The student voice since 1926
Thatcher Farm’s closure brings students to Red Clay Farm
In 2023, Southern Adventist University’s Thatcher Farm, a space for hands-on learning in sustainable farming, closed its doors. Seth Shaffer, a history and political studies adjunct professor at Southern, ran the farm as a vital part of his sustainable agriculture class from 2015 until the closure.
Michael Weismeyer, professor and chair of the History and Political Studies Department, explained that Thatcher Farm, in addition to serving as a hands-on lab, provided students with service credit and employment opportunities.
According to Shaffer, the
farm began in 2012 under the management of Mindhi Rahn, a professor in the history department, as a way for students majoring in international development to understand the rudimentary basics of agricultural growth. The department believed it would be valuable for students who might work overseas to develop the skills needed to grow their own food, preparing them for situations where grocery stores might not be available.
“The farm was always Southern’s best-kept secret,” Shaffer said.
Administration initially gave Rahn a quarter of an acre to farm on campus, complete
with a hoop house, a high tunnel and a small field for students to tend once a week and apply what they learned in class, according to Shaffer. The arrangement continued until 2015, when Rahn and her husband moved away.
Shaffer, who had taken the class from Rahn before graduating in 2013, learned of the job opening from the history department.
“I had been chomping at the bit to do this ever since I had graduated,” Shaffer said. “I have my own farm up in Cleveland, Tennessee —a vegetable operation — so I was like, ‘Sure, I know how to do this, and now I have the educational credentials to teach at Southern.’ So I accepted.”
Kiddie Kampus daycare plans expansion to meet demands
Eva Resz Reporter
Kiddie Kampus, located at the Collegedale Church of Seventh-day Adventists, has been a daycare option for local families since it opened in July 1991. Now, the center is set to undergo an expansion to accommodate the growing number of families seeking its services, according to Jay Cole, church administrator.
“We have a waitlist because people trust us.”
To meet the growing demand, Kiddie Kampus is planning to renovate an additional room within its facility, Cole said. The goal is to accommodate more children, especially from the daycare waitlist, which includes many families from Southern Adventist University and the surrounding community.
“We're really happy that we've been making progress in the last year and a half,” Cole said.
The expansion will help ensure that more families can benefit from the daycare’s services, according to center director Mae Watson. However, the center can’t accommodate
everyone, and the waitlist continues to grow.
“We don’t need advertising,” Watson said. “ ... We have a waitlist because people trust us.”
“We’re
very thank- ful that God’s been blessing us
here, and we’d love to be able to bless more people."
Watson has worked at the daycare since its inception, and over the years, she has seen it steadily evolve from its beginning in the church’s older Sabbath School rooms. The day-
care was previously located in a room that required frequent resets to accommodate weekly Sabbath services, which was a challenge for the daycare.
According to Watson, in 2019, as part of the church’s expansion, a new facility was built specifically for Kiddie Kampus. The development included a playground, kitchen and classrooms tailored for children of different ages. The move helped alleviate space constraints and increased the daycare's capacity.
Currently, Kiddie Kampus is serving 39 children, with a staff of four full-time employees,
Shaffer said prior to his takeover, the farm had been run minimally, producing and being maintained only during the semester when the agriculture class was taught. He aimed to enhance its production.
“I told them, ‘I'm not going to do that. I’m going to run this as a business, commercially, because that’s what I know. I’m not just going to sit here and let land be vacant,’” he said.
In January of 2015, Shaffer started his role as teacher and manager of Thatcher Farm. Under his management, the farm began selling the produce at local farmers markets and even to some restaurants in Chattanooga and Cleveland, he said. This continued until 2017,
when Shaffer decided to request more space due to substantial growth at Thatcher Farm.
Shaffer was given a temporary five-acre plot on Sunkist Terrace, where later, Collegedale Academy was planning on building ball fields for both the elementary and middle school. Until then, Shaffer was free to work the land.
“They eventually got it cleared, and I was able, with the income that I was generating off of the farm, to purchase another high tunnel, a tractor and a couple of implements [machinery used for agricultural tasks],” Shaffer said.
