But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.
Ephesians 4:15-16 (NRSV)
News
Thanks to all of you who sent kind and supportive notes, cards and messages about my father’s illness and recent death. I have always greatly appreciated being in such a loving community like Messiah.
John Addleman, associate provost for graduate and nontraditional programs
Thomas J. Chilcote, associate professor of accounting, recently earned his master of divinity degree, graduate with high distinction, from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and was licensed to The Gospel Ministry by Bible Baptist Church of Shiremanstown, Pa. Tom regularly visits and ministers in a chaplaincy capacity at Cumberland County Prison, Manor Care Nursing Home (Camp Hill) and Bethesda Mission.
Rachel Cornacchio, associate professor of music and director of music education, served as the guest conductor for the Franklin/Fulton All-County Festival High School Chorus. The students who participated are among some of the highest achieving—musically and academically—in their schools, and they were selected by their teachers to participate in the festival. One hundred and thirty students representing eight schools participated in the two-day festival.
During spring break, Ted Davis, professor of the history of science, will deliver two public lectures at Arizona State University. He will also be part of a panel discussion of science and religion, along with three faculty from ASU: Physicist Paul Davies and Jewish studies professors Norbert Samuelson and Hava Tirosh-Samuelson.
Raeann Hamon, distinguished professor of family science and gerontology, was recently elected as chair-elect of the Family Science Section of the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR). Founded in 1938, NCFR is the oldest multidisciplinary, nonpartisan professional organization focused solely on family research, practice and education. NCFR members are professionals dedicated to understanding and strengthening families. Hamon’s term as section chair-elect (2014-2016) will begin at the conclusion of the 2014 annual conference in Baltimore, Md. At the end of these two years, she will move to section chair for two years (2016-2018) and then move to the position of past chair for two years (2018-2020).
Messiah College Dance Ensemble performed two jury-selected dance works for the modern dance concert, “Downtown Dances: Front Back” and “In-Between” on March 9 at the Ware Center in Lancaster, Pa. Gregg Hurley, lecturer in dance, choreographed “Remnants and Residua” for the dance concert and Marie Cleaves Rothacker, adjunct dance instructor, created “Rise and Fall.”
At the end of this academic year, Carolyn Kreamer, professor and chair of the department of nursing, will be retiring after 28 years of service to Messiah College. Kreamer will be leaving behind a robust and vibrant nursing program which she helped to develop and nurture during 15 years as the department’s chair. Nancy Woods, associate professor of nursing, will be replacing Kreamer as chair of the department.
Congratulations to George Pickens, professor of theology and mission, who has been selected to participate in the seminar on “Teaching Interfaith Understanding” that will be held at DePaul University in Chicago, Ill. Aug. 3-7. Pickens is one of only 25 faculty members selected for this seminar from well over 100 nominations. The seminar is sponsored by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) and the Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC).
Congratulations to Emerson Powery, professor of biblical studies, who was invited by North Park Theological Seminary (Chicago, Ill.) to give the Lund Lectures in September 2015. These two lectures, named in honor of Nils Lund, former dean and prominent New Testament (NT) scholar, will address a “significant NT theme” and be geared toward “students who are preparing for ministry.” Also, since this occasion overlaps with North Park’s annual Symposium on the Theological Interpretation of Scripture, they’ve invited him to give a paper on “Race and Racism” (2015 conference theme) as well. “The purpose of the symposium is to have scholars committed to the Christian faith and tradition do theological interpretation of Scripture for the church.” Powery was part of this symposium in 2003.
William Stowman, professor of music, served as guest conductor for two elementary band festivals comprised of beginning band students. On March 8-9 he worked with students in the Pennsbury School District annual Fifth Grade Honors Band featuring students from across the school district. After rehearsing on Friday evening and Saturday morning, Stowman conducted the students in a concert at Pennsbury High School on Saturday afternoon. On March 11 he served as guest conductor for the Mechanicsburg Area School District for their annual fourth and fifth grade band festival. Students will be featured during a district-wide program on March 25 at Mechanicsburg Middle School.
Messiah 411
International Banquet tickets go on sale March 17
Tickets for the International Student Association/Mu Kappa (ISA/MuKappa) annual spring banquet go on sale to the general public Monday, March 17. Prices are $14 for adults, $8 for Messiah College students and $6 for children (12 years old and under). Scheduled this year for Saturday, April 5, the International Banquet is hosted each spring by student clubs ISA/MuKappa. The purpose of the banquet is to celebrate and promote global awareness and diversity within our campus community. This popular event has limited seating and sells out each year. Plan to purchase your tickets early to have a better chance of getting in. To purchase tickets, contact the Ticket Office at ext. 6036 or visit the Ticket Office on the main floor of Eisenhower Campus Center.
“Relax and Stretch” sessions available on Fridays
The wellness program is offering employees a noon-time “Relax and Stretch” opportunity. Led by Ellie Addleman and senior HHP students, this will be a lunch break that will help you relieve stress. The sessions will be on Fridays in Larsen 237 from 12-12:45 p.m. Employees who attend four of the eight sessions will receive 15 wellness points. Make your Friday afternoons more productive by taking a relaxing lunch break that enhances your well-being. No need to register—just show up. Feel free to bring your lunch (as long as your eating is not distracting).
