Duo Pianists Perform for Sunday@7 Concert Series

The first concert of the 2014-15 Sunday@7 performance series will feature duo pianists Janelle Fung and Philip Chiu Sunday, October 5 at 7 pm in the Administration Building Chapel. 

The Fung-Chiu Duo was formed in 2007 under the auspices of Jeunesses Musicales Canada. With their unique programming and captivating stage presence, The Duo has become one of Canada’s hottest piano-duos. Established as solo pianists, they have combined forces to present concerts that challenge the traditional boundaries of four-hands piano-playing.



Tickets for Sunday's concert are $25 for adults, $15 for seniors age 65 and older, and $10 for students.  Faculty, staff and students of Canadian University College can get in free by showing their ID card.

The Sunday@7 concert series is offered to enrich the cultural life of Lacombe as a collaborative effort by Canadian University College, the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the Arts Touring Alliance of Alberta, the Canada Council for the Arts, SERVUS Credit Union and the City of Lacombe.

The Sunday@7 series continues October 19 with a presentation of titled Classical and Movie Music presented by Violinist Angèle Dubeau and the all-female string ensemble La Pietà.  For more information about this concert and the rest of the series, please visit the Sunday@7 website.  This year's Sunday@7 promotional brochure can be viewed here.

Serve Lacombe Day Receives Strong Support

Over 150 faculty, staff and students spent Thursday afternoon, September 25, helping others as part of CUC's annual Serve Lacombe Day.  This year's event was expertly organized by Kaitlin Grovet, a 4th-year Business major from Lacombe.  "I never imagined this year being so successful," said Grovet.  "It was phenomenal to see the the willingness of my fellow students to help others!"

Kaitlin Grovet led the team that
organized this year's Serve Lacombe
Day.

"Jesus took the time to fulfil people's basic needs, and through acts of service, we can follow his example," said Grovett.   "That is what Service Day is truly about, and I am confident that we were able to accomplish that this year. We met our community's needs, and that is what made it a success." 

This year there were 22 different service opportunities for participants to choose from.  Reviewing service options and signing up was made easy with online tools.  Service opportunities ranged from removing mould to singing to seniors.


One of the more unusual service opportunities allowed students to use their artistic gifts painting and decorating Lacombe's trash bins.  One of the most popular service options was working at Ruff 'n Tumble Doggie Day Care and Kennels.

"Pastor Adam was so amazing to work with," said Grovett.  "Without his openness to ideas, willingness do whatever was needed whenever I asked and love for our community, I would never have succeeded in heading up this project."  Grovett added that the backbone of her leadership team for this project was Jessica Hall. "That girl amazes me with her dedication, hard work, and love she pours into her work!" explained Grovett. "There is no way I could have done this without her. A lot of sweat and tears were put into this project from the both of us, and I find it hard to say she wasn't just as much of an organizer of this event as I was."

Before heading out to their project location, each student received a Serve Lacombe Day t-shirt and a box lunch.

Week in Spiritual Emphaisis Offers Glimpses of Grace

Adam Deibert

Canadian University College's Week in Spiritual Emphasis (WISE) this year was planned to engage faculty, staff and students in a fuller understanding of God's grace.  Morning and evening meetings were held in the College Heights Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Because of some last-minute complications with the speaker originally scheduled for WISE, CUC Chaplain Adam Deibert presented a series of messages titled, "Glimpses of Grace."  "I am both pleased and extremely grateful that at the last minute Adam agreed to be our speaker," said President Mark Haynal.  "Having a Week of Prayer speaker who remains on campus, interacting with students for the rest of the year, is a unique and positive blessing."

CUC's History: Prominent Visitors in 1917

E. D.Dick (1888-1977) Principal of Alberta Academy
and Canadian Junior College 1915-1922.  Later
he served in Natal, Africa as principal of Spion
Kop College; Secretary of the South African 
Division, Secretary of the General Conference, and
President of Potomac University.  He is also
Dr. Denise Herr's grandfather.

Professor E.D. Dick, principal of Alberta Academy (forerunner of CUC) wrote in the Western Canadian Tidings, December 6, 1917 that the school “has been somewhat interrupted, though, too, we are glad for the interruptions.”  In one month’s time, the school was blessed with five prominent visitors.

Shortly after school opening October 31, Elder Meade McGuire and Elder J.J. Reiswig conducted a Missionary Volunteer convention. Following this, Elder W.C. White from St. Helena, California visited briefly. He had attended and spoke at two Union meetings in Vancouver BC and from Alberta he spent a day in Winnipeg.

Next to arrive were Professor Smith of Walla Walla, Washington and Professor Frederick Griggs of Washington, D.C.

