Future CUC Alumnus Just Missed Boarding the Titanic

April 14, 1912 marks the 102^nd anniversary of the RMS Titanic’s maritime tragedy. One student and a family who attended Alberta Industrial Academy (AIA), the forerunner of Canadian Junior College and Canadian University College, have stories to tell about their memories of that fateful night.

Claude Casey (1919)

The first was Claude Casey (HS 1919, JrC 1921) who at the age of 21 came to Nelson, BC from Yorkshire, England. He was disappointed that he was not able to secure passage on the Titanic but was able to board another ship at the same time. His disappointment turned to gratitude for God’s providential leading when he learned upon arriving in Canada that the “unsinkable” Titanic had gone down during her maiden voyage.

What a legacy Seventh-day Adventist schools might have missed had God not intervened with his plans. While in Nelson, Robert Kitto urged Casey to join him at AIA. This he did in 1914 and in April 1915, he was baptized in the icy waters of Lake Barnett.

During his professional career of 55 years, Casey distinguished himself as a history teacher, librarian, and dean of men at the Rutland School, BC; Battleford Academy, SK; Canadian Junior College for 17 years; Oshawa Missionary College, now Kingsway College, and Pacific Union College. A friend set up a scholarship in 1985 in his memory for CUC students. He died in 1982 at the age of 91 years. 

Rosco Hippach (1914)

Second, is the Hippach family. Frank J. Hippach was a member of the AIA Board 1909-1911 and farmed east of Lacombe. Two of his three children attended AIA, namely: Rosco (HS 1914) and Blanche (att. 1911-1916.) Rosco’s Aunt Ida Hippach and his 19-year-old cousin Jean were first-class passengers and survivors of the Titanic. You can read their stories here.

Rosco was the first graduate of AIA to become a physician. He practiced in Los Angeles, CA 1926-1951, working among the poor. He then practiced in Yucaipa, CA from 1951 until his death in 1966 at the age of 72.

by Edith Fitch

Robert Kitto and Claude Casey (right) in 1917.

Choral Union Concludes Tour in Spokane

Choral Union is on tour in BC and the USA and as he did last summer, Clement Morton has agreed to send updates from the road for the President`s Page Blog.

Sabbath morning dawned bright and early in Spokane for Choral Union. We were greeted by a breakfast of bagels, fruit and muffins. To those of you who prepared our breakfast, thank you! We customarily leave our note of thanks on the whiteboard at the schools in which we stay.  Justin Arnesto, a 4th-year Music Major and a tenor from Surrey, BC, shows off our handiwork in the photo to the right.

After breakfast we once again loaded the bus and headed over to the South Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church, where we took part in a lovely Sabbath School program. We built a statue from playdough to replicate the one that Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream. Then after Sabbath School was over we headed into the sanctuary to sing our last concert of the tour.

 

A wonderful meal was set out for us afterwards and we enjoyed good food and good company until we headed out to the bus once again. As we were waiting for a few stragglers, some of the choir members decided to have fun climbing a tree outside the church!  (Please see photo below.)

 

We crossed the boarded without delay and made our way to Okanagan Adventist Academy to spend the night before starting our long trek for CUC Sunday morning. Mervin treated us tonight with supper at The Old Spaghetti Factory. What a wonderful way to end the day!

 

Sunday morning dawned bright and early, and we set out for home. Today our focus was on making it back to campus, so we drove with very few stops. We did stop briefly in Craigellachie, BC, to stretch our legs and tramp through the snow to see the Last Spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway.  We also stopped in Banff briefly for quick supper before sprinting for CUC.

 

Many memories and friendships were made on this tour.  Visiting churches and singing for hundreds of people was an absolute joy. For some of us this is the final Choral Union tour of our time at CUC.  Our thoughts and thanks turn to our accompanist Antoniel Roca, a 4th-year Music Major from Airdrie, AB, who will be graduating this year and is among a number of graduating singers who will be greatly missed.

 

We also think of the churches and congregations that welcomed us into their communities and homes. We have fond memories of your kindness and hospitality.  As this tour draws to a close we find ourselves back on campus once again.  Fortunately, hot showers and our own warm beds call us before classes again start bright and early Monday morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Choral Union Flash Mobs Pike Place Market

Choral Union is on tour in BC and the USA and as he did last summer, Clement Morton has agreed to send updates from the road for the President`s Page Blog. 

Students enjoyed seeing Seattle's famous Market Theatre Gum Wall
on which are stuck thousands of pieces of chewing gum.

Thursday morning at 7:30 we bade farewell to our gracious hosts in Portland and loaded the bus for our long trek to Seattle Washington. As we rode the bus, some of us slept, some of us sang songs, or found other ways to occupy our time, such as improving our skills with a Rubik's cube.

