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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Introduction to Game Development by Michigan State University

3,426 ratings
1,021 reviews

About the Course

If you love games and want to learn how to make them, then this course will start you down that path. Making games is a creative and technical art form. In this course you will familiarize yourself with the tools and practices of game development. You will get started developing your own videogames using the industry standard game development tools, including the Unity3D game engine and C#. At the end of the course you will have completed three hands-on projects and will be able to leverage an array of game development techniques to create your own basic games. This course is for individuals interested in becoming a game designer, game artist, or game programmer....

Top reviews

Sep 30, 2019

Great course, got to learn and understand good things about developing games in general and particularly in Unity. I highly suggest it for someone who has no experience whatsoever at game development.

Jul 22, 2019

Really great course! It was more challenging towards the end of it, but I enjoyed it and recommend it. I hope that my completing the course marked the start of my future as a game designer and maker.

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226 - 250 of 994 Reviews for Introduction to Game Development

By Moisés M

Jan 23, 2016

That is a incredible course!

I've learn a lot of things, and now i can go to the Game Market Area with more knowledge of this sector.

By Matias G H

Dec 11, 2015

Really good course for an introduction into the Game Development! It's brief yet complete, making it a good course for doing online.

By Michael J

Nov 12, 2015

This course was AWESOME! No joke! The teacher is very clear and pedagogical and I'm already recommending it to some of my friends :)

By Dominik S

Nov 02, 2015

The best course I have done so far - entertaining, interesting and especially a lot of fun. A really great course by Professor Winn!

By Juan A M

Oct 24, 2015

Muy buen curso para entender lo basico de la creacion de videoujuegos. Para mi un buen comienzo para entender y trabajar con Unity.

By Sefa B E

Dec 09, 2019

It's a great course for you either beginner or intermediate level. The course instructor is great and concepts are well explained.

By Armando M d S S

Nov 04, 2017

Nice course, here I learn unity, this is the most tool for developer game and is exactly what I need to developer my project

By Giordan P

Jul 06, 2017

One of the best MOOCs I've taken, not only because of the topic but the pace of it, the materials and the quality of the content.

By Abner C

Feb 05, 2016

I'm finishing up week 3 and I'm loving it! Very easy to understand even though they just brush up the basics of Game Development.

By Nikola Z

Dec 03, 2015

Thank you for this course, things are more clear to me now. DefinitelyI will go for the specialisation. Keep up the good work! :)

By Ricardo E

Nov 03, 2015

The content of this course is well explain and easy to follow, I have a lot of fun doing the assignments, it was sort of playing.

By Адріян Б

Oct 26, 2017

A simple introdution to Unity, providing some basic knowledge for prototyping and understanding of how the game ecosystem works.

By Deleted A

Aug 04, 2017

A great hands on course for learning game development on the Unity engine. Highly recommended for aspiring or junior designers!

By Sumeet

Feb 17, 2016

Best course to start game development.

Even if you don't have any prior experience this course will help you start making games.

By Nikki P

Aug 24, 2017

Fun and comprehensive. Just the right amount of theories and practical work. Highly recommended! Enjoyed the projects so much!

By David C

Apr 16, 2016

Excellent Course. I Learn a lot of Unity. The explanations are very good and step by step. Thanks to Michigan State University

By Priontu C

Mar 16, 2016

Awesome course on Intro to Game Dev. I hope you guys will provide one on Game Dev on C# as well. Thanks a lot for this course.

By Shin C

Feb 26, 2016

Great introduction to game development for people, who had no experience in that and good base for future skills development.

By Ali A K G

Aug 05, 2018

It is a good course for learning, although there is less coding to do but the course is overall good and learning is better.

By Gearoid D

Sep 28, 2015

Excellant course. Assignements were at the correct level and it was a great introduction to the unity editor and game design

By Stevan Č

Feb 06, 2017

Very nice course for someone who wants to learn basic concepts of Unity. My suggestion: create more challenging assignments

By Balasubramanian S

Sep 13, 2016

A great course of beginers in game development. The content is clear and concise. Brian has a good command over the topics.

By Hanif M

Feb 23, 2017

Great course! Simple and clean instructions. Specially the course instructor "Brian Winn", lots of <3 <3 <3 for you sir :D

By Sourav B

Feb 20, 2016

This course is filled with the things that are needed and organized so perfectly. It was great pleasure to do this course.

By Richie M

Nov 14, 2017

This was a really fun introduction to game development with Unity3D. I feel like I learned a lot, and I had a lot of fun.


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The Renault Formula 1 team has promoted Guanyu Zhou to the tole of test driver for the upcoming 2020 season.

Zhou combined his former role as Renault development driver alongside a campaign in Formula 2 in 2019, with the Chinese racer finishing the year as the highest-placed rookie in seventh.

While he was not victorious, Zhou claimed one pole position and five podium finishes across the season for the UNI-Virtuosi squad, who he will remain with once more in 2020.

His promotion comes after former test and reserve driver Jack Aitken announced his departure to take up a similar role with Williams.

“I’m looking forward to becoming the team’s test driver,” Zhou said.

“It’s another step up from being development driver in 2019 where I did a lot of simulator work and some R.S.17 tests. The feedback and experience in a Formula 1 car is getting better and the team is happy with my progress and input so far.

“They’ve given me a lot of trust and I also trust them, so that relationship works very well,” he added.

“This year I have an even better opportunity, meaning working harder than before, getting as much information as possible for driving a Formula 1 car and, at the same time, improving the areas the team needs to work on to help them get better in the future.”

The news, which was announced during Renault’s 2020 launch event in Paris on Wednesday, has moved Zhou one step closer to becoming F1’s first-ever Chinese driver.

In his new role, Zhou will support team regulars Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon throughout 2020.

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Creative Card Closet,2003:weblog-124702190078170893 2020-02-23T22:36:44-05:00 Lisa Brown, Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator TypePad Timeless Tulips Bundle & Giving It Dimension,2003:post-6a01bb07ebf50d970d025d9b3503bc200c 2020-02-23T22:36:44-05:00 2020-02-23T22:36:44-05:00 Two ways to use the Tulip Builder Punch or maybe just the right way... Timeless Tulips Bundle Lisa Brown

Holy cow!!!  I have been doing it wrong.... Ha! Ha!

Well, okay, maybe not totally wrong.  But I think this make more sense.  Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel to get notification of my SAVI Sunday videos.

SAVI = Stamping & various inspiration.  I share some of my secrets, tips and tricks.  Also, I share what I may have discovered while using my Stampin' Up! products.  And here is case in point...

The Tulip Builder Punch punches out the tulip stamp and then a "leaf".  Which is totally fine.  You can use this way.  But I discovered that the shape of the stamp and punch are a match to the one side of the tulip.  Add the punched piece with a couple of Mini Dimensionals and you just gave your tulip some pop!  Literally!

I show you exactly what I mean in my SAVI Sunday Video.

CARD BASE:  4-1/4 x 11" scored and folded at 5-1/2"

Whisper White:  4-1/8" x 5-3/8"  and laid the Decorative mask over and sponged with Granny Apply Green

Product List

My Antennas for Little Ladybug,2003:post-6a01bb07ebf50d970d0240a5068a22200b 2020-02-07T17:50:45-05:00 2020-02-07T20:14:53-05:00 Little Ladybug Antennas! Lisa Brown

Little Ladybug is just the sweetest stamp set.  From her cute little face to the adorable flower she can sit on.

Her are two slightly different versions of the same card.  But LOOK at those antennas.  Can you figure out where I got them from?  No... keep reading.

The card front is from the 2019-2021 In-Color 6x6 paper stack!  I chose the diamond pattern but there are script words, buffalo check and another pattern that I am not quite sure what you would call it.