Spring Pilates class begins March 25
The wellness program is sponsoring a six-week spring Pilates class that you are invited to join. The class will be held on Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. in the Hostetter Fellowship Hall. The first class will be Tuesday, March 25. The registration fee, which covers all six classes, is $15. All participants must pre-register and pre-pay at the front desk in the fitness center (upper level of Sollenberger Sports Center). Classes will be taught by certified Pilates instructor and HHP adjunct professor Mindy Smith. This class is open to both beginners and advanced.
March Wellness Workshop offered March 25
Plan now to attend our March wellness workshop titled “Healthy Spirituality for Everyday Lives.” The presentation will be based on the text from John 5:7, “Do you want to be well?” Led by Eldon Fry, this will be the next workshop in our series of spring workshops emphasizing ways we can more effectively manage the stress in our lives. Come and hear why spiritual wellness is such a vital part of the picture. The workshop will be held on Tuesday, March 25 from 12:15-1 p.m. in Parmer Cinema.
Spring Yoga Class starts March 26
The wellness program is offering a six-week yoga class for interested students and employees. The class will meet on Wednesdays from 12-12:45 p.m. in Hostetter Fellowship Hall beginning on March 26. The registration fee of $15 covers all six classes. Participants must pre-pay and pre-register at the front desk in the fitness center. Dr. Linda Henninger, a certified Yoga instructor, will be teaching the class.
Shredding Solutions on campus for confidential document shredding March 26
On Wednesday, March 26, Shredding Solutions will provide a shred truck on campus that will be accessible beginning at 11 a.m. The shred truck will be located in the service area parking spots outside Hoffman Hall and will be available 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Please use this opportunity to purge your office/work areas of documentation that contains confidential information that has met its retention requirements and is no longer needed. See attachment for complete information.
Back by popular demand “Girl Rising” returns to Parmer Cinema March 31
There is a second opportunity to view the film “Girl Rising.” It will be shown on Monday, March 31 at 7 p.m. in Parmer Cinema. Developed by 10 ×10, a social organization seeking educational equality for underprivileged girls across the globe, “Girl Rising” tells the moving stories of several of these girls, with help from some of the most recognizable female voices of today. The film spotlights unforgettable girls like Sokha, an orphan who rises from the dumps of Cambodia to become a star student and an accomplished dancer; Suma, who composes music to help her endure forced servitude in Nepal and today crusades to free others; and Ruksana, an Indian “pavement-dweller” whose father sacrifices his own basic needs for his daughter’s dreams. Each girl is paired with a renowned writer from her native country. These girls are each unique, but the obstacles they face are ubiquitous. Like the 66 million girls around the world who dream of going to school, what Sokha, Suma, Ruksana and the rest want most is to be students, to learn. Directed by Academy Award-nominee Richard Robbins, “Girl Rising” received an 88 percent “Rotten Tomatoes” rating. For more information, view the trailer here or contact Kathy Castonguay, human resources and compliance, at kcastong@messiah.edu.
Please note: Loung Ung, Cambodian author and human rights activist, will be on campus on April 30. She authored the first segment in “Girl Rising.”
Save the date for Educational Technology Day April 2
The Educational Technology Committee is pleased to announce the third annual Educational Technology Day on Wednesday, April 2 from 1-5 p.m. The theme for the day is “Enhancing Learning, Organization and Productivity through Technology.” The emphasis for the day is learning from students and from each other.
Student keynote panel 1-1:30 p.m. in Parmer Cinema
A student panel will discuss how they use technology on a daily basis, how they use technology to enhance learning and productivity and ways they like to see technology used in education.
Demonstration Expo from 2-4 p.m. in the Library Learning Commons
Students, faculty and staff will demonstrate various technology tools that they use to enhance learning, organization and productivity. Come for a single session or enjoy the entire event. Also taking place at the Expo will be an Educational Technology Think Tank discussion that will focus on creating a think tank of local high school and college educators around the topic of educational technology. Stay tuned for a more detailed demonstration expo schedule in the coming weeks.
Faculty Keynote Panel from 4:15-4:45 p.m. in Parmer Cinema
Faculty from the School of Humanities will discuss how they have used technology to enrich classroom experiences and connect with the larger community.
Additional information can be found on the Educational Technology Day website. We hope that you and your students can join us for all or some of the day’s events.
Important information for those who signed up for April 4 biometric screening
If you registered for the biometric screening on Friday, April 4, you need to pay your $15 fee and complete a brief address and phone number form in the fitness center sometime Thursday, March 13 between 7 a.m.-6 p.m. The fitness center is located on the second floor of the Sollenberger Sports Center above the pool. Remember, the phone number you submit must be a cell or home number, not the College’s number. Checks should be made out to Messiah College, or you can pay cash.
