Time to Get Practical: Redekop School of Business

     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

     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

      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

     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!

     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!

     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!

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

Last Week of Classes

     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

     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....