper to work on during the day. And it's not just me feeling the stress! Here's the funny thing, though - it seems like socializing actually can go up a bit during times of stress. How, you ask? It's a proven fact! Take a look at this:

"Piled Higher and Deeper" by Jorge Cham -- www.phdcomics.com. Used with permission.

Now, keep in mind that a responsible student does get everything done. What suffers? You got it. Sleep! You know what they say - about how you gain energy by spending energy? It's true. If you're tired but don't want to sleep, just do something and (usually) energy will come back. It's worked for me so far!

It's really very good that reading break is over. I got far too much work done because there was no one to ever distract me. Well, now the party has started once again. Looking forward to what's in store for the rest of the semester. Take care of yourselves!

Mikado + Reading Break

2011-02-28T09:52:00.000-08:00

Hey, how's it going?

1. I need to put a plug in for the Mikado. It's an opera that CMU is putting on, written by Gilbert and Sullivan about love, executions, Japanese gentlemen and scandal. It's happening March 3-5th at 7:30pm on North Campus, and Sunday March 6th at 3pm. Tickets are $5 for students. Come on out!

2. This past week was reading week. There were many things going on: a group of students went to Nashville Tennessee to help people rebuild houses as part of Mennonite Disaster Service; others went travelling to Florida for vacation. I went home and buckled down for a week of work. I'm going to have much more free time now!

3. It's getting warmer..!

Project: Valentine

2011-02-15T13:56:00.000-08:00

Don't just sit there. Take action!

The 2011 Art of Peacebuilding class was charged with making a creative difference in our community. Here's the question: can we make Valentine's Day more important than it is? St. Valentine was a priest in Rome who was martyred on February 14th. Though his work, he is one of many individuals who through their actions have shown Christ's love. Why not plaster campus with artwork commemorating those who have shown love and worked for peace?

Real Love. True Peace.

Refreshing Winds

2011-02-09T06:45:00.000-08:00

The CMU singers surround the audience during the opening worship session

Refreshing Winds was very cool.
It's CMU's blockbuster conference on worship which they host every two years. Stretching from last Thursday to Saturday, it attracted people of every denomination from all over Canada. This year, we had Brian McLaren and Steve Bell as special guests. Steve Bell is a prolific singer and songwriter based right here in Winnipeg, and Brian is one of the most prominent Christian writers in North America.

   The campus was packed. Many of those attending were living on campus for the weekend and many more were eating in the cafeteria. The days were also extremely warm (just below freezing) which is very weird for Winnipeg!
   My favorite part was the 1/2 hour presentation Friday morning about us as Christians being open to other faiths, rather than continuing down the road of not listening, but attacking the other. Brian talked about the four stages of faith. It was about how we move from "us-vs-them" thinking into a more relaxed, more loving attitude. Here are the four stages:

simplicity - Us vs. them, where only one can be right.
complexity - There are many ways of doing things.
perplexity - There are so many perspectives. Who knows who is right?
holistic - Give up the search for knowing everything, and just follow God using basic essentials (such as 'love your neighbor').

   Brian stressed that it's too simplistic to call the fourth stage the best. Each stage has something to teach us, and you can't rush people through the stages. They will move when they are ready. Unfortunately, though, many churches will cater to a single stage (like stage 1) and leave people in others out in the cold.
   This is big thinking, which goes beyond what some churches would be willing to consider. Taking this larger view and looking for the patterns allows us to understand what's going on, where our path might lead. It legitimizes those who are having difficulties with their faiths who may feel marginalized in their churches.
   I'm glad I was able to attend this conference. It raised many points about faith that I hadn't considered before.

God-Reliant vs. Self-Reliant

2011-01-25T09:26:00.000-08:00

   Once in a while, I have an spiritual experience that sticks with me.
     Last week a very good friend of mine, Christy, shared the story of her life in Chapel. It's an amazing story where it is so obvious that God pursued her and helped save her from her previous lifestyle. Here is someone who hit rock bottom and God has turned her life completely around.
     I'm sitting in the audience unsure what to think. I realize that if anyone else said what Christy did about her conversion experience, I wouldn't have believed them. I would have brushed it off. Life doesn't work that way. But coming from my good friend, I have to take it seriously. Which leads to hard questions. Why are miracles so hard to believe? Why am I skeptical? Am I growing blind to what God can do?
   Christy has seen Jesus. Actually seen him. Does that sound hard to believe? Does it make you cringe just a little bit? Too good to be true? Yeah, me too.
     That's why I'm scared. Because I don't think about God often enough. Usually, I know what I want, I have my plans, and I work to get them done. I succeed at school because I work. If I'm feeling burnt out, I'll continue to be burnt out until I change something. I'll sometimes take my life to God and ask for help, but then I act as though I still need to solve everything.
   Some people would praise this as being self-reliant and self-responsible. But if I'm self-reliant, how can I be drawing closer to God? If I have the answers, what is there left for God to do? Will God help someone who doesn't always think he needs help?

Why I'm Not Leaving Yet

2011-01-21T09:50:00.000-08:00

Being a student allows you to have fun experiences you can't otherwise have!

   Last week, I made a very important decision. It took me months of thinking, but I've decided that I will not be graduating in April. It also took a fair amount of convincing to get my parents on board. They've always encouraged me to move fast, and finish my degree quickly. And that is what I did for my first two years. But last semester I took only three courses and a choir, because that's all I needed to take for my program. Last semester was also my best ever. Coincidence? Nope!
   Taking three courses allows me to balance my time and actually make time for other people. Three courses allows me to make time for exercise and the other stuff I'm involved in. Three courses allows me to actually do all of the readings and dig into my courses instead of sprinting all semester. And most importantly, three courses makes all of the above more fun.
   Here's the thing: finding at the end of your university experience that you've sprinted through it sucks. This period of your life can be some of the most important years you will have. That's not meant to pressure or guilt you, but rather to get you to focus on the now rather than the "four-years-from-now-when-I-finally-become-an-adult". The last is an illusion: four years from now you will still be you. Perhaps the question is whether you will have sprinted through this time and ended up with a degree (which is good) or whether you will have taken your time, invested in the people around you, worked interesting student jobs that build your skill set, and generally had a blast (which is great). Some people can take a full-course load and still do all those things. Many can't.
     What will be more important when you're looking for a job? A younger person will excellent marks? Or a slightly older person with excellent marks but who also has spent their time in university growing in many, many ways that can't be found in the classroom? I know who I'd hire.
   My epiphany was that I don't necessarily need to speed through this time. So I'll be around for a while longer.

(PS: Now is the time to apply for summer student jobs if you're already in university or high school! Check out my post here.)

Wisdom from the Heart

2011-01-15T18:40:00.000-08:00

1. There are some movies that just should never be watched. Take the original Pink Panther movie. It'll be good right? Watching it with your friends is a good idea right? No. Never watch it.

2. Realize that if you're signing up for both a chorus and an opera, you're going to be doing a lot of singing. While the last might appear fairly obvious, I didn't quite realize how intense this would be! Last weekend - 15 hours. This weekend - 12 hours. Phew!

3. Grade 12 students: now is the time to apply for CMU's scholarships. Are you a leader? Don't think too hard. Apply!

What Fifteen Hours of Singing in Three Days Does to a Student (the lab experiment)

2011-01-10T13:36:00.000-08:00

Four REAL gongs guaranteed.

This past weekend has given "intensity" a whole new meaning for the Men's and Women's Chorus. We are preparing to sing Krzysztof Penderecki's "Seven Gates of Jerusalem" with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. The piece is an hour long - to give you an idea of scale, the WSO is bringing no less than four gongs to the performance (along with a plethora of other instruments!) The piece was originally commissioned for the city of Jerusalem, consists entirely of bible verses spoken in Latin, and sounds like a bomb going off (the music, not the Latin. The Latin is just confusing!)
For anyone who is also involved in the Mikado opera, this makes the entire weekend intense. I sung for fifteen hours last weekend, which pretty much makes me a temporary music student. Joining us are a number of volunteers, bringing the entire number up to something monstrous and ensuring that we really will destroy something (or someone) when we perform it on February 4th.

Our fearless leaders.

