Female First Year Rep

My name is Jennae Marriott and I am in my first year at Bethany College. And in many ways, my life has been dramatically altered since the moment I stepped on campus three months ago. Surprisingly it is already almost the end of the first semester, and everything has moved and changed so quickly.

Have you ever been on the highway once the sun had gone down, without anybody around? That eerie, yet peaceful moment when you can see nothing but the few feet in front of you illuminated by your headlights? There is no telling what could be a mile in front of you, and no guarantee at what will greet you at your destination. This I like to compare with my life, and only recently since being here had I seen the effects of this. My life is that highway, and so often God has come along side me in order to assure me that the path I’m taking is where I am meant to be, though I can only see the few feet in front of me. Yet God has proven that his light is so much greater, and he has a plan and a destination waiting for me. Bethany has made this journey to be much more calming and reassuring as God has taken the driver seat and I’ve made such amazing friends who have joined along.

I was elected to be the female first year rep on Bethany STUCO, and I have never been more grateful for a leadership position. In the past few months, the ability to be a part of a team in which everybody brings such fresh and exciting ideas to the table, yet still takes the time to really care for one another and the student body as a whole has been incredible. It has taken me head first into the community that Bethany encourages and promotes in its students.

My biggest passion in life is the relational side of life. Loving and caring for the people around me and being able to talk about concerns, cares and comments surrounding life and school gives me great joy. The community at Bethany stretches and tugs at every string to pull people toward deep friendships and great communication with one another. These friendships have led me to get in touch with amazing examples Jesus and his love. Teachers and students alike are ready to jump up and lend a helping hand when something or someone is down.

Each day new struggles pour themselves out as I continue to grow, and each day new joys and successions are waiting to be uncovered. I am heavily involved in much of the music at school and this has led me to such amazing relationships with new people. My voice teacher and friend, Susan Goerz, has poured out God’s spirit of love, patience, kindness and faithfulness, as have many of the teachers. Pushing and prodding each student to grow and learn with each step, no matter how small or large they may be.

So for every turn of the wheel and every push forward, stories are created, relationships are built, and teachers are cheering from the side. Only five months left and many more turns left in the road.

Chipmusic

Music has always been a hobby of mine, it’s something I’ve done for fun. I started playing piano when I was 6 years old, and though I dreaded it at times I kept with it. Soon it became fun for me, and I would just sit down and play whatever came into my head. I decided to use this talent for God’s glory and started playing for offertories and later for worship bands. I continued classical piano training until I took the exam for my grade 8 in piano. Around this time I started getting interested in composition and began writing full pieces using a keyboard and my computer. These pieces ranged from electronic to full orchestral arrangements and were a fun way to stretch my musical horizons. I developed a proficiency at improv piano, meaning that I could sit down at a piano and play, making up a song as I go along. In the summer after I graduated from Grade 12 I received an old game boy colour as a gift from a friend. This got me started in a medium called chipmusic – the making of modern music using old game consoles. Throughout the summer and the next year I learned and posted songs on some online communities for this underground music culture. In April of my first year at Bethany I entered an online international chipmusic competition, and place 2nd overall. This was very exciting and so I’ve kept up with chipmusic as a hobby since then.

While I didn’t choose to come to Bethany exclusively for its music program, it certainly is a boon to the college. Bethany has opportunities both for using musical talents in service, giving glory to God, and also opportunities to develop those talents through music lessons and ministry teams such as Point of Impact and Fixed on Faith. I took advantage of this and auditioned for the Bethany House Band in my first year (a student-run band that leads worship in chapel time every Friday). It was a great experience and continued to stretch my piano talents, and help me learn how to play in a band. This year I’m back at Bethany again, I feel I’ve improved a lot from last year and am excited to be playing with House Band again this year. I’ve continued with my chipmusic, and recently was invited to play at the Nuit Blanche art celebration at the Winnipeg art gallery. Nuit Blanche is an international art day in celebration of under-appreciated art forms, the art gallery in Winnipeg decided to focus on gaming culture as an art form. It is a large event, with more than 4000 predicted attendees.

Throughout the rest of this year, I plan to work towards recording a solo piano album here at the school, and look forward to playing my Eigenharp (a new electronic instrument) as a contribution to House Band.

By: Chris Penner (2nd Year)

Check out his websites:
http://zef-music.bandcamp.com/
http://www.facebook.com/zefmusic

Or listen here:

http://soundcloud.com/zefmusic

A word from the President

By Howie Wall

Many things have happened this summer at the college and in my day-to-day life that have caused me to stop and like Mary the Mother of Jesus, "ponder these things in her (my) heart." NIV translates Luke 2.19 as "but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often." I suggest this is an understatement, but it does describe a return of these things to Mary's thoughts on a regular basis.

This summer my wife Judy and I had the chance to fulfill one of our dreams which was to go to Paris, France. While there, we enjoyed going to art galleries, seeing historic monuments and sights, and touring some of France's oldest cathedrals and churches. We had the chance to climb to the top of Notre Dame de Paris and view the city from high above, climbing to the top of one of the cathedral's bell towers. On the way up, we were able to enjoy face-to-face contact with some of the many gargoyles that adorm the exterior. This gargoyle is said to be the most photographed gargoyle of the cathedral, and probably in the world. This gargoyle has watched over Paris from this spot for several hundred years. It has seen the day-to-day comings and goings of life in Paris and the plaza below, along with many monumental events including the terror, anarchy, and strife of the French Revolution, but also seeing celebrations including weddings and coronations of royalty and emperors.

Spending time in Notre Dame de Paris, we saw that Mary the Mother of Jesus is highly revered not only in this cathedral named in her honour, but also in most Catholic churches throughout France. France is described as a formerly Roman Catholic country, where now, the church has little or no influence in the lives or affairs of people.

This summer, like this gargoyle, I have been watching the happenings going on around me. In the last four months, I have seen God work miracles in terms of provision for the college. As a family, we are experiencing the miracle of life anticipating becoming a grandfather of a granddaughter before you return in September. I have been hoping for, but not seeing, a miracle of reconciliation in friends' lives and in their marriage that is rapidly breaking apart. I have discovered that there has been a lot of healing in my family's life over the loss of our son a number of years ago during a time this summer where I was praying for and empathizing with a family, who too experienced the loss of a young adult child.

God continues to work miracles today, and like the gargoyle watching over the city of Paris, I find myself watching day-to-day life around me, and like Mary, considering all these things. I find myself saying frequently, "Isn't that interesting how God is working?"

Social Insurance Number...

By Lisa Braun

Does this look familiar? These scenes will be replayed again this fall - orientation in the chapel, and registration in A105 classroom and the library. For first years, no need to worry - the entire Orientation/Registration process is designed to help you as you make decisions for your semester and year. Helpful faculty, staff, and students are positioned all along the way to assist you with your questions and paperwork.

This is a reminder from the Business Office that your Social Insurance Number (S.I.N.) is required during the Registration process this fall. Don't forget it!

Remember- if you have any questions about Opening and Arrival, keep checking the blog and facebook. Or email us your questions - maybe someone else has the same one! Thanks. We are looking forward to seeing you all soon! lbraun@bethany.sk.ca

Job Posting Page

By Lisa Braun

Did you know that there is a new employment tool on the MB Herald and Canadian Conference of MB Churches site?

Well, there is.

Check it out.


http://www.mbconf.ca/home/products_and_services/resources/publications/mb_herald/jobs/