Digital edition available at facebook.com/thebeacononline
THE BEACON Volume 67, Issue 5
Thursday, February 2, 2017
Introducing Ratio Christi Many of you are probably wondering what the deal is with this “Ratio Christi” ministry that has suddenly appeared on the Crandall University campus in the middle of the school year. Hopefully this article will help to answer some of your questions. What is Ratio Christi? à Ratio Christi (Latin for “the reason of Christ”) is an international apologetics movement that works in conjunction with the church and the university to equip students to defend and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the university campus. What is apologetics? à The word ‘apologetics’ comes from the Greek word apologia, meaning “defense.” The Bible instructs all believers to “always be ready to give a defense [apologia] to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). Therefore, all Christians are called to be ready to defend the truth of the Christian faith. What is Ratio Christi doing at Crandall University? à Ratio Christi is providing opportunities to equip students in three crucial ways. First, there is the RC Chapel Small Group titled “Biblical Models for Evangelism and Apologetics” where, as the name suggests, we are doing an in-depth expository Bible study of key passages pertaining to evangelism and apologetics. It is held every Monday at 11:30 AM in SH252. Second, there is the RC Apologetics Club where we openly discuss issues pertaining to the truth of the Christian faith. No topic is off limits. We can discuss anything from “Does God exist?” to “Did God commit genocide in the Old Testament?” Both Christians and non-Christians are encouraged to come to the club as we engage in discussion on these relevant issues. The club is held every Thursday at 6:00 PM in MH294. Finally, to put what we learn from the Bible study and apologetics club into practice, we will as a group be doing outreach and evangelism in the community. How can I stay informed about the Ratio Christi Chapter at Crandall University? à The best way to stay informed is to follow the “Ratio Christi at Crandall University” Facebook page, or to sign-up to receive weekly e-mail updates. For more information, visit RatioChristi.org or contact the Ratio Christi Chapter Director, Cody Guitard, at crandallu@ratiochristi.org. The Ratio Christi office is MH132, right across the hall from the I. T. S. Department.
Keeping Up With the CSA #CUaftertheoutage January 24th 2017: It all started with one simple stamen made as two young campus dwellers walked through the freezing rain back to their residence after a day of studying. “Percipitation is so cool! God is so creative,” one of them said. And so began the events of #NBicestorm2017. If you are wondering who said this I’m afraid I’ll have to leave you in the dark, but Bronwyn Bustin…you know who you are. A Tuesday evening power outage was nothing short of exciting on campus! Students ran through the halls of Mitton Court scaring one another, trees fell in the back yard, and pods in Coulburne had massive sleepovers. Things got especially interesting when the following dialogue took place over text message between Marybeth and myself: Allyson: Everything good on your side of campus? MB: To the best of my knowledge. Are you okay over there? Allyson: We are good. Having issues with firearms. But everyone is fine. In case you didn’t catch the joke “firearms” and “fire alarms” are spelt very similarly, and let’s just say Marybeth had me on the phone pretty quickly…Fire alarms were indeed going off. In fact, they went off all night and displaced a floor of girls at 3am. Luckily Dr. Olhouser had our backs and postponed classes that morning. By early Wednesday afternoon plans were being made to provide a warmer space for students to spend the night. After taking a moment in the Situation Room to envision the pillow-top massacre that would be students carrying their beds from Colburne to the school, we decided to compromise. So off the honourable Matt Wheaton went, still dressed in his professional attire, to pick up a Uhual truck. To his own misfortune, first-year student Ben Dunnett helplessly got dragged along only because he was the last person to call my cell phone. Taking a short road trip to a local summer camp with those two is, needles to say, and experience I won’t ever forget. Over the next few days many events took place across all corners of the school. After convincing one student that showering in the Murray locker rooms wouldn’t be that big of a deal and that no one ever hardly ever goes in there, it was to their own misfortune that the entire basketball team walked in during Saturdays halftime. That wasn’t the only bad advice given. Thinking