   Rudy Schellenberg and Janet Brenneman are our fearless leaders, and they are doing their jobs well. But you must understand what we are up against - the choir is divided at times to twelve separate parts, so basically everyone is singing something different, and no amount of cookies can disguise the fact that aren't always sure what these Latin words mean (despite the translations).
   Never fear - it's challenging, but we are working hard and we shall prevail! The performance will be something to remember - I can guarantee it. I'd suggest that you book Friday February 4th off, and get to the Centennial Concert Hall for 8pm.
   Oh, and what does fifteen hours of singing do to a student over the weekend? At least one person I talked to told me she couldn't sleep because "one-two-tee, one-two tee, one-two-tee" was stuck in her head all night. In fact, some of the only people who were just fine (and even found the entire experience enjoyable) were music students.
   Figures, doesn't it?

what did you do over christmas holidays?

2011-01-05T16:51:00.000-08:00

It's funny how after two and a half years at CMU, my hometown seems like a bit of a dream. When I got back to Niverville in late December, it felt kinda weird. Friends I hadn't seen in far too long. Family who I dearly missed. I kept very busy this Christmas. Some of my highlights:

1. Playing an all-day board game with my friends (seriously, from 10am-6pm).

2. Midnight trip to a really sketchy Winnipeg McDonald's.

Sketch restaurant, great people!

3. Attending a really cool Christmas service at my church with a jazz rendition of the Christmas story.

4. Lots of eating!

5. Skiing and almost getting caught on the lift for 45 mins.

6. Watching all the Pirates of the Caribbean movies with my sister, and then realizing that they are making another one (it's due out May 20th!)

7. Going to a large water park in the US overnight.

I had a good time. At the same time, I'm really excited to be back at CMU - I started missing people almost as soon as I left! Most schools in the Winnipeg area begin today or tomorrow, but classes started for us yesterday.
Welcome to 2011!

Personalities Under Pressure

2010-12-07T06:45:00.000-08:00

The past week has seen a noticeable change on campus. Everyone suddenly seems super busy writing papers, preparing for exams, and finishing up assignments. It's crunch time. You may hate it or you may love it, but you do have to go through it.
People respond to pressure in different ways. It's interesting to see how people change when they are stressed. As a service to the CMU community and the world at large, I have compiled this Personalities Under Pressure (PUP) list.

The PUP List
1. Super-Big-Joke types. These types of people see life as one big joke once they get past mid-November. They are often seen hanging out in lounges, but not usually studying. Rather, they are asking people to go on walks, or watch movies. They usually have to haggle, but since these types of people are usually very persuasive, they get their way and procrastination ensues.

Obviously a type 1.

2. The Facebook Junkie. These people respond to the pressure of assignments by going on Facebook. Or rather, living on Facebook. Since they feel the need to get work done, they don't hang out with others much. They go to their rooms, and usually get as far as the next sentence in that paper before going online and posting something like "3/1500 wds here i go" and "i just want to go home" and "what is IDS?". Often within the first half hour.

3. Hide-and-Work. These types of people will hang out and have fun, but will then take an extra large coffee and a big stack of books and go to South Campus and hide in the study room downstairs, where they will attempt to get work done. And possibly attack anyone who bothers them. note: a type 3 is often also a type 1.

Ahh..peace and quiet. No people. No internet access. Just you and 5634 words.

4. Balance? What balance? These people will go all the way. And by that I mean, they will save those two ten page essays with the back-to-back deadlines until forty-eight hours before. Then they will proceed to work. Starting at 9pm, they will work until 8am, take an hour nap, and then work for 9 hours more, have another coffee, and then proceed to continue working until it's all over. Don't knock it - the job gets done. The conversations with said people after all this tend to be rather humorous as well. (This was me in first year.)

5. The Bragger. Every so often, you will get someone who worked really hard all semester and now has very little work to do. They wander the halls aimlessly, with no one to hang out with, since everyone else is working. To help console themselves, they may start bugging others, bragging about their achievements. Enough said.

6. Angry. This one's fun. These types of people will either stop talking and just start growling more often, or talk more often about other people, or "The Institution" and how they want to leave. They will complain about this or that prof, this and that "stupid" assignment, and so forth. If you don't sympathize, they might then get annoyed with you. Isn't drama exciting?

So there you have it. Thankfully, this pressure will last only for a few weeks more, and then we can all cool off next to Christmas trees and hot apple cider. Until then all best in attempting to keep your sanity (rolling around in the snow helps).

2010-11-28T08:52:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of risky behaviors, this picture has been used without permission.

   T.S. Eliot once wrote that "only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." Risk. It's pushing yourself to do something you're scared of. It's about facing the possibility of failure. Now, one shouldn't allow oneself to be pushed into risky behaviors. But if it's what you want, then you should go for it and have the perseverance to follow through.
   Here's an example. I love performing. And yet I take a tremendous risk whenever I get up in front of people. And believe me, I can feel it. It's even worse when the performance is an audition for a play. What I'm feeling is the risk of rejection, and it's scary.
   Here's one thing I've noticed at CMU -- most of us could be more risky. Many of us have things we'd like to do but don't. Here's my question - why not do what you want? Whether it's saying "no" more often, signing up for the opera (I hear there's a few male choir spots left), asking that person out, or organizing that event - why not do it?
   This campus is becoming too predictable. Please do something risky today! Why would you risk? The more you risk, the freer you'll feel. It's worth it!

CMU Dance Crew!

2010-11-21T20:16:00.000-08:00

A Well Done Prank

2010-11-13T08:01:00.000-08:00

Okay -- it's time to talk pranks. Pranks are "one of those things". By that I mean that they are unofficial. I'm sure The Institution would much rather we avoid them. Nonetheless, they are an important and longstanding dorm tradition that cannot entirely be replaced by more modern techniques (just ask any alumni or faculty -- especially from the "old days.") In my first year the entire resident population in Concord Hall decided to hold a dance party at 3 a.m. in the hallway where the exhausted Outtatowners were staying. This year I was quite impressed with the women of the second floor Poettcker Hall res -- they microwaved what must have been 90 bags of popcorn and then threw it in our hallway, rigging the doors so that we'd also get it in the face upon exiting. I found out later that they had been making popcorn for weeks in advance.
But how does one prank someone else? How can you make sure you're doing it right? Never fear -- I will now present to you the basics of a well done prank.

A Well Done Prank
Step 1: (8 pm) blow up a tremendous amount of balloons.

Hmm.. should I pose for the picture or ignore the camera?

half-way done!

Step 2: (11:30 pm) Go to Tim Horton's

When you have 4-1/2 hours to kill, where else would you go?

Step 3: (4 am) Transport balloons into subject's room.

It took Andrea almost an hour to get out of her room in the morning. Incidentally, she had mentioned something about a room full of balloons a while back. What a coincidence...!

Good morning!

And there you have it - a well done prank, bringing joy to those around us. Seriously, though, and before I start sounding like some advertisement, you should share the fun. Prank someone this week for me, okay? Good luck!

Q & A with Pastor Dan

2010-11-02T09:50:00.000-07:00

Dan Unrau from BC has been or pastor-in-residence for the past week. This past Thursday, I sat down with Dan and asked him some questions about his life and his work. Enjoy!

Has moving from Manitoba to BC been a positive or negative experience?
You know, it's been interesting. I've always remained theologically and socially connected to Winnipeg. Mennonite Brethren churches in Winnipeg tend to have a more mainstream theology which I can relate to. On the other hand, I appreciate the music in BC much more. On a given Sunday we might listen to Led Zeppelin in church. You just don't get that here. It's a shame.

What's the hardest part of your job?
Simply telling people I'm a pastor can be tough. In some cases, people who have known me for a while still don't know -- it's easier in BC where the question "what do you do?" doesn't come up in conversation very often. I find that people can clam up when they find out that I'm a pastor. It's unfortunate.

What do you think is the biggest spiritual issue facing people right now?
Lifestyle. There are many Christians who really live almost the same as anyone else would. And if we're doing that, then what difference does the Christian have from the average person? When someone tells me that they've given up on Christianity, the first thing I ask them is if they were reading the bible and praying regularly before they decided to jump ship. Almost none of them were. I think we need to live differently if we expect something different.

I really enjoyed having Dan on campus. I enjoyed his stories, his friendliness, and his energy. His presence here this past week added energy to the entire campus. Even after just a week, I'm going to miss him.

The Faith Story of a Pastor

2010-10-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

Pastor Dan Unrau has been our visiting pastor-in-residence for the past few days. He’s been spending time with us students all week and giving talks every day. On Tuesday he shared his faith story.

