If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Johns Hopkins University Press has just released a book by Ted Davis, professor emeritus of the history of science. Protestant Modernist Pamphlets: Science and Religion in the Scopes Era reprints ten very rare pamphlets about “Science and Religion,” originally published between 1922 to 1931, the years surrounding the famous trial of John Scopes for teaching evolution in a Tennessee high school. The introductory chapters narrate the story of how the pamphlets came to be written, who read them, and how they were used in churches and university classes. The book is the only one of its kind, using previously overlooked correspondence and magazine articles to present and analyze the religious views of eminent Protestant scientists from the period between the two world wars. Sessions featuring scholars responding to the book will be held at the Presbyterian Scholars Conference in October and the American Historical Association in January. More information is at https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/12468/protestant-modernist-pamphlets.
________
Congratulations to the Department of Business students that competed in the Microsoft Excel College Challenge this past weekend and are currently ranked #4 after Round 1. The students had two hours to solve three case studies involving quantitative skills and data analysis. As a result of their efforts, Messiah University is currently ranked ahead of several notable institutions such as Princeton, Columbia, Duke and NYU, among others. The next round of competition takes place in two weeks where following Round 2, the top five teams will be invited to compete in the finals which will take place in Las Vegas.
________
On Sept. 19, Professor of Marketing David Hagenbuch presented two papers at the Marketing Management Association Conference in Santa Fe, NM. One paper involved AI ethics and the other was about using Mindful Marketing to teach a business ethics course. In addition, on Sept. 27, he served on a panel in Harrisburg that discussed artificial intelligence for the Pennsylvania Society for Association Excellence.
AROUND CAMPUS
Messiah University Department of Theatre and Dance presents: “By the Bog of Cats”
Messiah University’s Department of Theatre and Dance is proud to present our first production of the 2024-2025 season, “By the Bog of Cats”, opening on Oct. 3 in Poorman Black Box Theater!
“By the Bog of Cats”
Written by Marina Carr
Directed by Daniel Inouye
October 3-5 at 8 p.m.
October 6 at 3 p.m.
Poorman Black Box Theater, Climenhaga Building
This production contains prop weaponry and is intended for mature audiences only. Viewer discretion is advised.
“Loosely based on Euripides’ tragedy Medea, this is the prophetic tale of Hester Swane, an Irish Traveller, who attempts to come to terms with a lifetime of abandonment in a world where all whom she has loved to have discarded her. Set on the bleak, ghostly landscape of the Bog of Cats, this provocative drama discloses one woman’s courageous attempts to lay claim to that which is hers, as her world is torn in two. Hester’s long-term lover, Carthage Kilbride, with whom she has a seven-year-old daughter, is selling her “down the river” for the promise of land and wealth through a marriage with the local big farmer’s daughter. In the final moments of the action, we witness a woman provoked beyond the limits of human endurance. By the Bog of Cats is a furious, uncompromising tale of greed and betrayal, of murder and profound self-sacrifice.” -Publisher’s description.
Estimated run time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.
Tickets: $10—Adults; $7—MU Students (w/ID), MU Employees (w/ID), Youth (under 18) & Seniors (60+)
Tickets can be purchased online at messiah.edu/tickets, by phone at 717-691-6036, or at the door as available. Discounts are available for groups of ten or more.
Employee Worship Service – Tuesday, Oct. 8
Everyone is invited to Employee Worship on Tuesday, Oct. 8, from 9:30-10:15 a.m. in Hostetter Chapel. An employee choir will present special music, along with congregational singing, and a special message by President Kim S. Phipps. We hope to see you there!
Join us for the Religion and Society Lecture
Dr. Yolanda Pierce, professor and dean of the Vanderbilt Divinity School, will present the 2024 Religion and Society Lecture on Thursday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in Parmer Hall.
Dr. Pierce is an accomplished theologian, scholar, and educational leader. She has written several books, essays, and articles for academic and trade journals including Time Magazine; The Christian Century; Theology Today; and Christianity and Literature. Pierce has also been the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including fellowships from the Ford Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, the Pew Foundation, and the 2023 Martin E. Marty Award for the Public Understanding of Religion from the American Academy of Religion.
The lecture is free and open to the public.
2024 CultureCONNECT
Please join the Department of Communication for the 2024 CultureCONNECT event, “When the Talking Gets Tough: Gracious Hospitality and Civil Discourse,” Monday, Oct. 9, at 6:30 p.m., in Hostetter Chapel.
President Kim Phipps will moderate a panel of faculty, staff and students as they discuss navigating difficult conversations.
Pizza and snacks will be available at 6:30 p.m.