their fish would be safe in Colburne, another student went back to residence the next day to fing that their fish tank had experience its own ice storm overnight. Moving back into the residences Monday, I’m not sure what was harder for students: walking into a very cold bedroom, or knowing that our benevolent dictator, Sheldon McLeod, wasn’t going to bring them Pizza and a dog at 9pm anymore. Although a power outage is not entirely the ‘ideal’ situation, it is wat we were faced with for the time. What I continued to reflect on over this past week is how unique our community here at Crandall truly is. In a time when people were displaced, tired, and just wanting to feel normal, many people poured out small (or large) acts of kindness that made a world of difference for displaced students. Whether it was bringing people coffee in the morning, snacks in the evening, hosting fellow classmates, or taking them to buy groceries, these are the moments that define us not just as a student body, but as the student body of Crandall University that strives to serve those in need. So, what did I learn most from my experience? Well, a few things to say the least! For starters, I learned that I definitely don’t have enough data on my phone for a week-long power outage. I also learned that I don’t know anything about electricity. Finally, I learned that the basketball team will pretty much do anything to have their practice held, including moving all the girls from the gym to Stultz. As inconvenient as this power outage was, we as a student body have many people to offer our thanks to. The amount of work and off the clock hours that various staff (Sheldon, Marybeth, and Crystal to name a few) put in to make sure the student were properly cared for was endless. The kitchen staff worked hard to prepare and serve twice as many meals, and our maintenance team worked around the clock making sure our buildings were safe and secure. As someone who gets to experience a student and professional perception of Crandall Housing I can truthfully say to all my peers that we are all in good hands here at Crandall. -Allyson Caldwell
Much Ado About Nothing The Bible. Perhaps the most widely distributed book on the planet. It is full of great stuff, like “‘For I know the plans I have for you’ declares the Lord.” or “Love your neighbour as yourself.” But I cannot help but notice that the bible is also full of, odd, weird, slightly amusing, and disturbing stories and phrases. These peculiar tidbits of the biblical canon are scattered throughout the entirety of the bible. We could first look at things such as Song of Solomon, the love letter which describes a woman’s neck as an ivory tower, and her naval as a rounded goblet which never lacks wine. Just for the record gentlemen, don’t use that as a pickup line, it won’t work. Or even a book such as Revelation, which describes a beast with seven heads and ten horns (which seems rather inequitable) and resembled a bear, leopard, and lion. A beast which is almost as scary as a president with zero political experience. But these have prophetic and poetic licenses due to them. But what does one do with David bringing back 200 foreskins to Saul so he can marry Saul’s daughter? (1 Sam. 18:23-27) The original request was 100, David doubles that. Why? That’s just plain awkward and a little bit morbid. I get the whole dowry business, but I think I would have just stuck with money. Or how about the time Jesus curses a fig tree to death. (Matt. 21:18-22) I get that Jesus may have been hungry, but it still seems a little harsh. The time when some young boys make fun of Elisha’s baldness in 2 Kings 2 is another awkward moment. They are met with a punishment of death by bear mauling. That happened. I guess the moral of the story is be nice to your local bald prophet. Samson slapped 1000 Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey, killing them as was his nature. (Judges 15:14-15) Even in some of the more noted biblical stories, we don’t really stop to think about the comedy or obscurity of them. For example, can you picture a teenage David running off to Jerusalem with the head of a nine foot giant in his hand? (1 Sam. 17: 51-58) I guess my question is, why don’t we hear sermons about this stuff? Is it too weird and too out of place? Or is it all just not positive enough for a Sunday morning? Anyway one might look at it, it is in the bible, so it could probably use some public exposure just as much as the other stories commonly used. I think people could benefit from knowing the full story, and not just part of it.
Noah Lohnes is a third-year student in the Business and Bachelor of Theology programs. Fun fact: He can quote the entirety of Veggietales: The Lord of the Beans.