To simply replay fragments of Dan's story does not do justice to his presentation. It is so absolutely refreshing to see a pastor who recognizes that theater is part of a good pastor’s skill set. His talks are entertaining and profound. Each word is carefully chosen and presented in an interesting way.
“I am egotistic and self centered,” he begins. With that he delves into his life, university, and what it means to be a pastor.

What was most interesting to me was Dan’s account of leaving home and going to university. He talks about how his grand dreams of freedom were profoundly checked when he moved away from home. Turns out his upbringing came with him providing boundaries which were hard to cross. This is what many people fail to realize when they go to university. Autonomy does not usually come quickly, or all at once!

To be a pastor, said Dan, is to be relationally and politically in a fishbowl. You are constantly modeling what it’s like to be in right relationship with God. What about the idea that we are ALL called by God to be pastors? What if we’re all on a pedestal, with the world looking on? Is that scary or gratifying?

Pastor Dan on Family Systems

2010-10-27T12:45:00.000-07:00

What makes families tick? That was the question pastor Dan tackled in the forum on Monday. Why do we act the way we do at home? Do families change significantly through time, or does the youngest child always remain the youngest child in the family, even as an adult?

In his years as a pastor, Dan has had plenty of opportunities to observe family systems at work. He knew a young girl who was extremely afraid of the foyer in his church. She would shiver with fear and start crying whenever she got close to it. Her parents signed her up with a counselor, but after many sessions they were no closer to understanding the problem. Finally, the counselor brought the parents in and asked them to share some of their experiences with her. After a while, by fluke, the therapist discovered that, as a child, the father had had a traumatic experience in a church foyer. The therapist asked the father if he had ever told this story to his daughter. He hadn’t. But once he did, the girl's fear went away. Here’s the moral: untold stories affect families in ways that can somehow be passed down to future generations.

Dan also talked about homeostasis –- that families are in balance, and members will fight to maintain that balance. If, for example, a normally loud and overbearing member of a family changes and becomes more passive, the system is out of balance making it very possible that another member will try to goad that person into being dominant again.

This sounds kind of weird, but Dan said he’s seen it many times. Throughout his presentation he suggested greater openness as key to rectifying issues. Talking things out and asking for stories (i.e. what was life like when you were twelve?) needs to happen for families to work well together.

Dan’s presentation provided good food for thought. I’m looking forward to what else he has to say this week.

On-Campus Pastor Visit

2010-10-26T09:04:00.000-07:00

     A recent poll asked respondents who they trusted most. The results showed that the average person trusts a pastor more than anyone else. When we see a pastor, we see someone who has his or her heart in the right place. This is certainly true for me -- several of the people I've trusted most have been pastors. But when you get out of school, your relationship with your youth pastor can change. Mine certainly did. I felt a little cut off the first year out of high school, as I was no longer in the youth group at church. When I signed on as a leader the year after, it was a very different experience than before -- suddenly I was serving rather than being served.
     I find it exciting that we have a pastor on campus this week. Dan Unrau is from Fraserview MB Church in BC, and will be presenting at all the chapels this week. He'll also be at Wednesday Night Worship and a ministry lunch tomorrow. And he's around campus, hanging out with students all week.
     It's funny -- simply having a pastor here makes my home feel more...homey. It's already made me realize how cool it would be to have a full-time pastor on campus. Maybe having Dan here is a trial run for something more permanent. Who knows?
     What does the word "pastor" make you think of? Do you know any great pastors?

Open House

2010-10-21T11:50:00.000-07:00

Open House week is organized every year so that we can show off our humble abodes to our fellow student-types. It took place in stages a few weeks back. From the "party" floor (first floor poettker womens') to "The Rapture" in KFA, there were lots of original themes. I especially appreciated first floor poettker mens'. Their theme (strictly imposed) was "silence". Which would not of course be complete without guards posted at each entrance to make sure that visitors followed the rules (no talking!).

On a more somber note, I must report that this is the time when people generally get more distressed about their schoolwork, especially if they've been taking it easy up until this point. Don't worry; the light at the end of the tunnel is still a good deal off, there's lots of pain ahead for all of us!

On Making Schoolwork "Fun"

2010-10-18T09:23:00.000-07:00

This person should probably be studying.

     Getting bored of schoolwork? Wish you could just go to the swimming pool instead of work? Well, you can't. You have too many assignments due this week, I'm afraid. How do you get through them? Here are some ideas.
   A. Coffee. I often find that a well-timed cup of coffee in the morning (or 3) makes me quite happy and more upbeat. All of which makes me able to tackle 1800's Chineese history, which might otherwise be a difficult thing. It can work for you too!
   B. The Switch. If one particular essay is dragging you down, just switch to another! See, there's something positive in having 3 assignments due in a week!
     C. Make it Social. If you're getting lonely but still have 3 hours of work left, take it to a lounge. Nothing is more depressing than studying in your room for more than, say, 15 minutes. Go to the Blaurock Cafe!
     D. More Coffee. What can I say. It's special.
     E. Music. It's important. Use grooveshark.com. Find what you need. I usually go with orchestral or other types of historical music, but anything goes. Just not country, please.

What are your make-study-bearable tips?

Thanksgiving Laziness

2010-10-12T08:04:00.000-07:00

   I am proud to say that I have accomplished next to nothing this weekend. The past few days have been ones of rest and relaxation. I decided to stay on campus for the weekend; it was very relaxing to see the place much quieter than usual. And of course, the quality of the food goes up when there are fewer takers!
   I spent most of my time hanging out with friends. Today a few students organized a Thanksgiving potluck and I got a chance to talk with some people I haven't seen for years. Yesterday was a family day with more potlucks and movie watching. That has been my weekend, really -- food, conversations, and movies.
   I hope you've had the chance to enjoy your Thanksgiving free of obligations and work. If you're in Winnipeg, hopefully you've been able to get outside -- the weather has been excellent!

Transitions

2010-10-06T08:57:00.000-07:00

Dorm life is kind of like a jolt into the world of adulthood. It can be especially difficult if you're going into it right after high-school. From my own experience I know that the first year was a challenge. After all those years of having your parents give you direction, suddenly you're on your own, with a lot of people your age. The standard questions arise. Where will I fit in? Will I fit in? How will I manage my time? And then later (almost inevitably) why am I so far behind in my schoolwork?
These are all perfectly normal things to wonder about. These thoughts go through everyone's head. Very few people become confident secure "adults" the moment they move away from home for the first time. Sometimes the answer comes in just taking everything less seriously. You no longer have people telling you what to do. It's important to sit back and enjoy the ride. There's a lot to laugh about during this transition!

You're on your way to becoming a responsible adult! Like these fellows.

Schindler's List

2010-09-29T16:46:00.000-07:00

     I watched "Schindler's List" yesterday. It was a requirement for a class and so I watched it. It's a three-and-a-half hour movie, but it took me a full 6 hours because of the amount of breaks I needed. Afterwards, I proceeded to be in a grumpy, sort of depressed mood for the rest of the day. I've seen my fair share of movies. This one was too graphic. Steven Spielberg directed the movie, and he said that he wanted to make some scenes of it "unwatchable". Right -- well, he succeeded.
   The movie is very important. Oskar Schindler is a German businessman, member of the Nazi party, and opportunist who uses Jewish people for labour in his government-sponsored factories during WW II in Moravia, a Nazi occupied country. At the start he is simply hoping to make money, but he ends up saving over a thousand Jews from the Holocaust through employment in his factories. In the end, his operation is a model of inefficiency in producing arms, and is simply there to protect Jews from extermination. Even so, he remains a member of the Nazi party to the end, and has to flee when peace breaks out.
     I realized while watching this movie the differing value put on human life by various characters. In one particularly vivid scene, an SS officer barges in on a Jewish boy washing his car. The boy trembles as he tries to explain why he can't clean the vehicle fast enough. The officer comes just short of hitting the boy, and ensures the boy that he will if it isn't cleaned quickly. In this scene, a car was more important than harm to a human being.
     Where are the examples in Canada of us drastically undervaluing human beings? We don't have to look far. There are a lot of "disadvantaged." People who are different in some way. Easy targets. What was so disconcerting in the movie was being drawn as an audience into the world where humans are capable of being evil en masse, as a dominant society. I think the director was looking for us to dig deep, to feel how hard it would be to stand up to the pressure and fear, but still to shout, "No! I would not be a part of this!" Just like Schindler courageously rejected the Nazi agenda. Just like we have opportunity to do in our worlds as well.