The card without ribbon has a base of Thick Whisper White.

The card with the ribbon has Pineapple Punch card base and 1/8" Pineapple Punch Ribbon.

My Whisper White square is 3-1/2 x 3-1/2"

Soooooooooooo....  still curious where the ANTENNAS came from?  It is the top curl from the Parisian Dies (click on words or check out supply list below).  I just snipped the top curl off and tucked behind her head.

Don't forget, Ladybug die are now available for purchase to coordinate with the Ladybug stamp set you can earn for Free during Sale-a-Bration.  Just be a Hostess or place an order for $300!

Want to be a Discount Shopper?  Join Me today and get an incredible deal with free paper, free Mini Personal Trimmer, pick out $125 of stamp supplies for only $99 and get a free stamp set.  Don't miss this great opportunity!

Product List

Ladybug, ladybug, where are you?,2003:post-6a01bb07ebf50d970d0240a5068a07200b 2020-02-04T13:19:11-05:00 2020-02-04T13:23:48-05:00 Ladybug, Ladybug, where are you? Showing the Little Ladybug set and multiple project ideas Lisa Brown

Is she just not the cutest?!?  I am in love with this Little Ladybug stamp set as it is filled with cuteness overload.   There are 13 stamps in the set including 4 ladybugs, the four little ones in my card sample above, a really cute flower and more.

1)  Did you know starting February 4, 2020 there is coordinating dies available.  What a game changer to be able to die cut them out. Click here to see the Ladybug Dies.

2)  You can earn the stamp set for Free by hostessing a party or placing a $300.00 product order during Sale-a-Bration.

3)  You can earn the Dies for Free!!!  If you have a $300.00 product order then you will earn Hostess Reward Dollars

4)  A $300.00 product order will also Earn you 6 (six) Sale-a-Bration Level 1 items!  Or there are Level 2 items so you can mix and match

  • Basic Black card base 8-1/2 x 5-1/2"
  • 3 pieces of card stock in Blushing Bride, Calypso Coral and Real Red each 4-1/4 x 2" (overlapped when adhered)
  • Whisper White rectangle 3 x 4-1/4"
  • Basic Black Rectangle mat is 3-1/4 x 4-1/2"

Watch my YouTube video where I show how I had this card AND other project ideas!!!

Product List

Did You See My Tip for Painted Labels Die?,2003:post-6a01bb07ebf50d970d0240a4e1e5d7200d 2020-01-31T15:30:00-05:00 2020-01-30T17:03:53-05:00 Check out my SAVI Sunday tip using the Painted Poppies Bundle Lisa Brown

Be sure click on picture to see large, clear image of my card.

SAVI SUNDAYS = Stamping and Various Inspirations.   Here's my first one!

This is my new Sunday series of YouTube videos.  Each Sunday I will be posting a short video to share tips, tricks, and inspirations that I may discover or find.  It could be a different way to use a product, a tool tip, care and instructions, etc.  So be sure to Subscribe to my Youtube Channel (Lisa Brown Stamp with Lisa Brown).

Oh!  Just in case you are wondering.... there is another demonstrator with My Name so that is why I made that my channel name.  I really need to rename my 'stampwithlisabrown' website too but, ugh!

Anyway, on with my tip.

 1st SAVI tip....  How to use the scalloped boarder die all the way across your project

The scalloped board die from the Painted Poppies bundle is only 2-1/2" long.  But if you cut out multiple pieces, when you overlap the ends, it will continue the design pattern!  Watch my video to see this in action.

Card Measurements:

  1. Basic Black card base:   8-1/2 x 5-1/2"
  2. Peaceful Poppies Designer Paper:   4 x 5-1/4"
  3. Basic Black rectangle mat:  2 x 3-5/16"
  4. Rectangle DSP is die cut from #2 above using a Stitched Rectangle Die (cut piece is 1-13/15 x 3-3/15")

I used Poppy Parade for the single flower.  The center rectangle is popped up with Stampin' Dimensional.  And our "Happy Birthday" is from the 'Timeless Tulip" bundle.

Remember, Subscribe to my YouTube Channel so you don't miss my videos.

Product List

Peaceful Poppies Designer Series Paper,2003:post-6a01bb07ebf50d970d0240a4dd35cb200d 2020-01-29T16:46:32-05:00 2020-01-30T07:59:04-05:00 Meet the Peaceful Poppies Designer Series Paper and all its fabulous colors! Lisa Brown

PicsArt_01-09-01.08.10  PicsArt_01-09-01.15.37

One of my favorite Designer Series Paper packs in the 2020 Mini Catalog!  I absolutely love the bright and vibrant colors.  So easy to make a great looking card with a few layers of paper.  Be sure to check out the entire bundle of product for all the coordination.  Peaceful Poppies Suite will not disappoint.  Just know that you can purchase individually or as smaller bundles like the Peaceful Moments or Painted Poppies.  See my supply list below to click on the "suite", the two bundles, and the paper.

Or maybe you need an extra pack of paper... you can do that too!

I know I said it above... but look at those gorgeous colors!  So many like Blackberry Bliss, Poppy Parade, Mossy Meadow, Gorgeous Grape and more.

Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel and check out my new series called "Savi Sundays".  In my video I show a SAVI tip for the little scalloped banner die from the Painted Poppies Bundle.  It is a must see!

Product List


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Trying to define business continuity isn’t always easy. Everyone seems to have a unique definition these days. Depending on how your business operates, you may think about it a lot differently than the guy next to you.

To learn more about backup and recovery, check out our free eBook about best practices for today’s businesses.

  • Download the eBook Now!


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My Story Fundraising Brochure

My Story Fundraising Brochure

January 29, 2018

A good friend of CTD’s owner, Dina, contacted her for help with a special mission project for a local Atlanta church.  Members of the church had traveled to Uganda several times to serve women and children in several villages in the country. The group wanted to share the stories from those mission trips with the congregation of the church in a special way. Dina designed an over sized “album” of their journeys and stories of the amazing women and children they served. This was an emotional project in every possible way. The photos taken during the missions were heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time, and we spent  hours pouring through jump drives wondering how we would possibly decide which photos to leave out.

The final “album” was printed  for all members of the congregation in the hopes of raising additional funds for the next mission trip.

CTD would like to thank Robby Hardin of Drummond Press for helping with this project and keeping the costs as low as possible. We could not have pulled this together without you!

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AN OPINION poll on whether the borough council should be scrapped to make way for a new 'super council' for the whole of Cheshire has found 65% are against the Government's plans.

The poll, conducted by the research and information service Ipsos MORI, found across Crewe and Nantwich, only 16% people were in favour of a single-tier authority, while only 12% supported the now-withdrawn bid for separate authorities for the East and West of the county.

The 65% rejection comes one week after the borough council's own 'Keep It Local' referendum found that 85% were against the Government and county council-backed plan for a single-tier unitary council.

But opposition figures have said that the 20% discrepancy between the Ipsos MORI poll and referendum suggests that the borough council's Tory group had tried to influence public opinion on the matter.

Council leader Brian Silvester said the results showed there was over-whelming support for keeping the status quo.

He said: 'This is a vote of confidence in the borough councils of Cheshire, and shows the favoured option is to keep and improve the current system, blowing the county council's argument for single-tier government out of the water.'

And Cllr Silvester rejected claims that the council had tried to influence public opinion.

'The referendum was approved by Ipsos MORI in terms of the documentation and questions.

'But as a local politician, it would be unusual were I not in support of our own council.'

Labour group leader Steve Hogben said the 20% discrepancy between the Ipsos MORI poll and the referendum was telling.

'Surely, some questions need to be asked about the way the Tory group have gone about the referendum.

