Faculty Retreat 2009

 

Vibrant Community.  Excellence in Teaching and Learning.  Service to Others.

These are the three main components of the Bethel College Vision statement (see it here http://www.bethelcollege.edu/about/).  I like them, and I reflect often about how what I do most at Bethel–teach students to write well and to read and appreciate literature–helps to fulfill this vision. 

Every August for as long as I’ve been a professor here (eleven years now) we’ve had a faculty retreat, a time for team building, inspiration, and challenge.  This year faculty retreat was a little different than years past.  This year we spent two (rather than three) days on campus rather than at some retreat center off campus.  On the first day of the retreat we spent some time going out in groups of four to do various service projects–faculty and staff working together, building relationships, serving others.  We attended “break-out” sessions on a variety of topics, challenging us to continue growing as teachers and scholars.  We ate meals together, and told stories about our summer.  We heard powerful testimonies from a few of our faculty and staff members proclaiming the goodness of God.  And we were challenged by Rev. Joel DeSelm, who preached messages on “God’s Favorite Word” (Unity) and “God’s Favorite Attitude” (Forgiveness).

All that to say I left faculty retreat this year with a strong sense that our Administration, Faculty, and Staff all have a renewed commitment to the Bethel College vision.  Like President Cramer, I too have a strong sense of hope and expectation.  I can’t explain quite why, but more than ever I believe that God is going to do great things on our campus and in the lives of our students, staff, faculty, and administration this year and in the years ahead as we continue to build a vibrant community, pursue excellence in teaching and learning, and strive to serve others. 

I’m looking forward to a great year.

I seem to have lost all concept of time this summer.  It is actually a pretty common occurrence among my coworkers as well.  August hit us like Kevin’s paint cans hit the Wet Bandits in Home Alone.  There we were, minding our own business, climbing up a flight of stairs, then all of the sudden…POW!  August comes out of nowhere and blows us off of our feet.

Okay, so maybe I’m being a little over dramatic, but it is astounding how time has blown by.  Maybe all of those days working in Notre Dame’s scenic studio have just begun to run together.  They do say that time flies when you’re having fun.  If anything, this job has certainly been fun.  It has been astounding to see the set come together.  To think that it was all just an idea in someone’s head, and we actually brought it into existence is unfathomable.  The set is almost finished and I couldn’t be more proud of it.  Maybe that is sort of how God feels when he looks at us.  We were once just an idea in his head, and he gave of himself and his Spirit to give us life and a soul.

Wow.  That is actually a much better analogy then I ever could have planned.  Because just like we have had to give up the set so that the actors can trapse about on it, God gives us up to the trials of this life.  And just like the actors might mess up the set or break things on which we spent hours, we as humans are quite likely to make mistakes, but it is nothing that God can’t fix.  And we are all the more beautiful for his grace.  Just as a set in a dark theatre is useless, so are we without God’s redemption.

And I now have a new reason to love my job.  Looks like it’s just further proof that God can show up anywhere.

As I was saying, I alluded in my bunny trail above to the fact that the actors have shown up.  Yes, some actors showed up about a month ago, but those were the Young Company actors:  college students, much like myself.  Now, however, the professional company has shown up.  These are actors at a whole different level.  And by that, I mean that they are in the Actor’s Equity, a union for actors.  This means that now there is always fresh coffee in the break room.  I suppose I have nothing about which to complain any more.

Seriously though, the new actors are fantastic.  From what I can tell, they all seem to be wonderful people, and they are certainly quite skilled.  I have even seen a few of them on stage at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.  It is a little weird to me that I am now working on a show with people whom I have applauded at one of the premier Shakespearean performance venues in the entire country.  Who’d have thunk it?