Menno Cross (Or How to Turn a Field into a Mudhole in 3 Hours)

2010-09-27T21:14:00.000-07:00

When I think "MennoCross" the first thing that comes to mind is a cartoon image of Menno Simons on a bicycle. Or Zack Peters cheering people on from the sidelines as they fight up a really muddy hill. But both of these images are but aspects of Menno Cross.

I first heard of the event last week, as friends of mine started to try to convince me to get involved. It was described to me as an intense event that would entail such feats as carrying a bicycle over my head while running up steep slopes. Could you blame me for avoiding it?
It's not quite that intense, but it was a major affair, with three different types of racing for the different skill levels and a wide amount of participation. Menno Cross. That's right. We're proud of our heritage!

On Chapel

2010-09-20T08:45:00.000-07:00

     I've noticed an interesting trend in the three years I have been a student here. Perhaps it has something to do with the new Communications department. Or perhaps it signifies a "wising up" on the part of CMU staff. What is this change, you ask?
     Chapel is getting better.
     It's true. The gatherings we have most days between half past eleven and lunch are getting more interesting. I would venture to say that more effort is being put in. Consider last Tuesday's chapel, "Sins I committed on my Summer Holidays" by Sue Sorensen, Ph. D. Sue talked about Dante's Divine Comedy and how it relates to us today, making for a very interesting talk which had very little to do with her chosen title.
     Or, to take another example, consider the Chapel entitled "Friends 101" with David Balzer and Vonda Plett, concerning how to build friendships. What more useful a topic could they possibly choose? Between David's half-stifled guffaws and Vonda's sound psychological advice on how to connect with people better, we had time time to talk about the use (and misuse) of mediums like Facebook and texting. It was a good time.
     Today's chapel is entitled Hot Topics in Psychology: My Brain Made Me Do It. If you're on campus, you should go. I'll be there. Everybody's doing it.

Never An Idle Moment

2010-09-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

Well, I've finally started to catch my breath. Classes started this past Thursday and suddenly summer camp turned into school. As I'm expecting to graduate this year, fewer of my classes are electives. In fact most are what you could call down-to-the-wire requirements. Hence the science requirement that I'm taking, called "Biology - the Science of Life" AKA "We're Trying Very Hard Not to Be Intimidating".

Why is this Zebra in the middle of a busy intersection? Could it possibly have something to do with molecular biology?

Just because courses have started doesn't mean that the decisions are ending. Right now I'm trying to decide whether I want to join CMU Singers or whether I want to simply stay in Men's Chorus. Besides the science class and journalism, I'm also in History Theory and Methods I (which is going to be great by the way -- very few lectures and lots of discussion) and Modern China by correspondence. Throw in Ultimate Frisbee, Men's Chorus, and being a youth leader at my church, volunteering at the Blaurock Cafe, hopefully going dancing every week, my student ambassador (this!) job, being on the Publications Committee, and being on the Grad Committee and you basically have my life. Now that I write it down it does look like a lot. There. No CMU Singers for me.

This weekend itself has been really packed. It's the first youth event of the year, and so we all went to Camp Arnes (which is incidentally where the CMU retreat will be in a week). As youth retreats go, it was good -- really relaxed with lots of water polo and old friends. It is very important for me to get off campus regularly.

Getting back to school, I have just realized that I have NO idea where any of my textbooks are. I bought them on Friday. They are worth $250. This is not good! CMU people are usually pretty good at returning things, but my name wasn't even in these new books. Urgh!

Whatever. I'm refreshed and ready for the week. Bring it on!

And it Begins!

2010-09-09T17:26:00.000-07:00

BBQ!

And.. the year has begun!
This is my last year here, and I'm determined to make it a great one. There's a lot of energy in the air, and a whole lot of new faces (seriously, we have like 50% turnover in dorm this year). From the first-years I've already met, it's clear that we have a great group this year.

Now, for those who don't want to go WAAAY back to the beginning of this thing, my name is David Klippenstein and I'm a third year student at CMU living in dorm. I'm majoring in History and Communications, I love ultimate frisbee, meeting new people, acting, and of course history.

CMU President Gerald Gerbrandt rocks it out at the welcome BBQ.

Speaking of ultimate frisbee, it's happening this year. Intramurals in first semester (if you're on campus, sign up sometime this week!) and actual team play after Christmas. It's going to be EPIC. There's a lot of things happening this year. The Blaurock Cafe is looking for volunteers, so find a friend and sign up for that. This year I tried out for soccer and choir. It's important to be involved!

First Student Council Activity/ PLEASE SIGN UP event of the year!

The past few days have been great. There's a lot of old friends here and welcome week means that there's tons of group activities happening (like the community BBQ, walk-a-mile, and a surprisingly entertaining returning student orientation by registrar Wesley Toews and student advisor extraordinaire Adelia Neufeld Wiens).

I hope you guys had a great summer. My summer at Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site has been excellent and intense. I dressed up and pretended I was from 1851 in the fur trade all day for four months. Leading tours and talking to thousands of people and having tea parties and bantering with other characters from the 1800's = an excellent summer!

They WERE this happy back then!

Get ready. This is going to be a great year.

Summertime

2010-05-10T18:43:00.000-07:00

   Well, there you go. This school year is a wrap. As I write this I am already starting my summer job at a historic site north of the city.
   As I look back at the year, it's really been a mix, as usual. There has been the bad, and the good. I've become better at school, but there are still challenges. I've grown a lot this year. For me, that's one of the most important parts of CMU living -- the growth. I'm a very different person than the 17 year old who gradated from high school almost two years ago. And I hope to continue to grow next year.
   School's been great, but it's time for an extended break! I hope that all of you have a great summer. Carpe Deim (that's latin for "seize the day"). And if you are in Winnipeg, come visit me at Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site!
   This blog will start up again come September. Until then -- have a good one!

All Quiet on the Western Front & Weekend Upcoming

2010-04-23T13:16:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Well, after spending a week exam-writing, I was able to come home this past Monday to recuperate. Year Two is all but complete for me, the next thing on my plate being full-time work starting on the 3rd. Many of my closest friends here have already left or are staying at home, so campus is a little quiet and lonely. However, this weekend is going to be jam-packed, with men's chorus singing at a spring concert on Saturday and at the Baccalaureate and graduation ceremonies.
At this point, there really isn't a whole lot of stuff to do. However, my parents have given me the car for the weekend as they're in BC, which I'm most definitely going to take advantage of. A road trip just might be in order...! With all the driving I've done recently (read: extremely little) it's a little haphazard out there on the road. You know you're a student without wheels when you follow bus routes while driving a car.

The Wind Down...

2010-04-08T14:52:00.000-07:00

   Well, well, well. I completed my last assignment a few days ago, and have spent the past few days "recuperating" (basically sitting around being too lazy to do anything). I now have the best exam schedule ever, with over a week to study for my various exams, etc.
   Lots of people are saying that they can't wait for it to end, but I'm actually okay with this period of the year -- much less pressure and time to relax. The weather has been simply stupendous for the past month so I'm looking forward to taking some long walks.
   Tonight I'm going to a "Peace Talk" event where some of my friends are presenting speeches on various aspects of peace. It's not a lecture if I don't have to attend -- funny how that works. The end is near!

A Night at the Theatre: Sherlock Holmes

2010-04-01T19:42:00.000-07:00

   Okay, so this is my shout out to the best movie I've seen in over a year. No -- I'm not kidding!
   Yesterday, some friends and I went to the cheap seats and saw Sherlock Holmes. Initially I was quite skeptical, because I am a fan of the short stories. I've read all 12 short stories and would heavily recommend them. Through the years there have been some low budget mostly black & white renditions of Holmes, but nothing high-budget. Or good.
   I do have to admit that purists may not be happy -- this is a very different interpretation on Arthur Doyle's writings. The plot is original, but the characters are unorthodox -- but apparently more true to the books than previous films. In any case, I was very impressed.
   What did I like so much about this movie? Sherlock Holmes. Robert Downey Jr. played the role; this was the first time I'd seen him in a movie. He played a very cool, collected, witty Holmes that was completely what I needed last night. It's a little like the movie "National Treasure" in the randomized, crazy action sequences and elaborate sets. Except better made, and much better acted. You should see it!