During his initial time as
See FARM on page 2
Southern’s orchestra visits Andrews University
Anaya Parker Reporter
Southern’s Symphony Orchestra went on tour to Andrews University last month.
Laurie Redmer Cadwallader, associate professor at the School of Music, said the orchestra, which has been busy visiting locations around the globe, had not been to the Michigan campus in two decades.
“We haven't been up there since 2003, which was just before their Howard Performing Arts Center was open,” Cadwallader said. “So we [had] never
actually gotten to perform up there; it's been a long time.”
“So we [had] never actually gotten to perform up there; it's been a long time.”
The approximately 75 students performed in a total of five concerts over the four-day tour, which occurred Nov. 14-17.
The orchestra also performed on campus with the Andrews University Symphony Orchestra at Howard Performing Arts Center on Saturday night. Much of the student’s time in Michigan
Alissa Flores Reporter
An aerial view of Red Clay Farm showcases the farm's barns, fields and countryside.
(Photo courtesy of Seth Shaffer)
Jasiel Castro packs away a cello case on the tour bus.
(Photo by Hannah Johnson)
Kiddie Kampus playground outside the Collegedale church.
(Photo by Malachi Cushion)
La Comunidad begins a vespers program for youth in Chattanooga
Carlos Torrez Staff Writer
Editor's Note: When the Accent tried to get the university’s stance on potentially adding credit to off-campus vespers, Anna Bennett, associate chaplain, told the Accent to contact Joseph Khabbaz, chaplain and vice president of Spiritual Life. After multiple attempts to reach Khabbaz, he did not get back to the Accent.
Chattanooga Hispanic Community Seventh-day Adventist Church, better known as La Comunidad, has created a new Friday night service for young people in the Chattanooga area.
The service was launched in August and takes place at 7 p.m.
FARM
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Thatcher Farm manager, Shaffer worked full-time at McKee Library, which put Thatcher Farm under library management. Later, it returned to the history department.
During that time, paid student workers helped Shaffer at the farm, according to Shaffer.
Thatcher Farm continued to supply farmers’ markets and restaurants, and they also started the Community of Sus-
every Friday on Lee Highway and features a unique style of worship. Each program begins with refreshments and fellowship, followed by interactive discussions, a song service and a devotional thought.
“The idea is to create a safe place where people from different walks of life can come, share, grow together and connect.”
“The idea is to create a safe place where people from different walks of life can come, share, grow together and connect,” said Roberto Coronado, pastor of La Comunidad.
tainable Agriculture (CSA).
“Basically, people [would] sign up and get a box of fresh produce throughout the season of whatever is growing,” Shaffer said. “We would start late spring/early summer and then graduate into the main part of summer. They would get a box full of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, summer squash, cantaloupe, watermelon, etc. People really enjoyed that, and we’d have pickup there on the farm site.”
Marty Hamilton, associate vice president for Finan-
DAYCARE
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two part-time employees, and four substitute staff members, two of which are Southern students, according to Watson. The daycare is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“We’re very thank- ful that God’s been blessing us here, and we’d love to be able to bless more people.”
Cole emphasized the importance of providing affordable
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Andre Menezes, a senior chemistry major, has been part of the church culture since he moved to the area in 2019 and said the addition of the vespers service has helped him experience connection and growth.
“I feel involved even just sitting there. It’s a lot of questionnaire[s] and a lot of responses. It almost feels like a Bible study,” Menezes said. “It really allows me to see different perspectives and people’s Christian walk. It has allowed me to learn more.”
As a church with many people from different countries and various walks of life, La Comunidad hosts its Sabbath service in three different languages: English, Spanish and Portuguese, all of which are live-streamed for those
cial Administration, said the school being built is the new elementary building (which is being constructed directly adjacent to the Collegedale Academy middle school) and that the main reason Thatcher Farm had to close down was because of the ballfields being developed for the schools.
“The ballfields required a tremendous amount of grading and soil removal,” Hamilton said. “So they are still in progress.”
In time, according to Shaffer, the administration offered two alternative locations for the farm to be relocated. One was too wet and surrounded by trees. The second, located on Old East Brainerd Road in Apison, was reasonable.
“It was a lot smaller than what I had when I was coming off of the five acres,” Shaffer said, “but it was still very doable for what I wanted to continue doing with the class.”
