Let us therefore no longer pass judgment on one another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of another.
Romans 14:13 (NRSV)

News

Linda Tedford, director of choral activities and founder and conductor of the Susquehanna Chorale (ensemble-in-residence at Messiah), won high praise and standing ovations from choral professionals at the American Choral Directors Association Eastern Division Convention Feb. 8 in Baltimore, Md. The Chorale was among 18 choirs, and the only community choir, to receive a coveted invitation to perform. Among the other choirs invited to perform were the American Boychoir, the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum and the Rutgers University Kantorei.

Messiah 411

John Fea to present Annual Lectures on Religion and Society

The Annual Lectures on Religion and Society explore the many ways that Christian faith and public life intersect. This year we are honored to have Messiah’s own John Fea deliver the lecture “The Complex Connections between Christianity and the American Nation” on the contested issue of how much and how closely Christianity is intertwined with the history and identity of the United States of America. He will be speaking in the Tuesday, Feb. 25 in chapel and also at 7:30 p.m. in Parmer Hall. No tickets are required for the evening event.

President to host Open Door Day Feb. 28

President Kim Phipps will host an Open Door Day Friday, Feb. 28 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. to meet individually with students and employees on topics that are important to them. Open Door is an opportunity for you to speak with the president in her office on the second floor of Old Main. The president’s conference room adjacent to her office is used as a waiting room. A schedule for these dates and times may be found on the president’s webpage. Please call the president’s office at ext. 5220 if you have any questions.

Fire extinguisher training available Feb. 23-28

Think you know how to use a fire extinguisher safely? This report says, “think again!” Please take the time to view it—it may save your life.

There are still open slots in the hands-on fire extinguisher training sessions being offered the week of Feb. 23-28. These sessions are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so sign up now! The actual training session will consist primarily of a demonstration of the use of the extinguisher and then the opportunity for each participant to experience hands-on training in extinguishing the “fire.” Training on the types of fires and extinguishers as well as initial instruction on the P.A.S.S. system for using extinguishers will be provided to employees via a Qualtrics training program that must be completed prior to attending the hands-on session. This Qualtrics training is available by clicking on the following link.

To sign up for a session, go to MCSquare, “Employee” tab, “Employee Training Session.” Click on the session (date/time) that you wish to attend and follow the instructions for registering. If you have any questions regarding this training, please contact Donna Fink at ext. 5038 or Valerian Curd at ext. 6747. Please inform your supervision of the session for which you register.

Nominations for Pride in Performance Awards due Feb. 28

Have you been impressed or inspired by the contributions made by a fellow employee during the last year? If so, please consider nominating that colleague for a Pride in Performance Award. The Pride in Performance Award is used to recognize an employee based on the following criteria:

• The employee has consistently demonstrated exceptional performance and remarkable proficiency in his/her assigned duties.
• The employee has demonstrated hospitality, customer focus and has been active in promoting a pleasant working environment.
• The employee has demonstrated dependability, innovative ways to manage work and effective problem-solving.
• The employee has been committed to professional development and enhancing his/her skill set.

Your recommendation will be confidential; only the employees selected as award recipients will know that their names were offered for consideration. Prior recipients are not eligible to receive a subsequent award for three years. See the list of prior recipients here. Nominations must be submitted, using the Pride in Performance Nomination form found here by Friday, Feb. 28. Further information on performance awards can be viewed here.

The recipients will be announced at the Employee Recognition Reception in May. All questions regarding nominations should be directed to Kathy Castonguay in human resources, at kcastong@messiah.edu.

See “Girl Rising” March 3

Human resources and compliance and student affairs are partnering to bring the film “Girl Rising” to campus on Monday, March 3 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 faced 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. View the trailer here. For more information, contact Kathy Castonguay, human resources and compliance, at kcastong@messiah.edu or Christy Hanson, Career Center, at chanson@messiah.edu.

Cultural Series concludes season with Tim Warfield Sextet March 8

Nationally known, award winning, York native and Messiah College artist-in-residence saxophonist Tim Warfield Jr. will be joined by some of the finest musicians in jazz Saturday, March 8 at 8 p.m. in Parmer Hall of the High Center. Joining him will be trumpeter Terell Stafford, vibraphonist Stefon Harris, pianist Cyrus Chestnut, bassist Rodney Whitaker and drummer Chris Beck. Contact the ticket office at ext. 6036 or visit messiah.edu/ticket. All seats are $25.

Announcing an enrollment‐centered redesign of messiah.edu

The office of marketing and communications (OMC) is excited to share with the campus community an important new initiative―a comprehensive redesign of the College’s external website, www.messiah.edu. The redesign is planned to launch in Aug. 2014, in time to support the fall student recruitment season. Read the attachment for more details.

Participate in Educational Technology Day

Educational Technology Day is Wednesday, April 2 and we would like your help. We are looking for faculty and staff who are willing to participate in an expo demonstrating some aspect of technology that you have found very helpful. For example, you may have a favorite app or method you have found helpful. If you are interested and want more information, please contact Scott Weaver at sweaver@messiah.edu.

Ladder safety reminders

Did you know that OSHA has several standards governing the use of ladders in the workplace? To comply with these regulations, Section 13 of the College’s Safety Manual establishes consistent safety practices for the use of ladders on campus. See attachment for complete information.

Summary Annual Report for Messiah College Employee Welfare Benefit Plan available for review

Messiah College is required to publish a summary of the annual report for the Messiah College Employee Welfare Benefit Plan. The report for the period of July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013 is attached. This has been filed with the Employee Benefits Security Administration as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

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Job opportunity:

Dining Services has an immediate opening for the full time position of Catering Lead. For additional information and to apply, please see https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/3075. Job-related questions may be directed to Mark Wirtz, director of dining services, at mwirtz@messiah.edu.