Injustice Visible Concert

2010-03-26T06:39:00.000-07:00

Injustice happens all over the world. We hear about it on the news; we see it around us. And still, the injustice I see is small compared to elsewhere in the world. I have been extraordinarily blessed to have grown up in Canada.
Last Friday I attended a fundraising concert for Christian Peacemaker Teams organized by CMU student Brad Langendoen. This concert featured the bands Alanadale, The Natural, Anthony Sweet, and Del Barber. Money was being raised to provide CPT with video cameras the team uses to document human rights abuses in places like Columbia, Iraq, Israel, and Palestine. Through documentation comes greater accountability.

   The concert was top notch. It look place in CMU's Laudamus Auditorium, and was very well attended. All of the bands and many other people behind the scenes volunteered their time to put on the concert, and when I talked with Brad later he told me that the concert had raised over $1200, which was enough to replace the CPT's stolen cameras.
   During the concert, while I was sitting in my pew watching this, I couldn't help being amazed what can happen with vision and determination. Let this be a lesson to anyone who doubts that they can be a positive force in the world!
   For more information, you can visit Brad's website: www.injusticevisible.com.

The Unique Claims of Christ: Negotiating the Christian-Muslim Interface Part 2

2010-03-18T17:15:00.000-07:00

Scroll down to see the first part of this series.

     In the second part of his series, Emmanuel Ali El-Shariff talked about his work in evangelizing to the Islamic people. Emmanuel does this largely over the television and radio, having worked in several Arabic television programs. He showed us some clips of the shows. People are encouraged to phone in and have debates with the hosts of the show about the two religions. The clips he showed got quite heated. They also do phone-in conversions, allowing people to call in and talk to someone who will guide them in the necessary prayer. Even when the show isn't running, people can phone in and convert over the phone.
   In one clip, a man called in and started vaguely attacking Christianity. The hosts refuted his claims, bringing him back to the topic, which was comparing the Bible with the Koran. I thought the hosts handled the situation very well -- even so, I could just feel the tension on the part of both parties. Arguing religious beliefs goes after the very core of people.
   This is very different from how I would evangelize. In the past, these methods would have made me cringe. I'm now more comfortable with them, but they still strike me as mechanical. Sure, you can convert hundreds of people (some of which would immediately be in danger of persecution if they shared their beliefs) but how can they grow their faith? I'm leery of mass conversion because it seems impersonal (even though it's done one-on-one on the phone, it still feels like an assembly line setup).
   Emmanuel talked about the Islamic people's great need to hear the saving Good News of Christ. As more Islamic people become Christian through his efforts, I hope that they can show others through their lives what the "easy yoke" of Christ truly is.

The Unique Claims of Christ: Negotiating the Christian-Muslim Interface Part 1

2010-03-17T18:23:00.000-07:00

   Earlier this week there was a two-part public lecture in the chapel by a former Muslim, Emmanuel Ali El-Shariff. He converted to Christianity in 1995, is trilingual (Arabic, English, and French) and is now involved in evangelizing to the Islamic people. Emmanuel talked about the differences between the Koran and the Bible.
   I found this very interesting because I don't have much knowledge of the Koran. Islam is the second-largest religion in the world and I know very little about it. What made this presentation even more interesting was Emmanuel's use of actual selections of each text. He stressed first that the biggest issue Islamic people have with Christianity is its affirmation that Jesus is divine. This goes directly against the Islamic belief that God never was human. Still, Muslims see Jesus as a prophet.
   Emmanuel talked about his experiences living on the conservative Islamic island where he grew up. He talked about having doubts but being unable to share them because he knew he would get punished if he did. With the help of Christian missionaries, he essentially reasoned himself out of Islam by looking at what he saw as inconsistencies in what the Koran said about Jesus.
   The main difference between Islam and Christianity according to Emmanuel is in the phrase "for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:30). Christianity doesn't hold our sins against us, but rather through the death of Christ allows us to remove the guilt and shame around our sin. Islam holds people very accountable for their sins and the state upholds much of this tough law.
   This helps me in understanding the differences between the two faiths, even as it may not be the complete picture and is certainly simplified. Stay tuned for my next blog post, which will be about how Emmanuel works at evangelizing to Muslims and also my own reflections on sharing faith.

Week of Solidarity

2010-03-12T15:11:00.000-08:00

This past week, the Peace and Social Awareness Committee presented the Week of Solidarity. I didn't know much about it, so I got a participant, Felicia Schmutz, to explain it to me.

Q: What is the Week of Solidarity?

A: It’s where we fast, and have lentels and rice for lunch and supper, in order to think about and pray about refugees around the world. We get put into groups, and each group represents a different country.

Q: How long does it last?

A: It lasts for a week. It started on Sunday night at midnight, and lasted until Friday at 5 pm. We all got together to celebrate and watched a movie about refugees.

Q: Why did you decide to get involved?

A: I wanted to get outside myself and pray for others, and to realize how fortunate we are and how grateful we should be for what we have.

Q: What was it like eating rice and lintels for 5 days?

A: At the beginning I didn’t like the taste, but after a while you get used to it. I put honey on it, and it was better.

Q: Any dizzy spells at all?

A: Nope. I got a headache at one point. A few people were feeling a little weak. Some people cheated a bit and ate some cafeteria food.

The Week of Solidarity is one of the most intense events put on by student council. Too intense, it seems, even for me. :-) And yet, to get the change of perspective from our normal, affluent lifestyle might be a very worthwhile thing.

Job Hunting

2010-02-20T20:38:00.000-08:00

Well, it's reading break this week. Reading break is where we get a time off classes -- either to get caught up, or just to go on a road trip to Minnesota, as some of my friends here are doing.

Personally, I'm taking this opportunity to catch up on school-work. I actually haven't done any school-work yet, however. Why?

Because it's job-hunt time, that's why.

Job-hunt time. The period of time between late December to May (for some it's April!) where students look for summer jobs. The four-month break is a really cool part of university. It's a huge opportunity -- here you have the chance to build your skills in a variety of job markets. And many of them are only or primarily open to university students. University life allows you to study and have the opportunity of working for a significant part of the year.

If you're looking for jobs and are going to be a full-time university student next year, I would suggest looking for government student jobs. There are literally tens of thousands of these jobs across Canada. To apply for federal government jobs, google "fswep" (federal student work experience program). There you can put yourself in a job bank to be called up for job opportunities. If you live in Canada, your province should also have its own student government job program: in Manitoba the program is called "STEP".

Good luck!

My Definition of Christian Spirituality

2010-02-16T10:10:00.000-08:00

One of the major assignments in my Exploring Christian Spirituality class taught by Gerry Ediger is to come up with a personalized working definition of Christian Spirituality. As food for thought, I want to share my working definition with you. This definition tries to get at what it means to be a Christian.

A Definition of Christian Spirituality

Christian spirituality is a life lived in God’s love
In self-acceptance and freedom.
Once this love, ever present, is realized,
then we are able more and more fully
to return God’s love and to love others.

In order to receive this closeness to God, it helps to spend time
cultivating an intentional relationship with God.
There is no “right” way to do this, but for guidance we can look to the spiritual disciplines
of Christians before us.
The end goal is towards relationship and away from alienation from God and others.

We can see examples of this inner transformation
In the people around us, and in the example we have in Jesus Christ.
Examples of people
unconstrained by the fear and anxiety which seizes so many
and instead courageously involved
in freeing others from this anxiety.

Renaissance Resoundings @ CMU

2010-02-11T21:17:00.000-08:00

[The unfortunate consequence of my attending Missionfest was me missing the CMU concert "Renaissance Resoundings". Fortunately some of my friends did go. What follows is a one perspective of the concert by my friend Beth. -- Edit]

Right! I recently attended a concert of Renaissance at CMU and subsequently spent a great deal of time and energy trying to convey to my good friend David just how magnificent it was. This struggle to overcome my awestruck speechlessness got me commandeered into writing the little tidbit you are now reading. So, here is my opinion on the grand affair. Some of my descriptions may be a little abstract for some but hey, it was a renaissance concert; expect the artsy.

The concert consisted mainly of songs in Italian, but there were also some in Latin and maybe two in English. There were two singers: a lady mezzo soprano, and a gentleman somewhere between tenor and baritone. The concert began with a second lady performing on the harpsichord. Now, if you have never heard a harpsichord…you are missing out. All ravings aside about how fantastic this woman was (like how her fingers seemed to dance over the keys while she herself remained completely serene and reverent in her playing) the sound of this instrument was nothing if not stirring. It sounds…like sparkling raspberry and apple pie. Warm low tones that seemed to wrap around you and hug you, and ringing high tones that made you tingle, all sprinkled over with a refreshing twist on the tonal precision you get from a piano.