Invite someone you know to Messiah’s Open House on April 12
Do you know a student who’s in the college search process and may be a good fit for Messiah College? Consider inviting them personally to visit our final undergraduate open house of the academic year on Saturday, April 12. Students can take a closer look at our 80-plus majors, tour campus, enjoy a special lunch in the dining hall and spend time interacting with Messiah students, professors and staff. Students and their family members can register online to attend. We invite you to share this link with prospective students and their family members, along with the reasons you love being a part of the Messiah College community! We would love to have them visit and extend them a warm welcome for the day.
Alumni invited to participate in Service Day
Service Day is a time-honored tradition at Messiah College rooted in the College’s commitment to serving church and society in the spirit of reconciliation. As we visit alums across the country, this commitment to service continues to be a common thread still thriving within our community even after leaving Grantham.
In that spirit, you’re invited to join us for an alumni service project for Service Day 2014. As a student, you experienced this wonderful tradition while serving at Special Olympics and around our local community. We’d like to continue that tradition by inviting alumni back to serve on campus alongside other alumni and current students.
Can’t make it to campus? We are encouraging alumni to serve right in their own communities and share your stories with us. Click here to learn more!
There are two on-campus alumni Service Day project opportunities this year:
Wednesday, April 9
Project: Help assemble lunches for volunteers and participants for Special Olympics.
Time: 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. (lunch will be provided.)
Thursday, April 10
Project: Campus painting projects
Time: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. (lunch will be provided.)
Interested in serving through one of these projects? Email alumnievents@messiah.edu by April 1.
Serving in your own community?
Let us know! Let us know the details of your service here and share photos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #MCServiceDay. Photos can also be emailed to alumnievents@messiah.edu.
“Live and learn” this summer with Messiah’s summer online undergraduate courses
You can make the most of your summer and still earn the college credits you need with the flexibility of Messiah’s online summer courses. Messiah’s eight-week online summer session, which runs June 9 to Aug. 1, provides a personal, interactive experience that works around your summer schedule. Messiah’s summer courses are completed in nearly half the time, and are discounted more than 50 percent as the same courses that are offered during the fall and spring semesters.
Courses are open to current students (college-level and qualified home-schooled and high school students), employees, alumni, parents, community friends and anyone who would like to further their education. All courses are taught by Messiah professors, offering an online educational experience that reflects Messiah’s commitment to academic excellence. Registration for summer session begins April 14 and runs until June 2. If you, or someone you know, would be interested in registering or learning more, visit messiah.edu/online.
Previous Wellness Workshops now available for viewing
If you were unable to attend a wellness workshop this year, but don’t want to miss out on all the great information shared, we’ve got good news. The presentations are now available for viewing online. Simply go to MCSquare, “Employee” tab, “Employee Quicklinks,” “Wellness Workshops.” Three workshops are available right now: “Tips for Surviving and Thriving with Cancer” by Sandy Bush; “Packaging Puzzled? Deciphering Food Labels” by Amy Porto; and “Stress and Our Bodies: Hitting Above the Belt” by Doug Miller. Look for the workshop led by Phil Lawlis and Krista Cochran to be available soon. Employees who were unable to attend a particular workshop, but view it online, can still reward themselves with 15 wellness points.
Updates to Emergency Action Plan
The College’s Emergency Action Plan is found in section 14 of the Safety Manual. Some recent updates to the plan include preparation for the emergency evacuation of a single building. (Evacuation of the campus is covered under the College’s Crisis Management Plan.) See attachment for complete information.
Campus Ministries connection
We have begun a movement in chapel that focuses on the “Polarities of Worship.” Once we begin to see all of life to be lived as worship, it challenges the messages and values of our culture. It is not a matter of “if we worship” but rather “who/what.” Pastors Curry and Coleman spoke to how we might prayerfully see our lives lived as worship to glorify God. But, at the same time both were authentic in identifying both internal and external resistances to living such lives. In the tension of such polarity we are called to make choices. Pastor Coleman described it as choosing which path we will follow. Her metaphor was opening the eyes of our heart. The worship team called us to reflect on the love of Christ as a motivation for worship. The challenge is, will we embrace God’s love to be “living sacrifices” (Romans 12:1) with all of our life as proper worship?
Classified
For rent:
House — Three bedroom, 2.5 bath ranch house approximately two miles from campus at 18 Pine Tree Dr., Mechanicsburg. It has a one-car garage and full basement with a nice sunroom on the back and private yard. All appliances included. Photos and more info are available here. For more information, contact kslabaugh@messiah.edu, bslabaugh@gmail.com or rental agent, Ken Peek at ken-peek@hotmail.com.
Outside organization announcement:
Grantham Church presents concert— Enjoy an evening with Jenny Oaks Baker, Grammy-nominated and internationally acclaimed violinist. She will perform a stunning program across several genres with an ensemble of six Saturday, March 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Grantham Church. Admission is free. Come at 6:45 p.m. to a gallery reception featuring the art of Sandra Bowden. A gypsy jazz trio will be performing at the reception. See more information here.