Wild Crandall Memes:
Welcome to 2017! I stood in front of almost 100 people at last year’s 2016 kick-off for Soma Church and remarked at how much God had truly blessed Soma through 2015. Now we have come to that same point as we look back at 2016. 2016 truly was an amazing year. We witnessed some of our coolest services ever, with new speakers, new people, and new partnerships. Soma transferred its leadership, and now is led by an entirely new team. Soma also became a partner with the CSA ensuring a strong future to come for Crandall’s student led church. One thing has certainly proved true over both 2016 and 2017 for Soma; we have taken things one step at a time, but there is no doubt that God has been with our church for each step. As we start 2017 with all of our goals and resolutions still firmly in our grip, it seems prudent that we set our gaze most confidently on God. One such verse has been with me throughout the last month. In Matthew 13:44 Jesus tells the story of a man who finds a treasure in a field. He then hides the treasure again, goes home and sells everything that he has so that he can buy the field! What an illustration for Jesus to make in only one verse. Life with Jesus really is a treasure, greater than anything you could have ever had before. Furthermore, life with Jesus really does signify this type of reaction; abandoning all that came before for this new treasure that makes all else pale in comparison. That is my prayer for you in 2017. Once you find this treasure remove all else, and the sin the so easily entangles and run to that new, amazing, treasure, eager for a new life that is so much more incredible than anything that came before. Micah Knowles is a 4th year Communications student and Bachelor of Theology student. Micah loves Jesus, hunting/fishing, Emily, sports, Josh and Ben, and long walks on the beach. He once killed a chicken with a spear. If you want to talk to Micah about getting involved with Soma you can text or call him at 506-232-3319
Dystopia Now Crandall’s Black Market University: an economic Hell for many. And with the rising costs of post-secondary education, more and more students are turning to campus markets in search of second-hand textbooks. Unsurprisingly, with the amount of students desperate to buy and sell, the market has become cutthroat, with many purchases being hijacked by con artists and thieves. In fact, recently, I myself was nearly swindled out of a sale. The incident occurred when I answered a want ad for an English textbook. Before I could Seal the Deal™ I was undercut by fellow student who attempted to press me into a bidding war. Fortunately, I was able to secure the sale; however, even after the dust had settled I was still disgusted by the actions of this loathsome goblin-boy. I fear I will never recover from the dreadful sneers that haunt my nightmares. “I can sell it to you for HALF of what this guy offers.” “No! Noooo!” I wake up in a cold sweat and I pray for the well-being of my fellow merchants. If you wish to dabble in the arts of thrifting, I suggest you to proceed with caution. Christian Arsenault is a third-year English/Education major. He can usually be found playing Runescape on World 72 near the Barbarian Village.
Young Leaders in the Workforce It seems silly to think about summer jobs this early. However, deadlines are coming and exams will be here before we know it. Summer 2017 comes with great opportunities for summer jobs and longer term internships for both returning and graduating students. Our government, provincial and federal, is working hard to make sure Canadian youth will be working. There are a couple options in Ottawa that will give you an inside scoop to life on Parliament Hill. Graduating Students: The Parliamentary Internship Program, started by the Canadian Political Science Association is a ten-month long internship giving you the chance to work with a Government MP and an opposition MP within this time frame. This program runs from September to June, but 2017 applications are due on January 31st – so freshen up those resumes! Find applications at: https://pippsp.org/applicationsystem The Summer Leadership Program is another great opportunity. Interns are placed in offices of Government MP’s and elsewhere on the Hill. This is open to both graduating and returning students. Applications have launched and are found here: http://slp2017ple.infolib.ca/?lang=en . They are due February 9th, mark your calendars! If you have questions – please reach out to me! For those students not so inclined to politics, you have many options too. Soon, the Student Employment Experience Development (SEED) program will be launching their applications open to New Brunswickers. Stay tuned to www.nbjobs.ca . This program has been key to success in our province and providing jobs to students. Secondly, the Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP) will also be officially launching for 2017 soon. This is another great program that employs students between the ages of 15 and 30 in the Public Service Sector. Find more information on the Government of Canada website.
Victoria Dempster is a 3rd year Sociology Major. She enjoys running, reading, and scenic drives. Her favourite author is Margaret Atwood and her favourite place to be is by the ocean.
Crandall Poll When Crandall students think of Sheldon MacLeod the first thing that comes to mind apparently is, “what type of cookie is he?” This is at least true for one student who wanted to poll the student body about this simple, yet possibly “deep” question. The results indicate that there was a tie for the highest response: double chocolate chip and gingerbread! Now what does this mean? I really do not know. Maybe he’s sweet? Ginger-y? Who knows! So, Sheldon, if you’re reading this, have you ever been personally referred to as a double chocolate chip, or ginger bread cookie? If not, then from now on do not be surprised if this happens! I’d like to take a moment for an honorable mention, “gluten free.” Now this made me chuckle because it is probably true, because Sheldon is in fact, gluten free. So, we can now deem Sheldon a gluten-free double chocolate, or gluten-free gingerbread cookie. Thanks for that!
https://muppetmindset.wordpress.com
Curtis Hoyt is a 4th year Biology major who recently discovered a type of cheese that doesn’t melt when you fry it (Halloumi cheese). He recommends it to anyone who loves cheese and is not lactose intolerant.