We arrived in Seattle Washington around the top of the clock and made our way to Pike Place Market. This is a public market that looks our over the waters of Elliott Bay. It has been selling unique and wonderful items since 17 August 1907, which means it has been operating for 106 years, 7 months, and 11 days! What an amazing cultural history is wrapped up in this unique location!

We added to that history when we decided to do a flash mob. We dispersed about in the crowd and when Lorenzo our lead for Baba Yetu started singing we gathered together and joined in. This encouraged people from the crowd to start singing, pausing praising the Lord. For a moment, we became one family whose purpose was again to praise our Creator.
 

Later we checked into our hotel, got cleaned up and dressed up for the Seattle Symphony. We had tickets for 7:30, so we walked to Benaroya Hall. Gerald Schwartz skillfully conducted the ensemble, creating music that swelled around us lifting and carrying us away to a place where for a time we could become lost in the rippling tide that poured over us. The last strains of music are now dying away as we make our way back to our hotel rooms for the night.



 

 

 

Choral Union Performs in Portland

Choral Union is on tour in BC and the USA and as he did last summer, Clement Morton has agreed to send updates from the road for the President`s Page Blog.

 

The sound of a ringing phone jolted us awake Wednesday morning.  That wake up call meant it was time to come down for breakfast, and what a breakfast it was!  A hotel buffet full of good things including pancakes, potatoes, and eggs.

 

Once we were all stuffed and ready to head out we made our way back to our rooms to gather our luggage and board the bus. Our next stop was a The Grotto, an absolutely beautiful 62-acre shrine and botanical garden with a chapel in which we sang three songs to the delight of the people who happened to be visiting. The acoustics were amazing and we had so much fun hearing how our voices mixed and blended and reverberated off the walls and plaster mouldings of the ceiling. For morning worship Jeff Bradburn, one of the twins with the choir shared with us a message about all of the blessings he has enjoyed.

Loading the bus once more, we headed off for a few hours of shopping in a mall in downtown Portland.  We explored the many shops and wares that were for sale. So many choices!  Some things we passed up but some things provided too great a temptation, and so it was with heavy bags and light pockets we made our way to the Sunnyside Seventh-day Adventist Church for our evening concert.

 

The Sunnyside Church was absolutely beautiful, everything was incredibly organized and the church was prepared for our arrival. As we entered the kitchens and dining areas we were greeted with possibly the best looking food that a hungry student could want: Baked potatoes, salad, buns, ICE CREAM, and many other assorted goodies. We piled our plates high and enjoyed every bite. God bless the wonderful hands who prepared that meal!

 

Here is how one person described our performance: "The voices of each part, from the lowest of the bass notes all the way up to the highest of the sopranos, the melodies and music they created filled the room, resounding again and again in our hearts and ears long after the last strains had faded away."

 

We are billeted Thursday night in church members' houses. God bless the wonderful families who have welcomed us in with open arms.

 

 

 

Choral Union Tour Continues in Victoria and Portland

Choral Union is on tour in BC and the USA and as he did last summer, Clement Morton has agreed to send updates from the road for the President`s Page Blog.


Our tour Monday began with breakfast in uptown Victoria.  We had a selection of restaurants and food courts to choose from so we broke into teams and hunted down our favorite meals. After breakfast we visited the Fairmont Empress Hotel where we took pictures on the grass then spent the afternoon walking around taking in the sights. 

A special treat for the ears awaited as we made our various ways to Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria where we sang Salvation! The blessings were pouring forth as we were told that we touched the heart of one lady who commented afterwards. 

Following our experience in the cathedral we enjoyed a tour of Craigdarroch Castle.  We finished our day on the ferry where we ate supper on deck. That night we bedded down at Deer Lake School.

The choir spent Tuesday  traveling from Deer Lake School in Burnaby, BC all the way to Portland, Oregon in the United States.  It was long trek of 559 km that took nine hours.

The border crossing was surprisingly painless: We filed off the bus, got in line, sent our bags through  the scanner, re-loaded the bus and were on our way. Crossing the border without any delays was definitely an answer to our prayers.

We arrived in Portland with just enough time to check into our hotel and stretch a bit before heading off to present our evening concert.