No tickets required, but space is limited to 250.
Trivia Night: America Edition in the Library – Friday, Oct. 11
You are invited! Put your knowledge to the test on Friday, Oct. 11 at Trivia Night! Doors open at 6:45 p.m. and trivia starts at 7 p.m. at Murray Library! Gather your colleagues, form a team and test your knowledge of all things American. We have a wide range of questions that will challenge your understanding of the red, white and blue. We will have four rounds of trivia to test your knowledge in a variety of categories related to American history, civics, presidents, geography and more. All Messiah staff are invited. Teams can include up to six players. Awesome prizes await the top three teams!
October 2024 library newsletter
What’s new in the library? Read our October newsletter containing the latest news on library services, collections, events and more! Read the newsletter on Mosaic. https://mosaic.messiah.edu/lib_pub/55/
New travel agency partner
Attention Messiah University travelers!
We are thrilled to share some exciting news with you regarding our travel management services. After careful consideration and thorough evaluation, we are pleased to announce the selection of a new travel agency, Collegiate Travel Planners (CTP).
Key benefits of our new travel management supplier include over 31 years of experience in higher education travel, online booking capabilities and a dedicated support team.
If you travel for the university and you would like to learn more, please join us for an upcoming virtual training session where you will learn:
- How to get started with Collegiate Travel Planners and Lightning Online Booking Tool
- How to access and set up your profile
- How to find the right travel options quickly
- Tips for staying on top of your travel while on the road
Choose one of the following virtual training sessions:
- Wednesday, Oct. 9 | 11 a.m. – noon
- Thursday, Oct. 10 | 2 – 3 p.m.
- Tuesday, Oct. 15 | 1 – 2 p.m.
Click here to request access to the Lightning Online Booking Tool and sign up for a training session (details will be sent after registration). Sessions will be recorded for your convenience.
With CTP, you will have the option to book your own travel (or arrange travel for someone else) using the Lightning Online Booking Tool, work with an agent on Messiah University’s dedicated travel team or work with a CTP groups agent for groups of 10 or more.
* Your ID must be added to the online booking tool prior to making travel arrangements. Click here to request access.*
For more information – including important links, check out the Preferred Travel Agent website.
Contact Steph Sechrist (ext. 2497) with questions.
Brad Wilcox to speak on “Marriage and the Common Good,” Oct. 15
Brad Wilcox, professor of sociology and director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, will speak on “Marriage and the Common Good: How the State of Our Union Depends Upon the State of Our Unions” on Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. in Parmer Hall. The lecture is free and open to the public and will be followed by a book signing of Dr. Wilcox’s recent book Get Married (HarperCollins, 2024). This event is sponsored by the Messiah University Honors Program, the Department of Human Development and Family Science, and the American Enterprise Institute.
CLASSIFIEDS
Job opportunities
The Department of Safety has an opening for a part-time administrative assistant. Job related questions may be directed to Brad Neuenschwander at dneuenschwander@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, visit: jobs.messiah.edu/postings/27989.
The Graduate Counseling Program has an opening for a full-time administrative assistant. Job related questions may be directed to Leah Clarke at lclarke@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/27462.
Student Financial Services has an opening for the full-time position of financial aid counselor. Job-related questions may be directed to JR Harris at jrharris@messiah.eduFor more information and to apply, please see: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/27762
The Oakes Museum of Natural History has an opening for a part-time museum teaching docent. Job related questions may be directed to Helena Cicero at hcicero@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: jobs.messiah.edu/postings/27929.
The Department of Engineering has an opening for a full-time director, Collaboratory for Strategic Partnerships and Applied Research. Job related questions may be directed to Brian Swartz at bswartz@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: jobs.messiah.edu/postings/26566.
The Department of Safety has an opening for 3rd shift safety officer/dispatcher and a 3rd shift safety officer. Job related questions may be directed to Daniel (Brad) Neuenschwander at dneuenschwander@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/26686 and https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/27658
Dining Services has an opening for a full-time catering supervisor, a full-time cook and a part time cook. Job related questions may be directed to Mark Wirtz at mwirtz@messiah.edu For more information and to apply, please see: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/27727.
Campus and Building Services has an opening for a full-time 2nd shift supervisor. Job related questions can be directed to Laura Price at lprice@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: jobs.messiah.edu/postings/28043.
Dining Services has an opening for a full-time cold food prep cook (pantry lead II). Job related questions may be directed to Mark Wirtz at mwirtz@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: jobs.messiah.edu/postings/27974.
Campus and Building Services has a variety of full and part-time campus and building services worker openings. Job related questions can be directed to Laura Price at lprice@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: jobs.messiah.edu.
