Jesus: the Peace that Matters (Peace it Together Day 1)

     Jesus: the Peace that Matters.

     This year's Peace it Together youth conference brings it all back to the centre of our faith.  What does Jesus' story tell us about peacemaking?  Over the course of the next three days, our speakers will be asking what topics like food, politics, and power have to do with how Jesus lived.

     We are hosting nearly a hundred youth from across Canada right here on campus for the weekend.  I say "we" because CMU students help in crucial ways.  Some of us help with the creation of the schedules, we help present PIT small group sessions, we run events, and we host students in our dorm rooms.  We are intensely involved.

  

     Our guests started arriving at 3 pm.  Many of them are related or friends with current students, giving the afternoon the feeling of a family reunion.  Care packages from home were brought by younger siblings.  The noise was loud at times as our guests arrived full of energy after travelling for hours.  We welcomed PIT students with music (and  dancing!)

Nothing welcomes students like a PIT version of "I need a Hero".  Nothing.

   

     After supper everyone went to Chapel for our first session.  The PIT series concerns the three temptations Jesus endured after he fasted for 40 days in the desert.  The first was for Jesus to turn stones into loaves of bread.  The second was for Jesus to jump off the temple and let his angels save him.  And in the third temptation, Satan offered Jesus control over all the nations of the world if Jesus would worship him.  

     The room was packed, and as we sang with the worship band it was incredibly loud.  Kenton Lobe, a current CMU professor, spoke on food issues.  Today, he said, we have almost a billion people in the world who experience hunger every day, and another billion people who struggle with chronic obesity.  We watched a video of struggle set to frantic piano music that symbolized many of our busy, frantic lives.  Why do we feel such a need to be busy all the time?  And finally, is there a connection between our busy lives and the way we eat our food?  Do we need to pay more heed to Jesus' response to this temptation, that people need the word of God as well as bread?

     In the evening, PIT students went on the walk-a-mile to meet each other, and then chilled out around campus until late into the night.  But not too late.  Tomorrow is going to be very busy!    

Tales from a Church Basement: Mennonite Disaster Service Trip

     Minot is a small city in North Dakota.  Last July, a huge amount of rain by the Souris River flowed south, causing over 11,000 people to be evacuated.  The ground was so saturated with water already that this additional rain proved devastating for the community, destroying thousands of homes.  
     Last week I went with Mennonite Disaster Service to Minot with a group of CMU students to help in the rebuilding process.  We were housed in the basement of a local church and worked in different groups helping rebuild homes.  
     The week was one big party.  We would wake up at 6:30am, go to work at 8am, get back at 5pm, and then eat supper and hang out until very late.  I got the chance to make friends with people I don't see often in school.  

Here's what stuck in my head about the week:

1.  Having only three showers in a single bathroom that had to therefore be designated as a men's or women's washroom at any particular time.  After working for 11 hours straight.  With a tiny hot water tank.  7 women.  4 men.  You get the picture.  Long waits and cold showers for most.  

2.  We were working on the home of a wonderful lady who brought us cookies and Sunny D and coffee every day at 3pm.  It was the highlight of our day.  Then, one afternoon, the members of another of our crews came over on a break.  Which was great.  Except they proceeded to be so happy and excited and make so much noise that the lady heard the noise and decided not to come that day.  Grrr...!

3.  We also had some really late nights.  2-3am when we had to be up at 6:30 in the morning.  What did we do with our time?  A Monopoly game (with one player who stated flatly that she did not want to play but then played anyways and refused to sell any of her properties to anyone), Criss Angel videos, and talking.  Lots of talking.  About the flood, about how the people were doing in Minot, and about why some of the long-term volunteers were here.  It was interesting being exposed to a very different perspective.  

Carrying bunk beds into a church.

I know it looks like an MDS promotional picture, but he actually is having this much fun.

     CMU school trips like the MDS one are like the "icing on the cake" in our university experience.  It's cool to be able to help others, and to go representing our school.  