'There were even notices urging people to 'Keep It Local' on the back of parking tickets, which is hardly objective. '

County council spokesman Ian Callister added: 'With regard to telephone surveys, there is ample evidence to suggest a substantial proportion of those interviewed have little or no prior knowledge of the subject, or indeed have given any thought to the questions before the interview.

'It follows then that respondents don't really understand the complexities of the options before them or the need for the changes they are obviously less likely to vote for them.

'Social, environmental and economic problems facing local government make change inevitable, and doing nothing is not only not an option, but also downright dangerous.'


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Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Podcast: Interview with Paul Schrader on Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)

A scene from Paul Schrader's Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985).

From 1981 to 1989, I was assistant producer and co-host of the radio show On the Arts, at CJRT-FM (today Jazz 91.1) in Toronto. With the late Tom Fulton, who was the show's prime host and producer, we did a half-hour interview program where we talked to writers and artists from all fields. In 1985, I sat down with film director Paul Schrader.

At the time of our conversation, Paul Schrader, the screenwriter behind Taxi Driver (1976) and writer/director of American Gigolo (1980), had just completed work on Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, his biopic of Japanese author, playwright and filmmaker Yukio Mishima, who had famously committed public seppuku in 1970. The film, which combines stories of Mishima's life with adaptations of some of his fictional works, was recently remastered and released by the Criterion Collection.

– Kevin Courrier

Here is the full interview with  Paul Schrader as it aired on CJRT-FM in 1985.

Kevin Courrier is a freelance writer/broadcaster, film critic and author (Dangerous Kitchen: The Subversive World of Zappa, Randy Newman's American Dreams33 1/3 Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica, Artificial Paradise: The Dark Side of The Beatles Utopian Dream). Courrier teaches part-time film courses to seniors through the LIFE Institute at Ryerson University in Toronto and other venues. His forthcoming book is Talking Out of Turn: A Collection of Reviews, Interviews and Remembrances currently being assembled on Blogger.

Tom Fulton was the host and producer of On the Arts for CJRT-FM in Toronto for 23 years, beginning in 1975.

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By February 10, 2020 No Comments

Dear Partner,

Thank you for making an impact! Your partnership with us is a key component of our model. In fact, our model begins and ends with an engaged local community.  We must develop three categories in each community to create a platform for our students to become contributing members of your work and faith communities.

We must establish 1) partnerships with local businesses 2) an engaged local church and 3) robust school district partnerships. We believe from this living-breathing root system of people, with a passion to transform the lives of struggling high school students, our students will receive the tools and experiences as well as develop the connections to become contributing members of YOUR community.

Sound simple, huh? Or maybe it sounds complicated to you? Either way you may hear this message, we ask for you to continue to take simple steps alongside of us. For example, you might continue to share our story, connect us to your network, and support us financially in this venture.

Allow me to share some current success data as you consider the opportunities herein; We surveyed our students, and they reported that the Crossing has a profound impact on their behavior. If previously involved in the following behaviors, our students reported:

74% are now involved in less criminal activity
66% now use drugs/alcohol less often
51% participate in less sexual activity outside of marriage
61% Act less often on feelings of anger or sadness, in a way that hurts themselves or others

Partners, this means we are winning!  And this means you are winning by generously supporting our daily work. Moving forward, how can you connect your church or community organization to us to further our character development work?

Now, let’s dig into some more data together from We intuitively know that our students need to graduate into non-poverty careers and make every effort to afford them the opportunities to do so. The following data verifies that we are aiming at the right target:

60% of Hoosier adults do not have a degree, credential, certificate or officially documented/transferable skill-set.
2 million Hoosiers need additional training to compete in the 21st Century Workforce
There will be over 1 million open jobs by 2025 in Indiana

Opportunity to transform our students and our great state is at our fingertips! Please consider how we can partner with you on workforce and talent development in our community for the 1,200 students we serve annually.

Thank you for your ongoing support. Let’s do this!

Ryan Hill
Chief Operating Officer

School Delays & Closings for Friday February 14, 2020:

  • Marshall County Campus (2 Hour Delay)


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Dr. Ray Pritchard Christian Blog and Commentary

The Trinity and Salvation

  • Dr. Ray Pritchard
    Dr. Ray Pritchard is the president of Keep Believing Ministries, an Internet-based ministry serving Christians in 225 countries. He is the author of 29 books, including Stealth Attack, Fire and Rain, Credo, The ABCs of Christmas, The Healing Power of Forgiveness, An Anchor for the Soul and Why Did This Happen to Me? Ray and Marlene, his wife of 39 years, have three sons - Josh, Mark and Nick, two daughters-in-law- Leah and Vanessa, and four grandchildren - Knox, Eli, Penny and Violet. His hobbies include biking, surfing the Internet, and anything related to the Civil War.
  • 2009 Nov 05
  • Comments

Someone read one of my sermons and asked the following question:

Does a person have to "understand" the Trinity to be saved? What if they believe in God the Father and Jesus as his son, but can't really grasp the whole "One God in three persons" thing?

I think the answer goes like this. You don't have to understand the Trinity in order to be saved. If that were required, then very few would be saved. If a person, having studied the issue, came to the conclusion that the Trinity could not possibly be true, they would be in the position of a Muslim who says, "God can't have a son." Such a person might admire Jesus but would never look to him for salvation.

When we were in Nazareth on our recent Holy Land tour, we drove past the Catholic Church in the heart of the city. Our guide pointed out a banner placed in front of the church by some Muslims. The banner quoted a verse from the Qur 'an to the effect that God does not have a son and could not have a son. That illustrates my point. If Jesus is not God's Son, if he's only a prophet or a holy man but not the Son of God, then he's not able to save anyone.

It is enough for a lost person to say, "I believe Jesus is the Son of God who died for me and rose again." That's the basis of true, saving faith

For more on this topic, read The Mysterious Doctrine of the Trinity

You can reach the author at ray@keepbelieving.com. Click here to sign up for the free weekly email sermon.

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text:
Dr. Ray Pritchard Christian Blog and Commentary

Truth Matters

  • Dr. Ray Pritchard
    Dr. Ray Pritchard is the president of Keep Believing Ministries, an Internet-based ministry serving Christians in 225 countries. He is the author of 29 books, including Stealth Attack, Fire and Rain, Credo, The ABCs of Christmas, The Healing Power of Forgiveness, An Anchor for the Soul and Why Did This Happen to Me? Ray and Marlene, his wife of 39 years, have three sons - Josh, Mark and Nick, two daughters-in-law- Leah and Vanessa, and four grandchildren - Knox, Eli, Penny and Violet. His hobbies include biking, surfing the Internet, and anything related to the Civil War.
  • 2004 Jul 31
  • Comments

In Friday's Breakpoint commentary, Chuck Colson discusses the three greatest issues in the world today. This is his list:

1) Radical Islam, because it threatens the very existence of the West.

2) Truth, because without truth there can be no morality, and without morality there can be no civilization.

3) Humanity, because without a clear definition of life, we are free to discard the unborn, to experiment on aborted fetuses, and to kill the elderly, the infirm, and others judged unfit or unworthy or simply too expensive to keep alive. Colson mentions his 13-year-old autistic grandson and wonders how long before society decides it can do without "useless eaters."

This last category helps us understand the controversy or same-sex marriage. Today we separate sex and marriage and childbearing, when traditionally those three things have gone together.

In my mind, # 1 & 3 get most of the headlines, but # 2 is more important. In a postmodern world, it's easy for someone to dismiss moral objections by saying, "That's just your opinion" or "That's true for you and not for me." Over two thousand years ago, Archimedes declared, "Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand, and I will move the world." The challenge in our day is finding a "place to stand." Outside of objective moral truth -- what we once called natural law -- grounded in God's revelation, there is no "place to stand" so we are left in a quicksand of social confusion.