Presidents of Adventist Universities and Colleges Meet at GC Headquarters

The presidents of nearly all of the Seventh-day Adventist Church's 113 universities and colleges have gathered at the General Conference Headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, for three days of professional development and networking.  According to GC leadership the last time this happened was 22 years ago.  The theme for these meetings is, "Servant Leadership, Sacrificial Service."  The printed program can be viewed here. Presentations focused on the General Conference Department of Education's four priorities:

• Servant Leadership
• Mission-Focused Teachers
• Discipling of Adventist Students
• Adventist Identity and Mission

CUC President Mark Haynal said one of the most amusing parts of the meetings was watching the reaction visitors from much warmer parts of the world had to the full day of snow that fell on Tuesday.  "As someone who has seen far more snow than it is healthy to see, it was great fun watching how people who had never experienced snow reacted," said Haynal.  "They took multiple photos of every phase of the snowfall."  When a groundskeeper began shoveling the snow and salting the sidewalk within view of those seated in the auditorium, many presidents got up in the midst of Dr. George Knight's presentation to take still more photos!

A group of ladies who work at the General Conference Headquarters had a table full of used coats of all sizes for sale.  They did brisk business with presidents from Asia, Africa and Central America.  All of the money raised is used to fund scholarships for women.

Dr. Ted Wilson, President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, addressed the group Tuesday morning, March 25.

Sunday Finds Choral Union in Vancouver and Sidney

We ate breakfast Sunday morning, March 23, at the Surrey Seventh-day Adventist Church. After loading the bus we made our way into Vancouver where we first stopped at Queen Elizabeth Park for some pictures. Then we headed to Granville Island Public Market where many of us enjoyed the diverse selection of shopping available. So much to see in such a short time! 

Leaving the market we headed toward Stanley Park to take some pictures at the totem poles. Famished after such a busy morning, we then went downtown to find food. Once stuffed and happy, our bus headed toward the ocean and the ferry terminal.  The highlight of the ferry ride to Sidney was seeing a pod of killer whales!

Once we got to Rest Haven Seventh-day Adventist Church in Sidney we enjoyed another delicious supper and some rest and relaxation before the concert.

As the day draws to a close, we find ourselves bedding down in the gym of the Lakeview Christian School in Saanich. As I write this post, I have to dodge volleyballs and basketballs as everyone young and old finds their preferred way to wind down for the nigh!  It has been a great day and there are many good things in store for tomorrow!

Choral Union On Tour: Sabbath in Kelowna

Choral Union is on tour in BC and as he did last summer, Clement Morton has agreed to send updates from the road for the President`s Page Blog.

Blessings pour forth on the Sabbath! After an amazingly restful night at the homes church members, we made our way to the Rutland Seventh-day Adventist Church in Kelowna. Here we were blessed to share the day with this amazing church family.

As we left the building we were shocked to see it had started snowing! After loading the bus for the ride through the mountains, we settled in for a long and chilly ride. The snowbanks at points were as high as the bus!

Coming down from the mountain pass we made it into Surrey at about 6 pm where we unloaded, warmed up and grabbed a bite to eat  before our concert at 7:30 pm. After the concert, many of the choir members dispersed to their homes or the homes of their friends. As the rest of us bedded down for the night at the church we could still hear the strains of the music we had just created echoing in the rafters. Bless the LORD for Music! 

The photo above is of our soloist for Baba Yetu, Lorenzo Rolle, and drummer Emmanuel Nsengiyaremye with Karen Gerber Ritchey.

Choral Union Tours BC During Spring Break

Choral Union is on tour in BC and as he did last summer, Clement Morton has agreed to send updates from the road for the President's Page Blog.

The day for the Canadian University College and Parkview Adventist Academy Choral Union started bright and early. After collecting all members and loading the bus we left CUC at and headed south towards Rocky Mountains and British Columbia.  

Three hours later as we arrived in Banff, set against a backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, snow covered trees and herds of wandering caribou. The beauty and majesty of our Lord's creation never ceases to amaze me!

Continuing our journey through the mountains we stopped briefly at the D Dutchmen Dairy Farm in Sicamous where we got to pet the cows and enjoy a wonderful assortment of ice creams! What a delicious treat! 

We were greeted at the Vernon Seventh-day Adventist Church at 5:00 pm where we enjoyed a wonderful delicious assortment of soup in preparation for our concert that evening. The acoustics in the church were beautiful!  It was an absolute pleasure to sing our songs in such a wonderfully warm atmosphere.  The Sabbath Day is upon us, our Friday of seeing, tasting and listening to the wonders of God's creation has been an amazing success!

CUC Students Lead BC Youth Rally

A group of CUC students recently drove 20 hours to Fraser Valley Adventist Academy to lead a weekend youth rally.  The student leader for this rally was Brenden Zapotichny, a 1st-year Religious Studies major from Langley, BC.  He worked closely with BC Conference Youth Director Brian Wahl and was assisted by ten other CUC students: Kalyna Lamberton, Kaylie Copeland, Annelise Linrud, Jennica Santomin, Daniel Innocent, Jose Sanchez Abuchar, Kelvin Kblall, Josh Bradburn, Jeff Bradburn, and Jared Manns.