Shaffer said he waited for the location to be clear and serviceable, but communication faded. During this time, he moved back to the original quarter of an acre started in 2012 and also left his part-time job at the library.
While he began maximizing what he could at the old location, maintenance was required. Shaffer had lost the plastic to the high tunnel, and he filed multiple requests for Plant Services to cover it with new plastic. Shaffer said he explained his urgency, saying that the plastic was necessary for continuous growth during the cold seasons.
In late November of 2023, Plant Services informed Shaffer
care for families, especially for single parents who struggle with the high costs of childcare elsewhere. According to Watson, Kiddie Kampus has a heart for single moms, viewing childcare not as a business but as a ministry that is always willing to offer support.
“We’re very thankful that God’s been blessing us here,” Cole said, “and we’d love to be able to bless more people.”
According to Watson, Kiddie Kampus has been focused on providing quality care rather than generating profit since it began. When the center opened, Watson’s supervisor stated that they don’t want to make money off of kids which is why the daycare has kept their
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who want to receive the message online, according to Coronado.
“There are no limits,” he said. “We want to make sure that everyone feels welcome and no [one feels] like a second-class citizen, so everyone will get the message in their own language.”
“We want to make sure that everyone feels welcome and no [one feels] like a second-class citizen, so everyone will get the message in their own language.”
Menezes stated, “As a multicultural student, being able to connect with my culture and the culture of others is really important.”
that administration told them to no longer support Thatcher Farm. Baffled, Shaffer learned that they were going to need the land he was currently on for parking and had decided the farm would have to go.
Shaffer said many in the Southern community were saddened by the farm's departure.
“All the responses that I have gotten, whether it’s people from the market, alumni that I’ve heard feedback from, or people that have known about the farm for a while now, they haven’t liked that the farm got shut down,” Shaffer said. “They think Southern has lost a good outreach tool.”
Shaffer said administration told him that there was no issue with him teaching or running the farm, there just wasn’t space on campus.
Now, Shaffer’s personal farm, Red Clay Farm, has become the new location where students spend their weekly lab time, actively working.
“We don’t have a lot of workers working the farms”
Red Clay Farm is a 50-acre, mixed vegetable enterprise that houses a stone mill and operates in all seasons, according to Shaffer. It runs a CSA program, as well.
“We don’t have a lot of workers working the farms,” Shaffer said. “It’s a family-run operation. We have one part-time guy, my parents, myself, my wife, and that’s it.”
Despite the shift in the program, Shaffer said things have been working out. The stu-
rates so low. According to the Kiddie Kampus Parent's Manual, full-time care starts at $85 and decreases based on the number of days the child attends.
“Our goal has never been to reach out and get every breathing child,” Watson said. “We’ve always aimed for quality care, which is why we keep our prices incredibly affordable.”
“Our aim is always to provide a safe, nurtur- ing environment for all children, regard- less of their background.”
The daycare prides itself on being inclusive, welcoming children from a wide variety of
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He has heard others at La Communidad say that it reminds them of their churches back home, “because of the type of music that is at [La] Comunidad, the way that everyone is so welcoming and the potlucks.”
With home-cooked meals and a lively service, the church focuses on building community and hopes to continue being a “home away from home” for university students.
Coronado said, “We want to embrace the people who are here. We want to provide [those who are] long distances from home a place to feel safe and to feel that they belong.”
dents have helped with fencing projects and other things, making it a win-win situation for all involved.
“It allows for a change of pace in the school day, as well as a chance to get some exercise and practice what we learned in the lessons.”
Jonas Caster, senior computer science major, shared his experience being a part of the class and working at Red Clay Farm.
“Getting out of the classroom is definitely beneficial, especially for a topic like agriculture, which is very hands-on,” Caster said. “It allows for a change of pace in the school day, as well as a chance to get some exercise and practice what we learned in the lessons.”
Caster said driving to Red Clay Farm may be difficult for some, but Southern handles that with shuttles for the students who can’t drive themselves.