During the recent Christian Booksellers convention in Atlanta, I attended the 30th Anniversary Banquet of Crossway Books. Part of the evening featured a film clip from the late Francis Schaeffer talking about the importance of standing for the truth in an age of personal peace and affluence. I was reminded again how great a prophet he really was. He predicted in the mid ’70s that a time would come when the unthinkable would become thinkable and even acceptable in our society. His words have come true in our day. Then there was a brief clip of Edith Schaeffer who is now 90 years old. In a slow, clear voice she said, "The only thing that matters is truth." She’s right about that.

In an  anti-intellectual age, Christians must stand on the truth. Truth towers over our personal experience and stands in judgment over our personal opinions. If we don’t know the truth, then we will fall prey to all the false ideologies of our day. If we do not teach our children the truth, there are people out there who will gladly teach them error.

The moral and spiritual confusion of these days offers an incredible opportunity to the church of Jesus Christ. The very fact that we live in such spiritual darkness means that when the light shines, it really shines. Don’t be discouraged by the difficulty of the task. Let us instead be encouraged by the opportunities of this hour.

Truth matters. Make sure you know it so you can share it with those who don't know it yet.

To sign up for Pastor Ray's free weekly sermon email list, click    here. You can find his daily weblog, online sermons, travel schedule, and other resources at www.keepbelieving.com. You can write Pastor Ray at raypritchard@calvarymemorial.com

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John Shore Christian Blog and Commentary

My Stepmother Passed Away

This morning my father called from across the country to tell me that his wife of 40 years -- my stepmother since I was 10 -- had passed away.

The chemotherapy for her cancer proved too much.

This woman was the first person who ever showed me what real work is. She had been raised as poor as poor gets in northern rural Minnesota; farm people who dig at ice and pray it grows food. At 15 she ran away from home to Minneapolis; two days into that unimagineably big city and she had herself a full-time job as a secretary: She looked 18, was deadly beautiful, and smarter than any four people combined. And she knew enough about how the world worked to start making it work for her for a change.

She must have been around 30 when she married my dad in 1968. When they met, my dad was already divorced from my mother. He was a Big Deal Actor in the San Francisco Bay Area, which even then was famous for the quality and diversity of its regional theater. He was a leading leading man, looking majestically cool in his black turtlenecks and sideburns; she was -- as people who were in their 30's in 1968 still tended to think of it -- a real bombshell.

She took an acting class he was teaching, and was smitten.

"The minute I saw your father," she once told me, "I swooned. Swooned! I simply could not believe my eyes. He was the most gorgeous man I'd ever seen." She pulled in her breath. "And when I found out he was single?" She stared at me, meaning to convey the enormity of her incredulity, and I saw flashing in her eyes that same resolve that had once set her walking away from her family's land toward a life she knew could only be better. "Well," she said, "I knew that was going to end. I said to myself, 'Annie, that man is going to be your husband.'"

Within a year my dad had a new wife, my sister and me a new mother.

Literally, too: My dad and his new wife legally adopted my sister and me: in a day, they became to whom we came home from school.

My sister left our Home 2.0 when she was 15 years old. I lasted until I was seventeen.

Nobody's fault. Life is hard. Things happen. We all spin like crazy from hits we never even saw coming.

Once I left my house I didn't have much contact with my father or stepmother for the next 20 or so years. Then (at 38) I became a Christian -- and so became a generally kinder, more patient person. So I began writing my dad and Ann letters. After a while they invited my wife and me out to their home. So we went, and spent a week with them.

It was a trip. I had become a stranger to my own father--and to the woman who had basically been my mother for seven or so years. But we all had a lovely time; my parents and I weren't, after all, total strangers.

And my wife cracked my dad up -- my dad, who spent his life making others laugh. Whom no one is funnier than.

It's a fine thing, to watch your father gazing at your wife with love and respect. Watching him watching her that way engendered in me a combination of emotions I had not known before.

My wife and I visited them again the following year. That was the last time we saw my stepmother.

She called me, for the first time ever, about a year ago. She had read my book, "Penguins, Pain and the Whole Shebang: Why I Do the Things I Do," by God (as told to John Shore.) She wanted me to know that the book had awakened in her a desire to go to church. She sounded like maybe she was crying -- except she was also clearly joyous. She sounded like a little girl.

"I can just go to church, can't I?" she said. "Just to go?"

"Of course you can," I said. "Of course."

"It would be a start, wouldn't it?" she asked, laughing.

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Kelly Balarie Christian Blog and Commentary

Overcome Like Jesus: 7 Ways He Proves You Can

  • Kelly Balarie
    Kelly, often called a "Cheerleader of Faith", encourages other to live with passion and purpose. While Kelly has suffered through various mental, physical and financial trials, she has found God's unique plan in these dark places.
  • 2015 Nov 25
  • Comments

Ever looked at your life and wondered how God was going to deal with "all this"?

Sometimes, our lives seem to mangle themselves up into intricate webs of complexity. Each string lays on top of the other in a jumble of difficulty, hardship and ugly.

And, if we don't actually ask God this, we normally think:

God, can you really work through this?
How can you untie everything wrapping against me?
There are so many moving pieces, so many difficult people and so many heavy problems, do you care?

We look up, and we think, "How am I going to climb this barrier, this ridiculous tower of hardship and this likely-to-fall thing of pain?"

My son, looked up at his playground web in much the same way. It looked impossible for him to climb. He got to the middle of it, looked up and said, "I think I have gone far enough. I am not sure if I can go any higher."

"'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes." Mk. 9:23

I wonder if Jesus looked at his walk to Calvary Hill in much the same way?

Did he think "This is impossible? This is a mess I can't get myself out of? Can God really get me through this?"

Somehow, I doubt it.

Jesus believed that the impossible, was the beginning of God's possible.

He knew that intricacies of life, are the proof point for the immaculacies of God.

He knew that deeply woven, meant deeply scalable by God.

Look at the intricacies Jesus climbed to make it to the pain-ridden and pain-freeing cross.

1. He had to defeat the powers of hell.

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Col. 2:15

2. He had to defeat his mind.

Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done. Lu. 22:42

3. He had to perfectly time things.

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law. Gal. 4:4

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Ro. 5:6

4. He had to fulfill Old Testament prophecy.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth. Is. 53:7

5. He had to take on the sins, the pain and the agony of the world.

He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. Jo. 1:22

6. He had to keeping humility, reliance on the plan and people coming at him in line.

Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. Jo. 6:15

7. He had to deal with his dearly loved disciples abandoning him at his hour of need.

But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples deserted him and fled. Mt. 26:56

But, still, what looked impossible, was possible.
Like the King he was, he did not stop halfway.
He didn't give up in the garden of agony.
He didn't stop on the road of tears, pain and mocking.
He didn't bow down to the taunts and lures of Satan.

He climbed. He scaled. To ascended on high. To reach the fullness of God's heights.

How do you need to keep moving as Jesus did?

Remember, what your eyes see - is not what God sees. What he sees is greatness, holiness, sanctification and peace in process. What he sees is his good ending from the painfully woven beginning. He sees his plan and he knows it is good.

Faith is what you cannot see.
Belief is feet that keep moving when things keep getting harder.
Hope is God's imminent rescue for those lives that trust him.

Trust him.
Keep climbing.
Don't give up.
Don't back down.
There is a plan.
He will bring you to his heights.
Press on.

My son focused. He kept moving. With the son against him, as he always is, he kept climbing and forging. And guess what happened? He didn't fall, waver or give up halfway, but he made it to the top.

Joy flooded him, smiles returned and a little "happy dance" in the sky occurred. He pulled through with God's help.

Get all Purposeful Faith blog posts by email - click here.