The mezzo soprano singer was absolutely moving. Thirty seconds into her first rendition I was in tears. That has never happened to me before, so don’t ask me to explain it, but something about the way she sang just tugged at the heart-strings. A word often seen on vocal sheet music is expressivo; that’s her to a tee. Her facial expressions were so full of conviction that I felt I could understand everything she said, even though I don’t speak Italian or Latin. I won’t rant about how flabbergasting she was technically, but let me assure you most emphatically that she did some UNBELIEVABLE things with her voice. The runs she executed without ever muddling the sound, the way she married the head and chest tones to make the richest sound possible, or how her high notes seemed to dance in the ceiling… each could be a blog entry all their own. The gentleman who sang was equally impressive, and once again, I could talk for ages about his technical abilities. Both singers seemed to perform with a poise that spoke volumes more than I could about their obvious years of experience and study. I felt very blessed and privileged to be sitting in the auditorium listening to them.

Accompanying the singers were a flautist and a cellist. I cannot begin to tell you how delicious the sound is when an airy, shining flute, a warm fuzzy cello, a harpsichord, and two pro-grade singers join forces to tackle the musical genius that was the Renaissance. Think of the last time you had your favorite food for the first time in ages, or somebody gave you a piece of fantastic news; that kind of thrill is exactly what resulted. On top of all these wonders, one of the university’s many distinguished choirs graced us with a performance. The song I found particularly wonderful contained this line, “Here my prayer, and let my crying count.” The harmony of the voices echoing this plea… it made you want to pray. It was one of those songs that just gets under your skin and reminds you what a great and awesome God we serve; One who is ever present. I would close with the suggestion that God was deeply pleased to hear the music He inspired so many years ago brought back to life with such tender fondness as it was Friday night. Cheers!

Hanging out at Missionfest

2010-02-07T18:18:00.002-08:00

Hanging out at Missionfest.

On Friday, I attended Missionfest Manitoba with with a group of students. The event is sponsored by over 50 churches in Winnipeg and was taking place at Grant Memorial Church. It is an extravaganza of sorts with many organizations articulating their own understandings of Christian mission. Friday's event was a concert featuring Matt Brouwer.

The place was packed. Even though my own church wasn't a sponsor, I saw several people from my church there. Quite a few people from CMU showed up. As did some of my cousins. It's times like these when the church family really does feel like a family! I was just as surprised to see that my school was helping to sponsor the event and so of course I had to go to the pavilion and say hi!

Jesse Doell helping out at the pavilion

Overall,though, I got the sense that the event wasn't really targeted at me. There was a more subdued event next door for adults and if I hadn't been so enticed about the concert, I might have gone to that. Unfortunately, I had to leave before the actual concert -- it was one of those events which has a very long lead-up to the main thing. What I saw was a discussion with two missionaries from Guatemala where they talked about unconditionally following the lead of God. I could have enjoyed their point if I wasn't so thrown off by their presentation, which was of the uber-charismatic variety. The event seemed to me to be a bit like a crusade, where the faith gets over simplified for the sake of getting people going. Still, if I didn't connect with the content of the evening, I did enjoy the fun atmosphere.

The Burning Kettles, Alanadale, and The Natural live @ Park Theatre!

2010-01-31T16:15:00.000-08:00

Anthony Sweet has got to be one of the most relaxed people in the world.

Alanadale, the Burning Kettles, and The Natural (featuring Anthony Sweet, above) are three bands with strong connections to students here at CMU. Last Sunday, they performed a show at Park Theatre on Osborne. It was a last-minute decision to go, but it's a good thing I did! Here are some of the highlights:

Act I: The Burning Kettles

The Burning Kettles are a folk music band who play a variety of original pieces. What I enjoy most about them is the way they variate in interesting ways on songs I already know. I know the band through being friends with Rabecca Hill (centre of the picture).

Intermission

Rob Martins, a fellow student, is excited and ready for more!

Act II: Alanadale

I remember early last year when this band began. It was comprised entirely of CMU students, namely Thomas Krause and Josie Guenther (pictured) and George Dyck III. In this show they announced the addition of a new member on keyboard: Dale Thiessen. In most of their previous shows they had mainly covered songs written by others with their own unique spin. They are now performing more original material.

Gerald, Peter, and Krista -- "The Blowers".

In one of their songs "the blowers" (pictured above) were enlisted to provide some additional layering.

George Dyck III in his many varied musical talents.

And then, mid-way through the performance, the lights went down, the crowd grew silent, and George Dyck III took out a giant scroll and began reading an incantation. I didn't know what was going on until I saw a giant mysterious object gently floating down to the stage.

...This is Spinal Tap, anyone?

Act III: The Natural

The Natural is a band led by Anthony Sweet with Andre Forget, Colin Clay, and Alanadale's George Dyck III. They are hands-down my favourite CMU band. They have a very polished and diverse sound -- from the mystically quiet to the loud and driving. Anthony has been making music for quite some time. Although his band hasn't released any recordings yet, you can find some of his slower, stand-alone songs on cbc radio 3.

Andre Forget gets into the music.

We're here to rock!

The theatre was packed throughout the entire performance with many people I knew and many others I didn't. I had a great evening and I'm sure glad the three bands put their all into this show. Thank you! Thanks also to Matthew Veith for these pictures. Until next time!

Being Grounded

2010-01-27T17:03:00.000-08:00

In my spare time, one of the things I do is help out as a youth leader for my church. In this role I get to meet and connect with lots of youth and parents from both inside the church and around Winnipeg. We recently had a leader retreat in which we talked about how to better improve our program. It's an interesting question. As leaders, how can we share the love of Christ with the youth who come through our doors? As we discussed how to do this in one of our sessions, the idea kept coming up of being grounded in God -- the idea being that if we're not basking in God's love for us, then it is impossible for us to show that love to others.

   I know for myself that this is hard sometimes. It's so easy to forget that your ultimate worth as a human being doesn't come from anything you do, but rather comes from the fact that God, the creator, loves you. When I rely on my own efforts to show love to others, I can often fail. But if all I'm trying to do is reflect the love God has for me, then I can be loving.
   The thing is, I don't think this grounding should be an obligation. Instead, it should give us great strength to know that our lives are not solely up to us -- we can draw on God for strength. We are grounded in God when we let go of any negative energy, and focus instead on the positive loving force of God.

Back Home!

2010-01-11T20:49:00.000-08:00

I duck out of the frame on an interesting talk about politics to take this picture

The Christmas break really did fly by! I always feel kind of sad when everyone has to leave to go home for Christmas, but it's an important time to connect with family and friends back home. Well, now everyone's back and ready to go for a new term.

   At the beginning of the year we had a few days to settle in, but this time round we're launching right into the semester. The cool part about the second semester is the reading break in Mid-February. The workload is a lot easier to stomach for me if I know I'm going to be getting a break in the middle!
   This past week and weekend has been going really well for me. I've had a good start on my classes while at the same time spending lots of quality time with old friends and making some new ones. A group went out to see Where the Wild Things Are (which I would highly recommend if you're in an artsy, eclectic mood), and there's talk of skating at the Forks* tomorrow.
   Judging by how life is right now, I'm expecting 2010 to be a good year. I hope the same for you!

* "The Forks" is a really cool place near downtown Winnipeg, located where the Red and Assiniboine Rivers meet. These rivers, when frozen, provide a great place to skate -- I'm going to have to grab some skates at Value Village tomorrow!

Spirit

2010-01-07T20:14:00.000-08:00

So I'm sitting on a bus going somewhere downtown. And I'm people watching, because it's always interesting to do so. In front of me, there's this lady who is probably in her late 30s early 40s. She's in a wheelchair.

Immediately, what strikes me is this sort of cynical, detached look on her face. She has this angry, self-confident negativity written all over her features.

This makes me wonder. What if I ended up in a wheelchair for life? Would I look like her? And I realize that I would have a choice. That this sort traumatic event would change me and mold me as a person, and that I would have the opportunity to choose who that person could be.

It could turn me into a cynical, jaded person, who has lost the beauty and wonder of life. The kind of person who sucks life out of the people around them because they themselves aren't hopeful, aren't enjoying, aren't living.