“While some are sad or disappointed to lose this on campus, in general, there is an understanding of the space needed and gratefulness that the class can still be taught with a lab portion so the educational aspect of the farm continues,” Weismeyer said. “Pedagogically, there is perhaps more value now at a larger working farm than the one on campus. So, for students, it may be a beneficial situation.”
backgrounds, including those from different religious affiliations, according to Watson. Watson said many of the children who attend Kiddie Kampus come from non-Adventist families, and even those from different faiths have expressed appreciation for the center's warm and respectful approach to worship and diversity.
“We have kept children from every major Protestant church – we've kept Catholic children, we’ve kept Muslims, Jewish children, and even atheists,” Watson said. “Our aim is always to provide a safe, nurturing environment for all children, regardless of their background.”
Web
Social
"What you will never hear at Kiddie Kampus is yelling."
According to Carole Verrill, the church’s children's ministries pastor, the expansion is not just about increasing capacity, it’s about continuing to pour energy into children’s ministry and maintaining the family-like atmosphere that makes Kiddie Kampus special.
“What you will never hear at Kiddie Kampus is yelling,” Verrill said. “Our staff has such an amazing way with the children. ... They de-escalate situations with a quieter, calmer approach that is both loving and firm.”
Circulation
The fruits of labor, freshly harvested vegetables from Red Clay Farm, are displayed.
(Photo courtesy of Seth Shaffer)
COLLEGEDALE NEWS
Collegedale police officers under investigation for sexual assault
Chloe Smith Social Media Manager
Two Collegedale police officers have resigned from their positions, and one has been placed on paid administrative leave, following an ongoing investigation into an alleged incident at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
The UTK Police Department was made aware of the incident on Nov. 2 after receiving a complaint about the alleged sexual assault of a juvenile during a football game at the Neyland stadium, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported based details contained in a UTK police report.
According to a Nov. 15 news release issued by the Collegedale Police Department, the two officers who resigned were
ORCHESTRA
continued from page 1
was spent practicing for that combined performance.
“We don’t get to do it very often because there aren’t many spaces that will hold both of our groups.”
“It’s just fun to … [collaborate] with another university's orchestra,” Cadwallader said. "And we don’t get to do it very often because there aren’t many spaces that will hold both of our groups.”
Burlon Hayworth and Andrew Carter, and the officer on paid leave is Corporal Josh Parson.
The CPD became aware of the incident on Nov. 5, the release stated, and an internal affairs investigation quickly followed in response. It was determined that the allegations “potentially involved significant violations of department policy.”
“There was an incident we had been made aware of involving off-duty officers at Neyland Stadium that required their interaction with the facilities event staff and law enforcement,” wrote Collegedale Asst.
Chief of Police Jamie Heath in an email to the Accent. “The alleged conduct of these offduty officers potentially violated several department policies, but no additional criminal allega-
The combined group of Southern and Andrews students played several pieces that Southern’s orchestra performed during its previous concert in Collegedale, such as Dukas’ “Fanfare for Brass” and Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” with the Andrews University orchestra’s string section.
There were approximately a combined number of 120 string players, according to Cadwallader. By themselves, Southern students played Mendelssohn Symphony No. 3 from their October concert.
On Saturday afternoon, the group made a short excursion to Lake Michigan, spending time at the beach in St. Joseph
tions were made or were being pursued by law enforcement in Knoxville. We immediately launched an internal investigation into the incident.”
According to Heath, one week after the CPD learned of the incident and opened an investigation, the University of Tennessee Police Department notified the CPD of a criminal complaint allegedly involving CPD off-duty officers.
“We have provided UTK PD our full cooperation,” he said, “and they have provided the same to us.”
Further details were not provided, as the investigation is still ongoing, according to the CPD.
for a couple of hours before the evening performance.
“I enjoyed going to Lake Michigan,” Emily White, a senior music theory and literature major said. “I don’t know what other people did, but I went and walked along the pier with some friends, played ultimate frisbee and jumped into the lake with Josh Issa.”
“One of the things that a tour does is it really bonds the
students.”
Ava-Caroline Schmidt, a freshman mass communication major, is a violin player who went on
tour with the orchestra. She was excited to meet new people at Andrews and play music with them.
According to Schmidt, the Southern and Andrews students were placed intermittently at the music stands.