Join Kelly on her blog, Purposeful Faith, on Twitter and on Facebook


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Posts by

Siva Subramanian

HooLiv raises undisclosed funding from Kolte-Patil Developers

HooLiv, redefines the Shared Living experience to students by creating a Conducive ecosystem with Standardized Living and Collaborative Environment.

FICCI's DT4-Digital LEAPFROG Summit on March 7, 2020 (Saturday) at Hotel ITC Grand Chola, Chennai

Digital Disruption and Transformation Conference (also known at DT4) is the 4th annual Digital Disruption and Transformation Summit being held by FICCI Tamil Nadu State Council (FICCI TNSC).

Startup weekend Chennai - Your idea in 54 hours

Over the weekend, you can transform your idea into a valuable product, find your co-founders and embark on your entrepreneurial dreams.

VISAI 2020 - International Project Competition

Spotting and rewarding the finest engineering graduates, through nation-wide initiative, by presenting the students with “Real-world Engineering Challenges”.

Embright helps autistic children thru virtual reality

1 out of 59 children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) all around the world, according to the Centre of Autism Disease Control and Prevention Survey. How to efficiently teach those kids?

Techstars Startup Weekend Madurai 2020

Here is your chance to change the world. No Talk, All Action ! We're in cITy ! Startup Weekend Madurai (17 Jan - 19 Jan) 2020

Celebration by Chennai start-ups

Startup Pongal is an initiative of Startup Karam aimed at bringing together all the startups and also provide a platform for upcoming startups to know more about the community

StarApp - A platform that introduces great talent to the rest of the world

Everyone is special and everybody has got some talent; but the problem is, they all need a perfect platform.

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BEIJING -- China urged Washington on Friday to "correct" sanctions imposed on Chinese companies accused of helping Iran acquire materials for its nuclear program.

U.S. pressure on Iran and its "long-arm jurisdiction" against companies in third countries is the "root cause" of tension with Tehran, a foreign ministry spokesman said.

"China has consistently and resolutely opposed the United States imposing unilateral sanctions and so-called long-armed jurisdiction over other countries, including China," said the spokesman, Geng Shuang. "We urge the United States to immediately correct this wrong approach and earnestly respect the legitimate rights and interests of all parties,"

The U.S. Treasury said Thursday it had imposed sanctions on what it called a network of front companies and agents. It said they are based in Iran, China and Belgium. The Treasury gave no details but said the purchases violated UN restrictions on materials that can be used for nuclear programs.

Geng said Beijing opposes nuclear proliferation but rejects Washington's unilateral sanctions.

"We resolutely oppose any form of proliferation activities, always strictly implement relevant international obligations and stay committed to international co-operation on non-proliferation," Geng said.


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"We think it's important to evolve the marketing of Victoria's Secret," L Brands Chief Financial Officer Stuart Burgdoerfer said on a call with analysts Thursday.

The first Victoria's Secret fashion show aired in 1995, but last year the show fell to its lowest ratings since its inception.

"It was a very important part of the brand building of this business and was an important aspect of the brand and a remarkable marketing achievement," Burgdoerfer said Thursday. "We're figuring out how to advance the positioning of the brand and best communicate that to customers."

The show has generated controversy in recent years, with publications from Cosmopolitan to The Guardian calling it sexist and anti-feminist. Online lingerie startups like Third Love have pointed to the show as an example of Victoria's Secret falling out of touch. And a year ago Third Love's CEO wrote an open letter to the company denouncing "demeaning comments about women" by one of Victoria's Secret's top executives.

That was in response to a 2018 interview that Ed Razek, then chief marketing officer for L Brands, who among other things said he didn't think the brand should include "transsexuals" in its show. "Why not? Because the show is a fantasy," Razek said in an interview with Vogue. "It's a 42-minute entertainment special. That's what it is."

Razek later apologized for his "insensitive" comments. He left the company earlier this year.

On Wednesday, Victoria's Secret posted another quarter of declining sales.

The company has lost customers to rivals such as Target, Kohl's, American Eagle and lingerie startups. Leaders at Target and Kohl's both called out their strength in their lingerie businesses during their most recent quarters.

Victoria's Secret has also dealt with the fallout from L Brands founder and CEO Leslie Wexner's ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Epstein, whose death in jail last August has been ruled a suicide, was Wexner's former personal money manager and a trustee of the Wexner Foundation, Wexner's charitable group based Ohio. Wexner said he cut ties with Epstein in 2007.

In September, Wexner said that he was "embarrassed" that he put his trust in Epstein.

"Being taken advantage of by someone who was so sick, so cunning, so depraved is something that I am embarrassed that I was even close to, but that is in the past," Wexner said.

™ & © 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.


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Revelers around the globe bid farewell to a decade that will be remembered for the rise of social media, the Arab Spring, the #MeToo movement and, of course, U.S. President Donald Trump. A look at how the world is ushering in 2020:

Fireworks burst and confetti fell as throngs of revelers cheered the start of 2020 in New York City's Times Square.

In one of the globe's most-watched New Year's Eve spectacles, the crowd counted down the last seconds of 2019 as a luminescent crystal ball descended down a pole.

About 3,000 pounds (1,360 kilograms) of confetti showered the sea of attendees, many of whom were also briefly rained on earlier in the evening as they waited in security pens for performances by stars including rap-pop star Post Malone, K-pop group BTS, country singer Sam Hunt and singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette.

The crowds packed into the heart of Manhattan mouthed lyrics and waved yellow and purple balloons in a frenzy as midnight approached.

"It was a dream, I wanted to do it so this year a lot of people helped me to get here so I'm here, and I'm thankful for that," said Mariemma Mejias, 48, who flew to New York for the festivities from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The fun was evident, but some important global issues were driven home as well.

Spotlighting efforts to combat climate change, high school science teachers and students pressed the button that begins the famous 60-second ball drop and countdown to the new year.

About 3 million people welcomed 2020 at Brazil's iconic Copacabana beach as almost 34,000 pounds (15,420 kilograms) of colorful fireworks went off for 14 minutes after midnight.

Rio de Janeiro holds one of the biggest New Year parties in the world, with music, drinks and religious rituals on the shores. Many dress in white in a traditional sign of their hope for peace. About 2,000 policemen are working to ensure party-goers are safe. Authorities say only minor incidents have been reported so far.

Many locals and tourists are expected to stick around Copacabana until Wednesday's sunrise for their first dip of the year in the ocean, expecting to wash away their troubles from 2019. Summer in Rio often brings high temperatures early on.

The party in Sao Paulo, Brazil's metropolis, took about 2 million people to Paulista Avenue, the city's main road. Nearly all the 6,000 pounds (2,720 kilograms) of fireworks used there were silent so pets did not get too bothered by the noise.

A joyful crowd of Parisians and tourists walked, biked and used scooters to reach the Champs-Elysees for the new year celebrations, in a city with almost no public transport amid massive strikes.

Revelers converged at the famous avenue to watch a light show at the Arc de Triomphe, followed by a fireworks display at midnight. Paris police set up a security perimeter around the Champs-Elysees area with a ban on alcohol and traffic restrictions.

All metro lines in the French capital were closed except for two automatic lines, and only a few night buses were running, as Tuesday marked the 27th consecutive day of transport strikes against President Emmanuel Macron's plans to overhaul the French pension system.

Pope Francis delighted tourists and Romans in St. Peter's Square on Tuesday night when he took a stroll to admire the Nativity scene. Shouts of "Pope! Pope!" and "Happy New Year!" resounded as families rushed to catch a glimpse of him or thrust out their infant in hopes he would pat their heads or pinch their cheeks.

One woman grabbed the pope's hand and pulled him toward her to shake it. Francis, 83, exclaimed and then struck the woman's hand twice to free his hand.