I could turn into a jaded person. Or I could choose to keep the wonder, the optimism, and the joy. The tragic event of being confined to a wheelchair would not have to dampen my spirit. It could even perhaps help me in certain ways.

Which would I choose?

And then it hits me. I make this decision every day.

Will I keep the wonder, or will I let it die?

Nutcracker Musings

2009-12-29T13:03:00.000-08:00

This past Tuesday I had the pleasure of attending The Nutcracker, put on by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. One of the amazing things about Winnipeg is how artistic the city is. The Ballet is a case in point -- it's the longest-running ballet company in North America, and one of the best known!
In case you've never been to a ballet, it's a very unique form of theatre which has no dialogue. Instead, the story is given to you to read at the beginning of the performance. One of the most interesting things for me were the effects and set design. The set design was absolutely extraordinary -- changing from the inside of an early 20th century house to a majestic Greek courtyard. The outside scenes were believable with falling snow and a magnificent wilderness in the background. To say nothing of the dancing!

Watching the ballet got me thinking about the arts. CMU is a school which focuses on the arts. We live in a world which seems to put a lot of emphasis on specialization. It's best to be very good at something -- a marketable skill -- in order to get a high-paying job in that capacity. Statistics do show that a university education will help you get a higher-paying job. But if you were looking just to get education to land a good job, you could go to college and get out quicker. In my experience, a university education is more general -- it teaches you how to think. The skills you learn in university can help you in all of life.
I go to university not only to get a good job, but to educate myself, to develop individuality and to grow into my own person. Studying the arts helps you learn who you are, who you want to be, and how to express that person to the world. That expression may be in writing, art, ballet or theatre. It can be communicated in countless ways.

2009-12-25T15:02:00.000-08:00

Imagine you're walking down a road somewhere in the Middle East. You're thinking about your family, your friends, how dreadfully hot it is outside. Then suddenly off in the distance you hear the loud voice of some man yelling. And not just the voice -- you can see a crowd of people gathering around the speaker. They're obviously quite excited. As you get in closer you begin to hear some of the words that are being spoken. "Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the Kingdom of God. Blessed are those who hunger now, for they shall be satisfied." You wonder what this man is talking about.

Today we celebrate the birth of this man: Jesus Christ, God incarnate who changed everything. Jesus Christ, who removes guilt and shame. Jesus Christ, the savior of the world.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

A Writer's Rant

2009-12-23T07:28:00.000-08:00

It's important to be well read before writing a paper.

I've heard it said somewhere that the joy is not in writing, but in having written. This is true, at least for me. It's hard for me to fully enjoy the writing process, mainly because I'm such a perfectionist.
If you're lucky in university you'll have all your papers due within a few weeks of each other. This time around, I had two major, 10 page essays due on the same day. I spent most of my time (1 week) researching the first paper, and then wrote it and my second paper (which was only partially researched) in 36 hours. Throw in two smaller assignments also due on the same day, and I had 5500 footnoted words to be written in a day and a half.

The best way to start writing is with a clean and organized workspace.

It was crazy. Procrastination sucks. I managed to handle it without getting stressed, but that was only because I'm a second year and have gone through this process twice before, in each of my previous semesters. Paper writing was a new experience for me when I came to CMU a year ago. High school papers (at least in small-town Niverville) are a joke -- there would be times when I received top marks for a paper with one source: Wikipedia!
CMU offers a lot of help with essays -- you just need to talk to the right people (a good place to start is the library). It is thus very possible to get through school without pulling an all nighter (but where's the fun in that?!?)

Christmas @ CMU!

2009-12-06T22:23:00.000-08:00

A end-of-semester highlight for the musically inclined (which, let's face it, is more than 1/2 of us students) is Christmas @ CMU. This year it took place on November 28th. It was a musical buffet of sorts with three or four concerts happening all at the same time in different rooms all over north campus. Gentlemen: this is one of two ready-made date opportunities you're going to get as dorm students. The other is the Christmas Gala but that's not as musical (read: romantic).

This year I was singing in Men's Chorus (you can see my fellow performers above). Between performances there was time to catch some of the other music. And of course, to have a snack. A special room was set up so you could grab a hot apple cider and a few cookies. The students and staff baked 150 dozen cookies just for our beloved audience members!

If you missed out, you can still catch some of the performances on radio. If you live in Manitoba, tune in to either CFAM 950 or CJRB 1220 on December 17th at 2 pm. You can listen live online at CFAM's website.

Coffee House!

2009-11-18T19:29:00.000-08:00

   This past Monday night, the Arts and Entertainment Committee hosted a coffee house at the Blaurock cafe. It was a joyous night of musical acts by current students as well as alumni. These coffee houses are one of the highlights of living at CMU -- they give us a chance to hang out together.
   There were a wide range of acts, from duets...

..to solo performances.

One of my favourite performers was Brad (pictured above). He played some well known classy hits including "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga and a certain musical work of art by a very accomplished artiste.

Tying it all together were our fearless Arts and Entertainment leaders Carrie and Craig, doing some serious cooking in between acts. All I can say is that they got it done -- though perhaps not in the safest, most sanitary way. Amidst the egg shells and exploding nuts (they used a hammer) the final product (mysteriously taken out of a cardboard oven) was tasty enough -- once they removed the Safeway sticker!

And there you have it -- the coffee house experience. Does it get more quirky and awesome than this? I suggest, my friends, that it does not!

Soliders of Peace (Documentary Film Fest 2009)

2009-11-11T18:50:00.000-08:00

watch the trailer

The world is increasingly becoming a dangerous place. The only viable solution when all is said and done is to move to protect ourselves from the hostile international situation.

Right?

Soldiers of Peace suggests a radical alternative to this stereotype. Several remarkable examples show that people can learn to solve their problems with conversation and tolerance as opposed to war. This, the film says, is something essential that we need to learn sooner rather than later.

This film addresses some key themes with war. Why do people go to war? Is war actually helpful? Instead of the negative cycle of violence, the power of conversation is advocated.

One memorable story highlighted in the film was of Pat Magee, a former IRA (Irish Republican Army) bomber. He was convicted of planting and deploying a bomb in a hotel in Brighton England. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet were staying in the hotel on October 12, 1984 when the bomb exploded. Five people were killed. One of the victims (who lost her father in the blast) met with Magee after he was released from prison. They have met over three dozen times because they both believe their meetings are helping them cope with what has happened.

This movie isn't for everyone. It can drag on at times. But it does present a unique and positive view of world conflict and shows how people are finding less harmful ways to address it.

Documentary Film Fest 2009!

2009-11-11T11:03:00.000-08:00

What's going on in our world today? What are the problems, and how can we work to fix them? These are the questions explored in CMU's annual Film Fest, put on by the Peace and Social Awareness Committee of Student Council.

The films are being shown this week. They are:

Solders of Peace

Pray the Devil Back to Hell

Blue Gold

Food, Inc

I may be posting some reviews up on here. Stay tuned!

Time to Kick Back/ Happy Halloween!

2009-10-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

It's late October and it's getting to be that time of year again. Profs suddenly have an almost unhealthy interest in you. What's your essay about? What sources are you consulting? Do you have your ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY done yet?!?

I don't need to be reminded that my essays won't write themselves -- but sometimes it's necessary to get away from the books for something completely different. I've arranged to volunteer at Lower Fort Garry (a national historic site north of the city) for their Halloween Ghost Tours event. Creepy characters in the historic buildings, an autopsy going on in the visitor reception centre, phrenology in the Governor’s house. You get the picture. Contrast is necessary in student life.

And so this past Sunday, I invited some people to come and check it out...

Creepy...

I hope you're having a great Halloween weekend!

International Student Chapel and "Taste the World" Event

2009-10-16T16:25:00.000-07:00

   Today I made time to go to the International Student Chapel, which is an annual event put on by the International Student Committee.  CMU students from around the world were asked to describe their experiences of God in different countries. Elisa from El Salvador was one of those students. I thought I'd share her comments with you.

Please close your eyes and let me take you to the beautiful country of El Salvador.
Imagine being enclosed in a courtyard --
   surrounded by a garden, with lush exotic plants...
   and open air.
Above you see big dark clouds rolling in the distance...
They fill the sky -- the world begins to darken.
A flash of wind whips through the courtyard
   but only for a second.
Then the earth becomes completely still.
In the distance -- you hear thunder.
The sky above is black.
Quarter size rain drops pour from the sky
   Free falling to the ground.
Within seconds your senses are overwhelmed by warm rain.
Salvadoran children with hearts of sunshine run outside to dance
thrilled to celebrate this moment.
A second later sweet Salvadoran music plays.
Your senses are overwhelmed by God's glorious creation and beauty.
Everyone is dancing in adoration.
It's astonishing to be alive.