Striving for Our Goal Captain of the Women’s basketball team looks back on one of her most memorable moments as a Charger.
As a third-year student athlete here at Crandall, I look back to my second-year reminiscing on the successful basketball season our team had together as well as how much the program has developed over the past few years. We had an overall great record as far as wins go, but the most meaningful moment to us had to be our victory over Holland College during one of our last home games of the season. This was absolutely the highlight of our season because we played our hearts out, and worked together as a team, proving to the Holland Hurricanes that they were not invincible and to never ever underestimate their opponents! I remember our home crowd that day was phenomenal and we had so much support from everyone. We were able to make our school extremely proud that day, and although we are one of the smallest schools in the ACAA league, it certainly doesn’t hold us back from striving for our goals and being overall successful here at Crandall. Our team fulfilled the challenge that every team had, which was to defeat Holland College Hurricanes, as they were at the top of the league during this time. I am so proud to be a Charger!
-Madison McHatten
Wild Crandall Memes
Leah Eisener is a second-year Interdisciplinary student who laughs at her own jokes and enjoys memes more than the company of others.
SHALLNOT Who We Are Thou shalt not be silenced. Shallnot is designed to be a
Seasoned professors, holders of keys to wisdom,
forum for students to express their ideas through poetry,
Where the rites of scholars are celebrated,
prose, and visual art. Submissions will be edited only in
Meanwhile, the Crandall Nightingale faithfully,
conversation with the author. -
Sings at her posts, soft soothing songs of scholarly melodies.
Dani Reimer, Editor
-
A note to anyone who 1) reads this section 2) is deeply concerned with who edits the Beacon and the Shallnot.
My biggest regret,
Please be advised that Dani Reimer—who has done a remarkable
job
thus
far—is
participating
in
was not knowing it was
a
our final adventure
phenomenal exchange program and therefore is not editing this semester. I (Austin Jones) will fill her shoes
Shane Dickie
-
N.F.
this semester. I hope this does not offend anyone.
If I could walk to heaven Crandall Nightingale Sings songs of spring, Of Love and loss, hope, And songs of ancient lore, Epic battles, and of silly sooth, Troubled treasons and tried tested truths, Of knights, sages and poets. The Crandall Nightingale sings faithfully At her post, at the entrance of higher learning, To guard the gateway, like a mythical Sphinx, Her solemn secrets hidden in dusty books, Hallways holding the hope and laughter of youth. The youth of today are the stewards of tomorrow, In the hallowed classrooms, the torch is passed by
A poem for my grandmother may she always be in my heart and prayers
If I could walk to heaven I wonder what I'd see. A bush of bright red roses Or a shady Cyprus tree. The faces of those I have lost in the past And the places for those still alive. In Jesus kingdom heaven Where all his children thrive. The trees are done with leaves of gold The bushes are the same. The faces hold only smiles And the hearts no longer know pain.
The residents are happy And although we miss them so. The look on us with smiles And encourage us to grow.
Silent Night Peaceful. First snow falls Nothing calls
For the first time in my life
At night
I must learn to say goodbye.
Under streetlight.
And although I know you're peaceful
-
Austin Jones
My heart can't help wondering why. You lived life with a smile And touched every heart you met.
I fell for you like the leaves fall in autumn Quickly, effortlessly. But like the leaves you’ve left me
So although you may be gone now
To die, and have raked me into a pile
You're not fully gone just yet.
Of your past and, like many before,
You live on within the smile
Refused to love me in return.
That my beautiful mother shines. You live on within the laugh That my aunt can always find. You live on within the passion That my uncle loves to show.
-
l(a l(a le af
You live on within my grandfather
fa
Who's drive will never slow.
ll
So although you may be gone now nan
s)
Forgotten you will never be. By my cousins, my brother, your friends and family And most certainly not by me.
BusyBee
one l iness -
e.e. Cummings
Shallnot exists to express the views of all students from all walks of life. If you or someone you know has something to say—whether through pictures, essays, short stories, cartoons, poetry or any other form of art—please contact us at crandallbeacon@gmail.com with submissions. All content unless otherwise stated is property of the original author and was reproduced with permission.