“One of the things that a tour does is it really bonds the students,” Cadwallader said. “It’s intense together time. But because of the many concerts, and because of the forced togetherness, we come home bonded, and our sound changes because we play together more. ”
“I know on the bus it can get crammed, but it’s just so much fun,” Schmidt said.
Cadwallader sees the orchestra tours as not just a musical event but a social one, as well. It’s a team-building opportunity for the orchestra and something she says graduates remember about their time in the orchestra.
Orchestra is a special group for many students, according to Schmidt, who heartily recommended that students join the group.
“[Orchestra is] a way to get exposed to a lot of different genres of music, and also, you get to play together as a team,” she said. “It’s just really fun.”
Collegedale police cars park near the police station. (Photo courtesy of source)
Creature Feature
Briana Hanson holds a hedgehog outside on the promenade.
Tuesday November 19, 2024. (Photo by Mila Bales)
Matthew Cook holds a hedgehog carefully so as not to drop it.
Tuesday November 19, 2024. (Photo by Mila Bales)
Sophia Vohwinkle holds an Eclectus parrot next to the Creature Feature booth on the promenade.
Tuesday November 19, 2024. (Photo by Mila Bales)
Breanne Harris holds the Eclectus parrot with awe and wonder. Tuesday November 19, 2024. (Photo by Mila Bales)
Shelly Trinidad holds the hedgehog carefully. Tuesday November 19, 2024. (Photo by Mila Bales)
MENTAL HEALTH
Exploring the dangers of bed-rotting
Abby Dizon Contributor
Editor’s Note: The following articles are written by counseling professionals and students from Counseling Services in partnership with the Southern
Have you experienced a day of “bed-rotting?” Spending the entire day in bed scrolling through your phone or computer, and only getting up for essential tasks like eating or using the bathroom? Typically, the feelings after such a day would be feelings of guilt, unproductiveness, fatigue and even depression.
Although bed-rotting can be seen as a form of self-care, the issue arises once it becomes a habit or is utilized as a means of avoidance, leading to harmful consequences. Here are some reasons why bed rotting can be more harmful than helpful:
Sleep Disruption
If you have ever spent an entire day lying in bed without any physical activity, you would understand how difficult it becomes to go to sleep at a reasonable hour, often finding yourself starting to doze off around 4 a.m.
According to an article from Scientific American, bed-rotting impacts our sleep health in three ways. The first involves our circadian rhythm, where our brain holds a 24-hour clock that regulates our alertness and sleepiness by responding to light changes in our environment.
Our circadian rhythm morning light signal produces melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep. So, in simpler terms, by staying in bed all day with the curtains closed and no ex-
posure to light except for the lights on our screens, regardless of whether we expose ourselves to light in the afternoon, we don’t trigger the circadian rhythm light signal that sets off the timing for your sleep the next night. Our circadian rhythm also regulates our sleep drive, which is our need to sleep. As our sleep drive is generated by the activity and exercise of the day, by nightfall, you will feel the need to sleep. By lying around all day, you don’t build up your sleep drive, making it more difficult to fall asleep. Furthermore, by using your bed for anything other than sleep, you’ll condi-
tion your brain into associating with activities other than sleep, eventually leading to difficulty of falling asleep in bed.
Mental Health
While the famous trend of bed-rotting initially served as a form of self-care and offered a welcoming escape from the real world and life’s problems, excessive indulgence in the behavior becomes more harmful than helpful to one’s mental health.
First of all, choosing to bed rot means choosing to isolate oneself from others, which can lead to an increased risk of anxiety and depression, according to Charlie Health.
Once the habit of isolating from others and solitude develops, anxiety and anticipation over social events may form into anxiety, leading to the avoidance of social interaction and a rebound effect where isolation and anxiety fuel each other.
Although scrolling on TikTok may sound comforting and distracting from the numerous tasks you have to accomplish, escaping your problems won’t fulfill the need to accomplish them and will only prolong solving them and add to long-term distress, according to an article from Today.