At a New Year's Eve Vespers service in St. Peter's Basilica, Francis urged people to practice more solidarity and to "build bridges, not walls." Since becoming pontiff in 2013, Francis has preached openness -- a reform-minded agenda that has irritated a small but vocal group of ultra-conservatives in the church.

Revelers as well as pro-democracy protesters flocked to sites across Hong Kong to usher in 2020.

The semi-autonomous Chinese city has toned down New Year's celebrations amid the monthslong demonstrations. The protests have repeatedly sparked pitched battles with police and have taken their toll on Hong Kong's nightlife and travel industries.

A fireworks display that traditionally lights up famed Victoria Harbor was cancelled amid safety concerns, while some roads were closed and barriers set up in the Lan Kwai Fong nightlife district to control crowds.

Russians began the world's longest continuous New Year's Eve with fireworks and a message from President Vladimir Putin urging them to work together in the coming year.

Putin made the call in a short speech broadcast on television just before the stroke of midnight in each of Russia's 11 time zones. The recorded message was followed by an image of the Kremlin Clock and the sound of its chimes. State TV showed footage of extensive festive fireworks in cities of the Far East.

But one holiday tradition was missing in Moscow this year -- a picturesque layer of snow. The Russian capital has had an unusually warm December and temperatures in central Moscow as midnight approached were just above freezing.

More than a million people descended on a hazy Sydney Harbour and surrounding areas to ring in the new year despite the ongoing wildfire crisis ravaging New South Wales, Australia's most populous state.

The 9 p.m. fireworks over Sydney's iconic landmarks was briefly delayed due to strong winds, but revelers clearly enjoyed themselves in a desperately needed tonic for the state.

New South Wales has born the brunt of the wildfire damage, which has razed more than 1,000 homes nationwide and killed 12 people in the past few months.

New Zealand's major cities greeted the new year with fireworks as the nation appeared happy to be done with a year of challenges, both natural and man-made.

On March 15, a lone gunman identified killed 51 people and wounded dozens at two mosques in the South Island city of Christchurch. In December, an eruption of volcanic White Island off the east coast of the North Island killed at least 19 tourists and tour guides.

Fireworks erupted at midnight from Mount Vaea, overlooking the capital, Apia. The end of the year celebration was a time of sadness and remembrance.

A measles epidemic in late 2019 claimed 81 lives, mostly children under 5.

More than 5,600 measles cases were recorded in the nation of just under 200,000. With the epidemic now contained, the Samoa Observer newspaper named as its Person of the Year health workers who fought the outbreak.

Londoners watched a spectacular fireworks display from the banks of the River Thames that was launched from the London Eye and barges near Parliament.

The familiar chimes of London's Big Ben clock tower rung in the new year, even though they have been silent for most of 2019 because of extensive restoration work.

To the north, the multi-day Hogmanay New Year's celebrations in Edinburgh began Monday night with a torchlight parade through the streets of the Scottish capital.

Security was tight in both cities and elsewhere in Britain following a recent extremist attack on London Bridge that claimed two lives. Police arrested five men on suspicion of terrorism offences Monday but said the arrests were not related to the London Bridge attack or to celebrations.

Thousands of revelers gathered at Cape Town's Waterfront area to ring in the new year with music, dancing and fireworks in front of the city's iconic Table Mountain.

In past years, residents of Johannesburg's poor Hillbrow neighbourhood would celebrate the New Year by tossing furniture, appliances and even refrigerators from the balconies of high-rise apartment buildings. Police have issued stern warnings, and it appears the dangerous tradition has declined.

In a sombre statement, President Cyril Ramaphosa said "while our economy created jobs, these have not been nearly enough to stop the rise in unemployment or the deepening of poverty."

South African singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka was deported from Uganda, where she was to perform at a New Year's Eve event. Ugandan police cited visa issues, but Ugandan media reported it was because she had voiced support for Ugandan pop star Bobi Wine, the most potent opposition challenger to President Yoweri Museveni.

For nearly 10 minutes, fireworks lit the sky over Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, as hundreds of thousands gathered downtown to watch the spectacular display.

The New Year's Eve display at the 828-meter-tall (2,716-foot-tall) skyscraper was just one of seven different fireworks shows across the emirate. Tourists, especially from Europe and Russia, flocked to the sunny beaches of Dubai at this time of year to escape the cold, dark winter.

To keep the massive crowds safe, police created walkways around the Burj Khalifa tower for male-only groups to separate them from families and women.

Dubai this year will be hosting Expo 2020, a world fair that brings the most cutting-edge and futuristic technologies.

People flocked to temples and shrines in Japan, offering incense with their prayers to celebrate the passing of a year and the the first New Year's of the Reiwa era.

Under Japan's old-style calendar, linked to emperors' rules, Reiwa started in May, after Emperor Akihito stepped down and his son Naruhito became emperor. Although Reiwa is entering its second year with 2020, Jan. 1 still marks Reiwa's first New Year's, the most important holiday in Japan.

Stalls at Zojoji Temple in Tokyo sold sweet rice wine, fried noodles and candied apples, as well as little amulets in the shape of mice, the zodiac animal for 2020. Since the Year of the Mouse starts off the Asian zodiac, it's associated with starting anew.

Tokyo will host the 2020 Summer Olympics, an event that is creating much anticipation for the entire nation.

Tens of thousands of revelers in Indonesia's capital of Jakarta were soaked by torrential rains as they waited for New Year's Eve fireworks while others in the country were wary of an active volcano.

Festive events along coastal areas near the Sunda Strait were dampened by a possible larger eruption of Anak Krakatau, an island volcano that erupted last year just ahead of Christmas Day, triggering a tsunami that killed more than 430 people.

The country's volcanology agency has warned locals and tourists to stay 2 kilometres (1.3 miles) from the volcano's crater following an eruption Tuesday that blasted ash and debris up to 2,000 metres (6,560 feet) into the air.

Thousands of South Koreans filled cold downtown streets in Seoul ahead of a traditional bell-tolling ceremony near City Hall to send off an exhausting 2019 highlighted by political scandals, decaying job markets and crumbling diplomacy with North Korea.

Dignitaries ringing the old Bosingak bell at midnight included South Korean Major League Baseball pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu and Pengsoo, a giant penguin character with a gruff voice and blunt personality that emerged as one of the country's biggest TV stars in 2019.

Hundreds of thousands of revelers were expected to ring in the New Year in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.

Several German cities including Munich and Hamburg have banned private fireworks amid concerns about the danger and environmental impacts from the increasingly powerful fireworks. A recent poll by the Forsa research institute found 59% of Germans would support a ban on private fireworks in city centres, while 37% were opposed.

Tourism officials expected more than 300,000 revelers for fireworks fired at midnight from atop seven casinos on the resort-lined Las Vegas Strip. Thousands more were expected for live music and an LED light and sound show at the downtown Fremont Street Experience pedestrian mall.

"I tell people to expect one of the better fireworks they're ever going to see," said Michael Austin, a country music singer from Nashville, Tennessee, who was booked to perform in Las Vegas. "Swarms of people getting along, bringing in the new year."

Juan and Isabel Tinajero, making their first family visit to Las Vegas, said they hoped 2020 brings less stress than 2019.

"I expect a great show," Juan Tinajero said as Isabel pushed a stroller along the Las Vegas Strip sidewalk. "It's Vegas, right?"

Revelers packed beaches from Waikiki to the Big Island as Hawaii residents and visitors prepared to ring in the new decade.

A strong winter swell brought heavy waves to north- and west-facing shores of the islands Monday, nearly triggering the iconic Waimea Bay big wave contest named after Hawaiian surfing legend Eddie Aikau.

The waves weren't quite big enough for the green light on the North Shore Oahu surfing competition, but waters across the archipelago saw above-average sets of rollers that some surfers took full advantage of.