The theme for the weekend was MUD: Messy Spirituality.  The 70+ teenagers who attended the events were assured that even when we make a mess of our lives God loves us and wants to clean us up and use us to do good things for others.

The programs included testimonies, sermonettes, skits, music, and group discussions.  "A highlight for me were the breakout sessions," said Kelvin Kublall, "it was during those times that I got to know the kids better."

Everybody enjoyed the ReWind program held Saturday night at the Aldergrove Seventh-day Adventist Church.  "ReWind was a major highlight for me because it was super fun to be part of something that made the kids so excited," said Kaylie Copeland.  "Our 20-hour bus ride to BC and back was also a great opportunity for me to get to know more CUC students with whom I wouldn't typically have crossed paths."

More photos and information about this event can be found on the British Columbia Conference of Seventh-day Adventists blog.

Canada Wide Offering for CUC is March 29

The annual offering to benefit Canadian University College will be received Sabbath, March 29, in all Seventh-day Adventist Churches in Canada.  Last year's offering brought nearly $79,000 that was immediately put to use making CUC an even better place.

Posted below is a short video that will be made available to all churches.  A ready-to-use offering appeal can be downloaded here.

Drama Presents The Importance of Being Earnest

Canadian University College's Drama Society presented three performances of the classic play The Importance of Being Earnest, March 13, 15 and 16, in the Administration Building Chapel.  The production was co-directed by Madison Trupp, a 1st-year Voice Major from Mississauga and Selene Dublanko, a 3rd-year General Studies Major from Vancouver.  The printed program can be viewed here.

Emmanuel Nsengiyaremye, a 1st-year Business Major from Montreal played the role of John Worthing, who is known as Earnest by his best friend Algernon Moncrieff, portrayed by Aaron Boscanin, a 4th-year Violin Performance Major from Portland, Oregon. To impress their girlfriends, both of these young men pretend they are named, "Earnest," because both young ladies believe that name confers superior qualities of character on its possessor.

Orchestra Performs in Red Deer

On Sunday, March 16, CUC's Symphony Orchestra participated in worship services at the Gaetz United Memorial  church in Red Deer.  Their program included Andante Festivo and Finlandia by Sibelius, Pilgrim’s Chorus by Wagner and  Adagio for Strings and Organ by Albinoni/Giazotto.  The orchestra also played with the organ for all the hymns. Professor Elizabeth George gave a short presentation about the orchestra and CUC.

The orchestra's next concert will be the annual Concerto Concert at the College Heights Seventh-Day Adventist Church,Saturday, April 12 at 8:00 pm.  This final concert of the academic year will feature CUC student soloists performing excerpts from works by Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Hoffmeister, Saint-Saens, Dvorak, Puccini, Debussy and Bedard.

  

Chamber Singers Present World Premier of Bow Summit

Canadian University College's Chamber Singers, under the direction of Dr. Wendolin Munroe, performed the world premiere of Bow Summit, a composition with words by CUC professor Dr. John McDowell and music by former CUC professor Dr. Kenneth Logan.  (Please see video below.)  Their performance was part of a recital presented Sunday evening, March 16, by Dr. Logan, now a professor of music at Andrews University where he teaches organ, church music and music composition.  The printed program can be viewed here. 

Dr. Logan taught at CUC in the early 1990s and was the driving force behind the acquisition and installation of the 45-rank, three-manual Casavant pipe organ in the College Heights Seventh-day Adventist Church.  The organ was installed in 1997 after a successful campaign that raised over $450,000. 

Bow Summit
by Dr. John McDowell

Where air is shallow--breathe often and deep.
Pull in all the space you can while your lungs fill;
watch the sky curve a blue bowl over Bow Summit.
Have it all enter lung and blood--light, air:
your every bone braced, your body
aquiver with prayer: What will it take to always
be this, alive with the ache of light and air
so refined to glory?  Ice, just at the point
of melting, collects the forgiveness of earth
released again from the swirls of grey winter storms.
Where you stand is holy ground: fall down and listen,
ear to earth, fingers and toes outstretched.  Look
up!  God's hand outstretched, writing glory! glory!

Dr. Kenneth Logan and Dr. John McDowell shared with the audience details about what inspired them to write the words and music for Bow Summit.

Sunday evening's concert was a most satisfying event for Dr. and Mrs. Wilfred
Tetz and Drs. Denise and Larry Herr who worked with Dr. Logan to raise
funds for the organ back in the 1990s.  Dr. Wendy Markosky, CUC's current
organ professor is to Mrs. Tetz's right.