Lastly, bed rotting can act as a depression reinforcement by isolating individuals from the
demands of social interaction and sunlight, both of which are essential for well-being. While spending the day in bed was initially used as a form of self-care, it can actually have detrimental effects on your mental health and your physical health. However, if you choose to stay in bed for the day, which might be needed every once in a while, it’s important to remember to balance it with breaks. Consider going outside for some physical activity and sunlight exposure or engage in some social interaction such as facetiming or making plans with friends.
SPORTS
NFL dedicates Thanksgiving football to late head coach and commentator John Madden
Jacob Nevis Sports Editor
This past week, many Americans had the pleasure of being at home to spend Thanksgiving with their families and, of course, enjoying great food. A Thanksgiving tradition for some families is to watch football together. This year like the last two years, the NFL dedicated the Thanksgiving football games to the late John Madden. Madden is known to many different people and in many different forms. The Hall of Famer was a Super Bowl-winning coach for the Oakland Raiders.
He was a sports commentator for football games for a long time and called games for all the major networks. He also lent his name to the long-running football video game series “Madden NFL.”
Madden was also well-known for his Thanksgiving celebration, helping football become synonymous with the holiday. He started the famous Turducken celebration, during which he would hand out a Turducken to players of the game he commentated.
Madden called 20 games on Thanksgiving day throughout his broadcasting career. This year, the NFL honored
Madden by renaming the annual Thanksgiving day football gameday the “John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration.” The players also wore a special decal on their helmets of a picture of Madden, and there was also a special logo of the photo on the fields.
This Thanksgiving’s NFL games were also a huge success for the franchise. The matchup of the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys was the most watched regular season game this season, with 38.5 million viewers, according to Fox. This helps show how football has become connected to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Next year, on Thanksgiving again, fans and players will continue to remember Madden. He will forever be a symbol of the sport’s special relationship with Thanksgiving.
“There’s no place that I would rather be today on Thanksgiving than right here, right now, at a football game. There are just certain things that go together; the Turkey, the Family, the Tradition, Football … and we have it all today.” – John Madden
Editor’s Note: I don’t believe the NFL would be where it is today without the help of John Madden.
While I don’t personally remember Madden as an announcer, I, like many others, have still been touched by him.
Some of my favorite video games to play growing up were the Madden games, and they helped further my love for the sport of football.
All the different aspects of football that he was able to touch is the reason why he is one of the most important people for the success of the NFL. Madden will always be remembered by football fans, and his legacy will never be forgotten.
Intramural Schedule:
Wednesday
6:00 pm
- Eh Team v. Ice Ice Baby (Ladies)
7:00 pm
- Dekes of Hazard v. Shooting Stars (Mens)
- Bomb Squad v. Biscuit Blasters (Mens)
8:00 pm
- Love Muffins v. Team Badger (Mens)
- Goal Diggers v. Queenies (Ladies)
9:00 pm
- Rink Rats v. Floor Hockey Team (Ladies)
- Goal Diggers v. She Ball (Ladies)
Thursday
7:00 pm
- Ice Ice Baby v. Goal Diggers (Ladies)
- BroadBacked Hockey Honeys v. Pookies Slapshot (Ladies)
8:00 pm
- Queenies v. Eh Team (Ladies)
John Madden cuts into a “turducken,” a Thanksgiving food creation he helped make famous. (Photo sourced from People.com)
Bed-rotting can have harmful consequences, both physically and mentally. (Photo sourced from Pexels)
OPINION
The holidays and the problem of overconsumption
Allison Grundy Opinion Editor
The holiday season is known as a time of celebration, warmth and generosity. However, for many, it has also become a period defined by overconsumption.
From the frenzy of Black Friday sales to the mountains of gifts bought for Christmas, the holidays often come with an underlying pressure to buy more, spend more and have more. As Christians, it’s worth asking: Is this really the way we should celebrate?
According to the Center for Biological Diversity, a major -
ity of Americans surveyed felt societal pressure to buy gifts during holidays, and 90% wished that the Christmas season was less materialistic.
While many believe they’re simply participating in the traditions of gift-giving and decoration, overconsumption carries a greater cost, both financially and in its impact on the true meaning of the season.
Giving gifts is a custom that encourages us to show love and appreciation to family and friends. But often, these gifts are unnecessary or even unwanted. Many receive things like clothes that don’t quite fit or
novelty items that end up in the back of a closet.