On Oahu, people packed the streets of Waikiki, where a fireworks display would welcome 2020. But across the island at Ko Olina and Turtle Bay resorts, people gathered to the sounds of bumping music as tiki torches burned along walkways.

Comedian Bill Maher was spotted leaving one hotel as he prepared for his annual comedy show in Honolulu.

Fireworks displays both big and small were expected across the islands as the sanctioned shows competed with the less legal versions of the explosive festivities in neighbourhoods on every island.

At Ko Olina Resort on Oahu's west side, people watched sun dip below the horizon of the Pacific as the sky turned shades of orange and red before a deep blue sky took over. A traditional Hawaii luau was set for later in the evening, with fire and hula dancers set to entertain the crowds.


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Deaconess Studies

Are you interested in reaching out to serve others? Do you feel a call to work with those in need across the nation or the world?

If so, you may have a calling to enter Concordia University Chicago's long-standing Deaconess Studies program. Through a series of coursework, you will be equipped to serve people in need through congregations, agencies, institutions or missionary work.

Concordia-Chicago Deaconess Studies Program Overview

CUC offers the only undergraduate program leading to deaconess certification in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). Students can become certified and practice in their field in just five years, including a one-year paid internship. students can also combine their studies with programs in education, social work or not-for-profit business management.

Community is an important part of deaconess student life. Students meet regularly to study God’s word, pray and worship. They also gather for retreats, fellowship and fun. Community life extends to the professional deaconess who prays regularly for students and visits campus for Bible studies and classes.

To date, more than 180 women have completed the Deaconess Program since its beginning at Concordia University Chicago in 1980.

Deaconess Studies Course Information

At the end of successful program completion, students will earn a bachelor of arts degree and are eligible to receive the LCMS deaconess certification and/or placement as an LCMS deaconess, although this is not a guaranteed certification or placement.

You will take courses in deaconess ministry, Lutheran doctrine and ministry skills. You will also have guided practical experience in field work and a year-long internship to serve those in need. Your courses and our faculty will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to succeed.

Deaconess students may double major in areas such as education or minor in social work, sociology, psychology, biblical languages or Spanish. Many students also choose to combine their undergraduate training with a master’s degree in gerontology, social work, counseling or business administration.

For details about required courses and course descriptions, please visit our online catalog

Deaconess Studies Opportunities

The year-long, paid deaconess internship is a great opportunity for students to tryout the things they’ve learned in the classroom and to grow from new experiences. CUC’s interns have served in institutions and congregations throughout the U.S. and in the mission field in countries such as Guatemala, China, Thailand, Germany, England and others. Assignments for internships are made by the program director after consultation with each student.

CUC’s location provides easy access to the cultural, learning and servant opportunities of Chicago. A rich variety of Lutheran congregations and service organizations exist within an easy distance to campus. Our library is one of the oldest and most complete theological libraries in the Synod, with access to the resources of other major Chicago schools.


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Spinning BB-8 Lapel Pin

Item Code: SW-BB8-LP

Availability: In stock

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  • MSRP $45.00

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Author Releases A Video For Guitar

MADISON, WISCONSIN, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, December 20, 2018 / — Ken Jackson’s Guitar has gained good reviews online after its publication. His book serves as a reminder that to the artists, art is life and their life is an art – which definitely gives a moral to every artist who struggles to make it through in their challenges. As the author shares how he continues his passion while rendering twenty years in the penitentiary, he is an epitome of a true artist who made it through even when he was at the toughest moments in his life.

Following the successful publication of the book, Jackson reaches another milestone as a book video for Guitar is set to be released soon. It will give a compelling view of what the author wants the readers to understand. Furthermore, it will show a summary of the most impactful timeline of the author’s life.

The author invites everyone to check the poster for the video, where the book is available for order: and the facebook fan page for her book:

About the Author:
I started off as a musician in high school, playing guitar and bass. Coming out of high school, I knew some of my own songs as well as those of other artists. I didn't start writing poems for a while though-except in high school for English class, when I wrote a poem that said, “Let's blow up the rotten school and build ourselves a swimming pool,” which raised an issue at school similar to bomb threats in this day and age. Then there was this dirty poem I wrote in my early twenties. But I was still writing songs then. I took some college courses in jazz, piano, songwriting, and creative writing. Back in 1985, I recorded with a famous producer. Butch Vig produced Nevermind by Nirvana, a number-one album of the year in the early nineties. Then, in 1986, I started a twenty-year sentence for a crime. That's when I started writing poetry. I took a course in creative writing from UW–Extension. I wrote a few poems and people liked them, so I wrote more. There came a time when I used poetry as therapy. I would write two poems for every two weeks. And that beats writer's block. A lot of that stuff is in the book Best of Ken Jackson. I was released in '99 and put out a bunch of rock 'n' roll albums. I was also participating in a monthly poetry group for a while. I wrote one section of this book using a variety of student researchers.

You can visit his website

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Kenneth Jackson
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Hospice Volunteers Needed

February 23
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Compassus Hospice and Palliative Care is looking for dedicated and compassionate individuals to support hospice residents and families. Volunteers provide critical support services and companionship. Make a difference, volunteer today! Volunteers must be available to volunteer at least twice a month. Volunteers must be 18 or older. Flexible schedule Comprehensive training provided

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2:00 pm

The Life and Writings of Phillis Wheatley

February 23 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Hampton Park Library, 5345 Settingdown Road
Cumming, GA 30041 United States
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Celebrate African American History Month with the next event in our ongoing "Race and American Culture" series led by Dr. Ian Afflerbach. Dr. Afflerbach will examine the life and writings of Phillis Wheatley. In 1773, Wheatley published her first book of poetry--the first of its kind by any person of African descent in English. For […]

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    Molly K. Schloderback, Psy.D.

    My name is Dr. Molly K. Schloderback. people often call me Dr. S. because my name can be a little bit tricky to remember. I am the School Psychologist here at CTA Humphrey. I'm so happy to be a part of such a wonderful school!
    I obtained my Bachelor's of Science in Elementary Education and Special Education from Northern Arizona University.  I was a special education teacher for 11 years before I pursued my graduate degrees. I completed my Masters and Doctorate at  Argosy University.

    I was born and raised in Arizona. I grew up in Prescott, but I have lived in the Phoenix area for the past  13 years.  I have been married for 10 years and have two beautiful daughters.
    I feel honored to be able to work closely with the families and teachers here at CTA Humphrey.

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Want to up your Social Media game?

Social Partners enables any church with a Facebook Page access to a high quality library of video and image content to boosts your social media presence.

We have heard from church leaders that although they understand the value of a strong social media presence they find time and resources challenging. So, we have created a brand new program designed to save time and provide the highest quality resources.

Delivered weekly, partners receive new videos and resources to create a consistent, engaging social media presence in their community. This in turn creates new touchpoints to engage people online who are interested in faith, enabling them to connect with the church family before they have even set foot in church!

All of the video content that we make is designed to get Seekers interested in talking about the Gospel. We are obsessed with figuring out what type of storytelling will help lead people towards Christ. Some of the films are animated explainer-style videos, some are mini-documentaries, and some are inspiring parables on scriptural themes.

Are you interested in Social Partners?
We’re already hearing amazing stories from Pastors making new connections through their Social Media pages!
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Relationships, Privacy

and Screen Time

Digital citizens must know how to make and maintain safe and healthy online relationships, protect their privacy, and manage their screen time. This is a lot to learn! That is why Cyber Civics includes three years of weekly turnkey, hands-on, sequential in-classroom lessons that teach these skills in a way that makes sense to kids. We believe students learn best when they learn together and talk face-to-face. That way the norms they develop in the classroom become the norms they take with them online.

Choose Online Friends Wisely!