After the chapel, we were all treated to a sampling of food from locations all around the world.

There was quite an array!
This was a friendly reminder that not everyone comes from the same background and experiences as me. People have differing perspectives and tastes. Part of what university is supposed to do is teach you to have an open mind and welcome new ideas. Sometimes this can be very hard. Take, for example, different conceptions of God. I want to be comfortable with that tension between speaking my mind while being respectful of others.

Thoughts on Gratitude

2009-10-12T14:21:00.000-07:00

I’m really happy Thanksgiving is here. It’s good to head home and see old friends and family again. Our first snowfall here was on Friday (I love the first snowfall!) The past few days have been really relaxing.

   This past Sunday, a friend of mine was speaking at church on gratitude. Gratitude, she said, was a feeling or emotion of thankfulness. Expectation is crucial to feeling thankful. So your feeling of thankfulness is directly related to how high or low your expectations are. As a Canadian, I have a roof over my head, I eat well, and my life has a certain stability about it. I can have high expectations and take all of that for granted, chasing after what I don't have, or I can cultivate thankfulness in my life by realizing what I do have.
   In one of my classes I'm reading a book called Life on the Vine by Philip D. Kenneson. It describes gratitude as something that you cannot work towards. You cannot work on being thankful. Rather it is a letting go of responsibility and striving that allows you to rest and be thankful, and only God can help you do that.
   Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Mennonite Writing

2009-10-02T19:00:00.000-07:00

I walk down Portage to the University of Winnipeg not knowing quite what to expect from this event. I’m in the middle of reading Rudy Wiebe’s book Peace Shall Destroy Many (which I’d heavily recommend) my first exposure to the work of a real “Mennonite” fiction writer. I met a few big-name Mennonite writers yesterday at an evening of readings: Rudy Wiebe, Patrick Friesen, Sarah Klassen, and David Bergen. These authors tuned me into some “Mennonite issues”.

The most interesting part for me is the panel and roundtable discussion on “The Future of Mennonite Writing.” Many of these writers were shunned to varying extents by their families and friends due to their brutally truthful, offensive material about Mennonite life. Several of them make a point of saying how they have left the church, and sometimes their faith altogether. I’m getting that writing yourself out of your community is part of what it means to be a Mennonite writer.

The discussion centers on the connection between pain and suffering and good writing. Rudy Wiebe poses the question of how Mennonite writing could have a future in a time when Mennonites in North America are quite well-off and aren’t subjected to the same anguish as to in the past. I immediately wonder why we assume we have to be suffering in order to express ourselves. I appreciate a later comment, which gives the assurance that we will find enough suffering simply in living life and in that we could “be encouraged” and not lament the temporary absence of it!

A prominent Mennonite businessman then got up to make the obviously volatile suggestion that perhaps the next generation of Mennonite writing should branch out and start focusing on a Mennonite perspective of the world in general. What he's suggesting is that instead of making a career out of writing about what has been hurtful and inane about small town Mennonite life, we need to “live into” and embrace new topics, writing from the strengths of the Mennonite community, realizing its flaws but affirming all that is good about it.

This comment draws a stark reply from Patrick Friesen, who asserts that writers should never be told what they should write about, that writing should arise organically, and so on. It’s rather sad that Friesen knocked the discussion down before it had started, because a very valid point was made: how long will there be an audience for Mennonites complaining about the oppression of their upbringing! We need to “live into” our churches and our communities, inviting others in and “sharing the love”. Perhaps too much of our energy has been spent lamenting the past in what could be considered our own selfish way.

"The Quest for Metal"

2009-09-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

I’m not sure if any of you are history buffs like I am, but I’m really having fun in my West in Global Context I course. It’s an intro course which looks at world history to 1500, and it is taught by Brian Froese, our lone History prof here at CMU.

He was suggesting that we rename this course “The Quest for Metal”, saying that the discovery of better and better metals was crucial in the survival of civilization in the ancient days. I don’t know about you, but that’s certainly not the first thing the title makes me think about.

Masks

2009-09-21T11:00:00.000-07:00

I was in an interesting situation this month—I went to Camp Arnes (a retreat centre about an hour north of the city) two weekends in a row on different retreats! This second one I was helping to lead. I came back from that retreat a few weeks ago with some food for thought I want to share with you.

The speaking topic on this retreat (aptly named “Neked and Shameless”) dealt with the masks we wear. In which ways do we hide our true selves from others in order to be gain acceptance? It seems that many of us change ourselves from time to time in order to hide weaknesses and/or gain friends.

But will our wearing of masks actually get us what we seek, or does it get in the way of developing strong friendships with others? The speaker suggested that the whole concept of masks is a “scam” and simply doesn’t get us what we seek, fragmenting friendships and creating alienation over the long-term.

Camp Arnes Retreat!!

2009-09-20T15:23:00.000-07:00

The Camp Arnes retreat. Where do I begin? Like many CMU-sponsored events it all began with us getting into two white vans the afternoon of September 18. A bumpy bus-ride later and there we were, ready to rock it.

I must say that the Student Life staff had this retreat well-planned. One of my favorite events was the “Menno-Run”. The instructions were a little vague, but I managed to catch on that we were all Mennonites in Russia and that the KGB were after us. We were led to a corner of the camp and told to run to the other side without getting caught. It took a half hour of stumbling around before I found myself sprinting across an open field with several “KGB Agents” at my back. I made it. Others weren’t as lucky.

While not as glamorous, I spent a lot of time around the campfire, singing worship songs, and getting to meet some of the commuter students. Lots of people had fun swimming (Camp Arnes has a great pool and hot tub) but as I packed for the retreat in about 2 minutes flat, I was a little unprepared.

It was a good way to finish off summer. I came back rested and peopled out, which is a perfect recipe for homework!

Decisions, decisions

2009-09-14T12:31:00.000-07:00

We’re getting to that time of year when course change forms have to be handed in, and I’m choosing a new major—History! Castles and battles and fur trade posts—that’s where my interest lies. Last year I allowed myself to sample various courses to see what I liked, but now it’s time to get down to business.

This is for me (and many other students) a time of many decisions. It can seem like everything is going on at once. Auditions, courses, new and old friendships, and to top it all off--finances! I have to remind myself to just hang in there!

Tansitions

2009-09-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

What did you do this past summer? I spent it at Clear Lake (that’s 1 hour north of Brandon, in Riding Mountain National Park). I didn’t even know the place existed until I got the interview, but it was really cool go to a place I’d never been and make new friends and live there for three months. Getting off work at 11 in the evening with work early next morning, trading in sleep in favor of getting my co-workers together for a screening of “10,000 BC” (which I actually don’t think is that bad, no matter what everyone I know says)… priceless.
Seriously, though, I find transitions difficult sometimes. The change from summer job to university dorm living is more trying than most. It only made it worse that I enjoyed my summer so much. I want to go back to university, and yet I really want to stay where I was. Mixed feelings are funny. Of course, there's only one way to go, and that's forward. Time to create new experiences!

In the Beginning

2009-09-08T16:00:00.000-07:00

It's true. "What's true?" you might ask. Well, CMU now has a student blog. I'm not sure how we survived without it all these years, but here it is.
   I’m David, and I am a second year student at CMU. Which basically means that I'm not as nervous as last year and that I have everything figured out this time round. (Right...!)

   Thinking back to my first day here this semester, I'll admit it was chaotic. I am so lucky that one of my friends from grade school has joined me at CMU this year. On the morning of September 7th he was much more prepared than I was. As in I hadn't really packed much. We got what was important (like my friends' humongous boom box). But we arrived mid-afternoon and it was from there that the chaos really started: navigating the overflowing parking lot and dragging in box after musty box of things my mother had thrown in the vehicle right before we left (do I really need last years' notes?) The first order of business (naturally) was signing up for the Camp Arnes Retreat, and then it was people, talking to housing, course registrations, more people...you get the idea.
   The first week was where I could meet my profs and all the first years, enjoy the good weather, take in all the welcome events as possible and in general enjoy the good life before those pesky assignments start getting in the way.
   In a few days, I'll blog a bit about the retreat. In the meantime -- have a good one!