While the intention behind these gifts is good, the reality is that many people often buy things simply out of obligation, and this pressure leads to spending money on items that lack value or meaning.
And it’s not just gifts that contribute to this cycle of overconsumption—it’s also the way we decorate our homes and public spaces for the holiday. These decorations are often made from low-quality materials and designed to be discarded at the end of the season. This cycle of constant purchasing reinforces
a consumer culture that values novelty over durability.
However, Christians are called to live differently than the culture around them. Paul writes that we should “not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind.” ( Romans 12:2) Overconsumption is certainly one of these patterns that encourages us to define our worth in material items.
One way we can counter the culture of overconsumption is by embracing a spirit of simplicity and intentionality during the holidays. For example, gift-giving can be more mean-
ingful when driven by thoughtfulness rather than obligation. The Bible reminds us that “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) It seems this principle can be best applied by giving in ways that are sustainable and intentional, not to indulge in excess, but to be thankful for enough.
Editor’s Note: The Opinion Section encourages multiple perspectives, so please feel free to send a response or other opinions for future articles to allisongrundy@southern.edu.
RELIGION
Breaking free from pretty-good Christianity
Nina Bueno Contributor that comes when our pretty-good grades mentality becomes a pretty-good theology.
Perfection is unattainable. I’m very sorry to let my fellow perfectionists down, but I’m afraid that it is true. It might seem as if our grades are perfect for a small moment, but then, we miss an assignment, and the perfection is lost.
And so, we decide that pretty good is good enough since that is where the majority of students end up. Actually, pretty good works quite well! We’re not failing our classes, and we have more room to focus on other areas. However, there is a danger
You might be wondering what I mean by a pretty-good theology. To be completely honest and candid, devotions every now and then are pretty-good; vespers for credit and church on Sabbath with friends is pretty-good. Giving some parts of my life to Jesus and offering a quick prayer before I eat is pretty-good.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to call everyone out with a holier-than-thou attitude because I have been and still am in the same place. But, I have been convicted to make a change, and I want to share this
with you in the hopes that you may see a need for change in your life as well.
I have realized in the past couple of weeks that Jesus does not call us to be pretty-good Christians but to strive for perfection. In Genesis 17:1 it says, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.”
And again in 1 Peter 1:15-16 it says, “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”
So we see that the pretty-good theology we’re living won’t cut it. Instead we need perfection in order to be considered righteous before God
and to inherit eternal life.
Didn’t I say though that perfection is unattainable?
But with Jesus, perfection is attainable, it is even innate! He has been perfect forever and will be perfect forever. Even though He “has been tempted in every way, just as we are,” He did not sin. (Hebrew 4:15)
And as we read over and over again throughout the Bible, we see that Jesus is the one who intercedes for us. You cannot be perfect on your own, but Jesus “is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy.” (Jude 1:24)
It’s a hard thing to surrender your entire life to Jesus, to be fully present in a relationship with Him. Believe me, I know. But by letting Jesus intercede for us, by allowing Him to begin a process of sanctification in us, our pretty-good efforts can become perfection before God’s throne of grace.
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (2 Peter 1:3)
I ask you to let Him into your life today, to let Jesus turn our pretty-good Christianity into eternal perfection.
The holidays often come with an underlying pressure to buy more, spend more and have more. (Photo sourced from Unsplash)
Lessons from a silly concert: Finding the joy in my major by having fun with friends
Matthew Kimbley Contributor
On Nov. 3, about 200 students and community members crammed into Ackerman Auditorium, anticipating a very unusual program.
Many attendees expected a standard classical music concert complete with a set of expected rules: The audience should refrain from clapping between movements, talking, using phones or rattling paper programs. Likewise, performers are expected to maintain a professional atmosphere and perform accurately with musicality.
This concert, however, broke almost every rule in the book. Paper airplanes were flying, performers hit numerous wrong notes and a hacksaw was brought uncomfortably close to my viola (no instruments were harmed in the making of this production).
Whereas most classical pieces call for standard instruments such as the violin or piano, these pieces called for rubber chickens, a ten-foot-long strand of fishing line and a video incorporating Subway Surfers and Austrian conspiracy theories. Pieces such as Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man were replaced with Fanfare for the Common Cold.