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Theologies of Power

     What do you think of when you hear the word power?   Do you get a postive or negative image?  How do you see power dynamics at school or at home?  
     These were some of the questions in my head when I signed up for the upper-level Biblical studies course Theologies of Power.  It's taught by Irma Fast Dueck, who teaches Practical Theology.  The readings for this course were so interesting that I wanted to share some insights:

1.  Generally in arguments or conflict situations, each person firmly believes that the other has more power.  Fear of how the other person will use their power is one of the main motivations for inappropriate behaviour. 

2.  The Myth of Redemptive Violence.  Redemptive violence is the belief that violence brings peace.  According to theologian Walter Wink, this is the most widespread "religion" in the world.  It can be seen in children's shows where the hero destroys the "bad" person, and they disappear.  Violence brings peace.  In reality, violence tends to continue until someone refuses to return evil for evil, and thus stops the violent cycle of "getting even". 

3.  Although the term "power" carries a negative meaning for many people, the term can be seen as neutral.  Power is an energy that exists in relationship with others that can be put to good or bad use. 

     This course is pushing me in many ways.  I'm hoping that it will improve my leadership skills and provide a more positve view of power generally.


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Have Faith

     The room was packed.  Residence students and commuters as well as over forty prospective students lined the room as pastor Doug Klassen took the stage.  Doug had been living at CMU all week while he ministered to students, listened to their problems, prayed with them, and gave several talks at chapel and Wednesday Night Worship.  Now he was giving his final chapel talk before leaving for his home in Calgary.  
     Some time ago, Doug had received a hospital call.  As he hung up the phone his heart sank, because he had just been called to the delivery ward.  He walked in the door to see a young woman in tears.  Her baby was more than a month premature and she was about to go into labour.  Doug sat down and asked her what she wanted him to do.  
     "Pray for me and ask God to stop the delivery," she said.
     Doug put his hands together, and started to pray.  "God.."
     The woman clasped his hand.  "Look at me," she hissed.  "Look me in the eye.  Do you actually believe that God can do this?"
     "W..well yes."
     "No, no no.  Do you actually believe that God can stop this delivery?"
     Doug found his resolve.  "Yes.  Yes I do."
     And Doug started to pray.  "God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, I beg you to stop this delivery.  Please assert your power over this situation and save this child..."
     He prayed for several minutes.  The trembling didn't stop.  Then he took a Bible and began reading through Psalms.
     Doug walked out of the room an hour later.  The woman was asleep.  Later he found out that she had been discharged without incident from the hospital.
     There are, of course, many possible explanations for this story.  Perhaps Doug calmed the woman down, saving the child.  Or maybe she wasn't actually about to go into labour.  But this story isn't new.  Doug has seen miraculous things like this enough times that he cannot but believe that God has real and undeniable power.
      But do we actually believe that?  Do we as Christians actually believe that God has power over situations, so much so that God can cause positive healing in people's lives that we might not have ever thought possible?  Because until we do, Doug says, any sort of change that we attempt in our churches in order to draw people in and to be truly relevant to them -- all of that will be of limited helpfulness.
     What will help?  Doug's answer is simple.
     Faith.


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Pastor in Residence

     We have had Pastor Doug Klassen with us all week as our Pastor in Residence.  CMU brings in a pastor for one week every year.  It's an opportunity for students to learn about pastoral leadership first-hand, while also being able to take in some talks and maybe ask for some wisdom.  
     Doug is from Foothills Mennonite Church in Calgary.  He talks about the various nudges God has given him along the way towards becoming a pastor, and also the unique challenges that leadership brings.  Speaking to the CMU student leaders, Doug focused on how one lives with the tension of being a leader on campus - being a Residence Assistant, or Commuter Assistant, or a member of Student Council.  He advocated direct communication, humility, and avoiding an overbearing style of leadership.  
     Doug spent some time in the Blaurock this week, which is the student run coffee shop on campus.  I managed to catch the tail-end of his time yesterday, and over Tim Hortons doughnuts we talked for half an hour, even though he said he only had about ten minutes.  It's good to have him on campus, and I look forward to hearing him speak in chapel today!

Ministry Quest

     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!

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!

     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!

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!

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!