All these visitors missed the luxury of electricity which was available on campus for the first time December 1, 1917.

J. J. Reiswig (Unknown-1971)
Education Secretary for the Western
Canadian Union in 1917 and later
served as president of the Alberta
Conference 1920-1928.

Meade McGuire (1875-1967), a
dedicated leader and promoter of
activities for the young people of the
church and the Pathfinder organization
also served as an associate director
of the General Conference

W. C. White (1854-1937) son of Ellen G. White
and an influential minister and church leader.
He served as secretary/director of the
Ellen G. White Estate until his death.

Frederick Griggs (1867-1952) an
educator and pivotal figure in the
development of the SDA
correspondence school around the
world.

Students Help Women and Children in Kolkata

(The following story is reprinted from a e-newsletter prepared by the Office of Advancement.  If you would like to receive this periodic e-newsletter please click here.)

Canadian University College students Kaylie Copeland, Brady Eshleman, Katelyn Hutton, Andrea Lavy, and Michelle Launio, travelled with former Assistant Chaplain Shantel Smith and CUC alumnus Crux Phiri to Kolkata, India this summer to work with women and children in the region of Khalighat. They all committed to going to serve God by helping needy people. And they did. But what they didn’t expect was how the women and children of Khalighat were going to bless their lives and teach them about God and His redemption and love. 

The group travelled to India on July 28 and spent a month working in Kolkata. The mission trip was an extension of The Stoplight Project - a non-profit organization founded by Pastor Shantel Smith and directed by the Adventist Southeast Asia Projects that organizes comprehensive plans to minister and rehabilitate at-risk and trafficked girls and women in Cambodia. “The mission trip was an extension of The Stoplight Project inasmuch as The Stoplight Project helps students to combine social justice with mission to work with other global human trafficking agencies that are on the ground overseas,” explains Pastor Smith. 

The purpose of the trip was to work with women who are working in the red light district in Kolkata to help rehabilitate them and provide them with microloans and to teach them micro financial skills such as jewelry making so they can generate an income for themselves to gain financial independence. This work was done in conjunction with Jewels in a Crown, a non-profit organization offering Kolkata’s trafficked and exploited women safe, alternative employment and a new life. (Please see www.jewelsinacrown.com) 

“A lot of our time was given over to prayer and worship services in the brothel community. The men worked with the children in the orphanage helping with schoolwork and chores, with mentorship, discipleship, organizing sports activities, and, most importantly, building relationships and loving the kids. In the afternoon the girls worked at Mother Teresa’s Home for the Destitute and the Dying - massaging those who were disabled, serving the food, giving baths, monitoring patients, and general care-taking for the men and women who were there,” shares Pastor Smith. 

Brady Eshleman recounts his experience from the mission trip. “Some of my greatest memories are of seeing the kids’ real relationship with God. I got to hear about how He talked to them, when they dreamed of Him, I even got to see them laying their lives down for Him. I really fell in love with all the kids. I still remember them all, and wish I could see them again. Even for a day to see how they are.”
 

“My trip to India was filled with a lot of growth, laughter, heartbreak, and tears. God worked in me over there, and the things He taught me there really changed my life,” shares Kaylie Copeland. 

“I left a part of my heart in India,” shares Andrea Lavy. “I went there with the idea that I was going to bless those women and God was going to use me to help them and to show them God’s love, but I left realizing that they blessed me and that they showed me God’s amazing love towards me.  Their stories of redemption are all such beautiful ones that they just made me fall more in love with God.” 

Andrea wasn’t the only one that felt this way. Pastor Smith shares, “We spent time building relationships with the ladies and got to know their stories. They were a huge blessing to us, I feel more so than we were to them.” The experience left the group with a single desire, the desire to do more. Brady writes, “I want nothing more than to say yes, to hold nothing back and give my life to see God’s redemption. More than anything else this trip made me hungry to see change. I know my part now too, and I pray for the grace to actually surrender everything.” 

Kaylie shares, “We all struggled with the want to do MORE for these people, to give more, help more, love more, and pray more. It was hard to come to the realization that we could only do so much - that at the end of the day, it was all in God's hands. It was a really helpless feeling, especially when seeing these things every day.” 

But perhaps the greatest realization the group had was of how much God loved each of them. Kaylie shares the story of a particularly difficult day that led her to sitting on a rooftop protected by a little overhang, watching a storm, and praying. “As I sat there, crying to God and watching this crazy storm take place, an incredible sense of peace washed over me. Despite the mighty storm that was raging in front of my eyes, God told me to just be still and know that He was God (Psalms 46:10). God helped me to understand that night that I just needed to trust Him, to just be still and know He's in control of my life. He had brought me to India for a purpose - whether it was to teach me things, or to reach others, or both. And even greater than Him bringing me all the way to India for a purpose, He had a purpose for the rest of my life.” 