The “Tribute to P.D.Q. Bach,” as this concert was titled, featured the music of Peter Schickele, a musical satirist who created the fictional character of P.D.Q. Bach and wrote entertaining
parodies of famous classical music pieces and genres. Schickele passed away earlier this year, and some students and I organized this program in his memory.
But why would we take countless hours away from our packed schedules to coordinate, rehearse and perform an elective recital with no benefit to our degrees?
In the midst of late-night homework sessions and seemingly endless stress, we have to find ways to keep ourselves
motivated to fend off discouragement. Though there are many ways to achieve this, I have found that one of the most effective methods is by finding the joy within my own major.
As a musician, I find joy in making music that is not expected for class. I like to compose music for fun or organize silly concerts such as the “Tribute to P.D.Q. Bach.” I enjoy visiting nursing homes and bringing happiness to the residents through sharing my musical talents.
Activities like these help me
remember why I am a music major in my most stressful moments of extended ensemble rehearsals, frustrating practice sessions or tight music history paper deadlines.
As we begin to close this semester, many of us feel burnt out. We are ready for Christmas break, but even a three-week break often isn’t long enough to overcome the exhaustion we feel from the first semester.
But can we find ways to remember why we chose and loved our majors in the first
place? Find some means, whether big or small, to help bring you some joy in your path of choice. Maybe organize a small community service event fitting for your career path or apply to be a tutor next semester. Sign up for a mission trip that aligns with your goals, or share an exciting idea with someone based on something you learned in class. Or, like me, you could organize a musical parody concert and spend three hours trying to figure out how to wear a monocle.
SOCIAL
Mini-Crossword Puzzle
Created by Ana K. Zelidon
Participants in the P.D.Q. Bach concert pose for a photo. (Photo courtesy of Matthew Kimbley)
kristensobrepena
Photo Credit: Qian Ma
_anomalilly_ heart is full
Photo Credit: Laura Puscasiu
Kristen Sobrepena
Bennethum
jennakalenapeters In His presence there is fullness of joy. Psalms 16:11
Photo Credit: Priscille Mikala
Jenna Peters J
karismcconnell03 Rome, Italy
Photo Credit: Karis McConnell
blondieboy_1 Wow. More than halfway through my trip to the Philippines and I’m still processing where God has led me.
Photo Credit: Cason Marr Karis McConnell
Cason Marr K C
exdmla Hi, my name is Esmeralda! :)
Photo Credit: Angie Garcia
Esmeralda Paulino E
CHATTER
11:00 am Convocation: Student Association Town Hall @ Iles P.E. Center
• 1:00 pm ACT On-Campus Test (To register or for more information, call Lauree Fogg at 423.236.2782) @ Bietz Center Testing Offices
• 3:00 pm Kirsten Wolcott 5K
• 5:29 pm Sunset
• 6:00 pm Star Watch @ Hickman Science Center Parking Lot
• 6:30 pm Vespers: Joseph Khabbaz @ Collegedale Church of Seventh-day Adventists
• 8:30 pm Vespers: Joseph Khabbaz @ Collegedale Church of Seventh-day Adventists
9:00 am Employee Christmas Brunch @ Dining Hall
3:00 pm Lecture Recital: Trinity Hayden @ Ackerman Auditorium
6:00 pm - 9:30 pm Student Association: Christmas Party
• 3:30 pm Academic Administration Council @ Wright Hall Robert Merchant Room
• 8:00 pm Student Association: Senate @ Bietz Center Multipurpose Room
Weekly Birthdays
10:00 am - 11:30 am French Sabbath School @ Lynn Wood Hall
11:45 am Merge Worship @ Collegedale Academy Elementary Gym
11:45 am Renewal @ Collegedale
Church of Seventh-day Adventists
5:00 pm Evensong: Organ Students @ Collegedale Church of Seventh-day Adventists
• 8:00 pm Concert: Instrumental Christmas @ Iles P.E. Center
• 7:30 pm Concert: Horn Ensemble (2 cultural credits) @ Ackerman Auditorium
8:00 pm Student Association: Senate, End of Semester Meeting @ The Grid
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