Personalities Under Pressure

     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).

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!

A Well Done Prank

     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

     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

     

     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

     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

     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

 

     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"

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

     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

     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

     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)

     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

     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

     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!

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

     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

     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...

     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

      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

     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

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

     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

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

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

     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

[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

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!

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!