Andrea Lavy shares, “God took me all the way to India to show me how much He loves us all. I felt His presence so much when I was there and in so many instances I would break down and cry because I would become overwhelmed with His love for us.” 

Praise God for His wisdom, protection and love in allowing this wonderful group of students to have this experience. If you would like more information on missions at Canadian University College or to support mission work, please contact Pastor Adam Deibert, lead chaplain at adamdeibert@cauc.ca. 

Student's Artwork Used in Collegiate Quarterly

The cover of the fourth quarter's Collegiate Quarterly and the illustrations within were created by Rebekah Maurice, a 2nd-year Religious Studies major from Cedar Valley, Ontario.  Maurice is also the editor this year of CUC's student newspaper The Chronicle.

Collegiate Quarterly is a devotional Bible-study guide for young adults, ages 18–35, published by the Seventh-day Adventist Church®. The topics for each quarter are based on the same topics as the Adult Bible Study Guide published by the Church. Each week’s lesson in CQ is written by seven different young adults from around the world.

The quarterly included the following information about Maurice: "Rebekah Maurice's friends usually call her Beck, Becka, or Reb.  (She hates being called Rebah.)  When she did the illustrations for this issue of CQ Bible Study Guide, she was a student at Canadian University College.  Her home is in a suburb of Pickering, Ontario, by a park with a river and Ye Olde Ice Cream Shop, which servers her favorite flavor: pistachio.  Her childhood dream was to be a New York Times best-selling author, and while this still holds true today, she'd also like to use her writing ability as a ministry.  She loves art and illustrating and is currently working on a picture book that teaches children about the inexhaustible power of prayer.  She dreams of one day working for Guide Magazine® as both a writer and an illustrator."

479 Students Register for Classes at CUC

This year's opening enrolment is 479, down from last year's opening figure of 543.  These students come to CUC from the following locations:

• 201 from Alberta/NW Territories/Nunavut
• 101 from Ontario
• 72 from British Columbia
• 39 from the United States
• 21 from Quebec
• 15 from Manitoba/Saskatchewan
• 15 from Countries other than the United States and Canada
• 15 from Nova Scotia/New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island

The number of students classified as being in year 4 increased slightly from 87 last year to 105 this year.  The number of students classified as being in year 1 decreased from 212 last year to 138 this year.  As it has been for at least five consecutive years, females slightly outnumber males 248 to 231.

Of CUC's various degree programs, the one with the most students in it is the Bio-Medical Track of the 4-year Bachelor of Science degree with 64.  The number of students in the Behavioural Science, Religious Studies, Outward Pursuits and Wellness Management programs has increased.

"While our data analysis in February led us to budget for a reduction in enrolment, we were not expecting this large of a decrease," said President Mark Haynal.  "As we do each year, we are very carefully evaluating our enrolment data to determine why there was a decrease and what adjustments we need to make."

Campus Family Gathers for Opening Convocation

Faculty, staff and students gathered in the College Heights SDA Church Tuesday morning, September 9 for Canadian University College's annual Opening Convocation.  President Haynal's short talk was titled, "Drop the Stick!"  It used this video as an illustration.  The full text of his remarks can be found here.  The printed program for Opening Convocation can be viewed here.

The next University Convocation will be October 21 and will feature speaker and author Hugh Rowe.  University Convocations are open to the public.  Admission is free.

Student Association President Nisha Johnny, above, a 2nd year Secondary Education English major from Red Deer, greeted the congregation on behalf of the Student Association.  Vice President for Student Services Stacy Hunger, below, welcomed students and shared with them campus improvements that were made over the summer.

Special music was provided by Professors Cristian Neacsu and Debra Bakland.

Rain Forces Welcome Back Bash Indoors

For the first time in many years, CUC's annual Welcome Back Bash, Tuesday evening, September 2, was forced indoors because of rain.  In spite of the inclement weather, students enjoyed an evening in the cafeteria full of greeting returning friends, eating free food and signing up for campus clubs and activities.

Back this year and as popular as ever were two local caricaturists who spent the entire evening sketching portraits of students.  New this year was a special air-tight booth within which students attempted to grab as many small prize coupons as possible as they were sent swirling by a powerful fan.

As always, each campus club had a sign up table at which club officers attempted to convince fellow students to join their organization.  The most spirited of these organizations was the leadership of CUC's Gospel Choir who made a most joyful noise each time someone signed up for their group.