The Department of Education has an opening for a full-time faculty in education. Job related questions may be directed to Beverly Pitcher-Johnson at bjohnson@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: jobs.messiah.edu/postings/27681
The Department of Education has an opening for a part-time adjunct professor of education- EDUC 415 – Evidence-Based Practices in Early Childhood Education. Job related questions may be directed to Beverly Pitcher-Johnson at bjohnson@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: jobs.messiah.edu/postings/28037.
For sale
Master’s gown. Master’s level academic gown, sized for 6’3” to 6″5″. Very good condition and clean. Asking $25 or best offer. Please contact me at sfunck@messiah.edu.
Needed
We need a 15-passenger van driver for a trip to Dulles Airport on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 2:30 a.m. This year, the Into the City program is in Denver. Our flight leaves early on Saturday morning. We are offering a $100 stipend. If you would be able to help us, please contact Dwayne Keiffer at dkeiffer@messiah.edu.
OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS
Susquehanna Chorale announces 2024-25 Concert Season
Season subscriptions and tickets are now available for “A Kaleidoscope of Song,” the Susquehanna Chorale’s 2024-25 concert season.
The Chorale is a nationally acclaimed adult chamber ensemble of forty-four auditioned singers founded in 1981 by Artistic Director and Conductor Linda L. Tedford. The group is known for its commitment to artistic and expressive performance of a wide-ranging repertoire.
Conductor Tedford has said that the Susquehanna Chorale’s 2024-25 season features music ranging from the sacred and deeply profound to light-hearted and fun. It is filled with songs like the endless possibilities found in the changing patterns of a kaleidoscope which reflect the many colors of human experience.
The Youth Choral Festival kicks off the season on Sunday, Nov. 24, at 4 p.m. at Messiah University’s Calvin and Janet High Center for Performing Arts, Mechanicsburg. The Susquehanna Chorale’s beloved Youth Choral Festival reflects the joy of lifelong singing and features performances by the 150+ voices of the Chorale’s educational choirs for children, youth, and young women, as well as the Susquehanna Chorale. The program concludes with the combined choirs performing the powerful and moving Anthem of Peace.
The Chorale’s highly anticipated Candlelight Christmas concerts will feature Messiah University Brass and Percussion in Gloria Fanfare, The Dream Isaiah Saw, Welcome All Wonders, as well as familiar settings of Christmas carols. The Chorale will honor the memory of the late Alice Parker by singing several of her carol arrangements. Following Chorale tradition, the audience will be invited to sing several Christmas favorites, and the concert will conclude with the beloved Silent Night, sung by candlelight around the audience.
Performances are on Friday, Dec. 13, at The Church of the Brethren in Elizabethtown, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec.14, at The Calvin and Janet High Center for Worship and the Performing Arts, Messiah University, 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 15, at Market Square Presbyterian Church in Harrisburg, 4 p.m.
Our spring concerts, titled My Spirit Sang All Day, will begin with the spirited processional, Wana Baraka, welcoming all to the concert. You will hear exquisite settings of psalms and prayers, music of early America, as well as love songs and folk songs from a variety of styles. The popular Short People, What Shall We Do with the Drunken Sailor, and Buffalo Gals will provide moments of entertainment and fun for all.
Performances are Friday, May 16, 2025, at Derry Presbyterian Church in Hershey, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, May 17, 2025, at Market Square Presbyterian Church in Harrisburg, 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, May 19, 2025, at The Calvin and Janet High Center for Worship and the Performing Arts, Messiah University, 4 p.m.
Season subscriptions and concert tickets are on sale now. Subscriptions can be purchased through Oct. 31. For tickets or subscriptions, visit www.susquehannachorale.org/performances or call the Messiah University Box Office at 717-691-6036 and choose option 1. Group discounts are available when ten or more tickets are sold at the same time. For information or group purchases, call the Messiah University Box Office.
We will be offering a Livestream/On Demand option for patrons who are unable to attend in person! Please check the Chorale website for additional information about this ticket option.
The Susquehanna Chorale is a recipient of Chorus America’s most prestigious award, the Margaret Hillis Achievement Award for Choral Excellence. They have also been considered for GRAMMY-nomination several times for their recordings.
In 2011, Conductor Tedford was honored by the American Choral Directors Association of Pennsylvania with the Elaine Brown Award for lifelong commitment to excellence and leadership in the choral art. In 2013, she received Theatre Harrisburg’s Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts in the Capital Region. In 2022 Tedford was the recipient of the Central Penn Journal’s Circle of Excellence Award.
The Chorale is funded, in part, by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.