It’s important for young digital citizens to be careful about choosing their online friends. They should definitely know when to say NO to unsafe online relationships and how to maintain some online privacy.

Remind your students how easy it is for someone to hide his or her identity online. Any stranger, or even company, can pretend to be someone or something they’re not in order to gain our trust. To keep safe from strangers online, smart digital citizens should follow these very basic “rules of the road”:

• Never share personal information online. This includes your name, address, telephone number, birthdate, social security number, name of school, parent information, passwords, etc.

• Don’t respond to text messages or emails unless you know who they are from.

• Know who you "friend" online.

• Never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone you meet online. If someone asks to meet you, tell a trusted adult immediately.

Your Personal Information is Valuable!

Understanding that personal information is a valuable commodity may be one of the most important lessons for young digital citizens to learn. Be sure your students grasp the fact that nothing online is truly free. We pay for the wonderful content and services delivered by the Internet with our personal data. Understanding this exchange is important.

In Cyber Civics we teach students this skill by explaining the language of online privacy (see below) and then we ask them to review the privacy policies of popular social media sites. They love these lessons! See for yourself…

The Language of Online Privacy

You can help your students understand online privacy by teaching them these important terms:

  • Personal information: Includes your name, address, email address, phone number, age, etc.

  • Cookies: Small files placed on your device by some sites you visit. Cookies enable sites to “remember” your data.

  • Third party: “Party” is a legal term for a person or entity. A “third party” is a person or entity other than the one you may have entered into an agreement with.

  • License: Official permission to do, use, or own something.

  • User content: Includes words, images, videos, audio, memes, or anything else you post online.

  • Location information: Information about where a device user is located. Apps and websites can determine location by using        cellular, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, etc.

  • Log file information: A log file records events that occur on a device and may include search queries, how web services were used, and information about crashes, hardware settings, browser type, and more.

  • Monetization: The process of making money.

A Digital Citizen Knows

How to Manage Screen Time

Knowing how and why to manage screen time is a theme we revisit often during Cyber Civics. A favorite lesson for older students—"Your Brain on Tech"—teaches them how and why digital tools keep them “hooked.” You’d be surprised at their reaction to this information! Nobody, let alone a teenager, likes to be manipulated. Learning how this happens is empowering information for a young digital citizen.

Try this with your students:

Ask them to think about a ping that announces a new text message or email. Ask: Have you ever received such a notification? How did it make you feel? Did it immediately make you want to grab for your phone, or click on a computer?

Tell students that a notification, like a ping announcing a new text

message, or an email, or that we were just tagged in a photo, rewards

our brains with a small dose of a chemical called dopamine. Many

people call this the “feel good” chemical because it does make one feel

good! And when we go online to see what the ping announced, we get

rewarded with a second dose of this “feel good” chemical too. Seeing

new “likes,” comments, or that someone has tagged us in a photo

releases dopamine in the brain. The dopamine reward center that notifications activate is the same area of the brain where addicts experience pleasure from eating, drugs, alcohol and even video-game play.

Ask students to think of online activities that can activate the reward center of the brain. Answers might include: a new photo posted by a friend, an invitation to play a game, or getting mentioned in a post. All of these online activities feel pleasurable to the human brain and make us want to use our devices more. Ask: Do you find it hard to do homework if you get a notification for something online? Remind students that it is easy to turn off this distracting feature on any of the sites or apps we use.


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Working in the Beauty Related Industries

Working in the Beauty Related Industries

Types of Organisations

There are many organisations that influence and support the beauty related industries. Various not-for-profit organisations offer advice, insurance, support and training opportunities to those who work, or are aiming to work in the beauty industry.

Perhaps foremost of these is Habia, who are recognised by the government as the ‘Standards Setting Body’ for the hair and beauty industry, developing the standards of all UK recognised hair and beauty qualifications, the Codes of Practice and Industry Guidelines, and further advanced skills training to learning providers and those already working in the industry.

Also a not-for-profit organisation, Babtac (British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology) offers insurance to professionals in the beauty, hair, holistic and sports therapy industries. Other such organisations include The Federation of Holistic Therapists, The Freelance Hair and Beauty Federation and Associated Beauty Therapists.

Awarding bodies provide qualifications to those of have successfully completed a training course. Examples of these include CIBTAC, NVQ, ITEC and VTCT, all of which provide at least nationally recognised qualifications.

Learning Providers and educators prepare those aspiring to work in the beauty related industries for such qualifications as listed above. There are many beauty academies offering these courses, such as The Training Room.

Organisations offering beauty, holistic or sports therapies, and thereby providing jobs in these sectors include fitness and leisure providers such as Virgin ACTIVE and Bannatynes; hotels, including large companies such as Marriot and Hilton as well as smaller independent hotels; holiday resorts such as Mark Warner; cruise ships, for example, OnBoard Spa by Steiner, and agencies for mobile therapists such as Secret Spa. Cloudspa is also a company...


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New Member, needs advice please

Drop in & say hello
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Mark Picken
Posts: 2
Joined: 16 Jan 2012 23:00

New Member, needs advice please

Post by Mark Picken » 20 Jan 2012 10:21

Hello All,

This is my first time, so be kind.

I bought a property in Cyprus, love the Island but this has been far from an enjoyable process.

My first question that I hope someone can help with regards lifts.

Can anyone tell me what the legal requirements are regarding servicing / maintenance and frequency of these?

Kind regards

Nigel Howarth
Site Admin
Posts: 2483
Joined: 24 Oct 2007 14:38
Location: Erimi, Limassol, Cyprus

Re: New Member, needs advice please

Post by Nigel Howarth » 20 Jan 2012 10:25

Hello Mark and welcome to the forum.

Someone else asked me this question in another forum last November and I spoke with the manager at Otis lifts in Limassol.

The law requires that passenger lifts are inspected monthly.

Nigel Howarth
Independent information & advice for Cyprus property buyers
Contact Nigel Howarth
Read the latest Cyprus property news

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How bright does the future look for gamers? It’s hard to say. At the moment, it’s hard to say. There are a bunch of names floating around for the latest gaming platforms, but information is limited on some of them. Here’s a quick rundown of the gaming platforms of 2016 and 2017.

So, it’s finally here. Virtual reality gaming has now advanced so much that VR is now a feasible way to play games. Anyone remember 1995’s Virtual Boy? It wasn’t much fun. But now the tech is here, and so are the great games.

The problem with VR is that it’s not just one new system. If you want to get into the field, you have to select from a range of VR hardware! You also have to consider the console or computer you’re going to use it with, not just the headset. You will need to put focus on getting hardware that is VR-ready, like this great product from Falcon Northwest.

Xbox One: Project Scorpio

Project Scorpio will be an upgraded version of the Xbox One. This is Microsoft’s attempt to get back on top in the tech game. Where the Xbox and Xbox 360 were the most powerful of their generation of consoles, the Xbox One falls far behind the PlayStation 4.

Though it was unveiled at E3, there was nothing much to say. The specs mentioned look like it will beat the PlayStation Neo in terms of power. The specs mentioned in the unveiling video point to a high end PC that is able to run 4K video and gaming. The new console will also be VR ready and explains their recent partnership with Oculus. However, this new console could be three years away, by which time Playstation will have widened the gap even further.

PlayStation 4K (a.k.a. Neo)

Despite having been officially announced, this console wasn’t unveiled at E3. Like microsoft’s Scorpio project, it’s an upgraded version of the current console iteration. Not much is known about it, although we do have a bunch of spec information that shows it will be much more powerful than the ‘Base’ PS4.

The ‘4K’ of the title suggests it will be a 4K-ready console. And 4K is… what, exactly? It’s an iteration of ultra-HD. HD, at peak capacity, gives you just over two million pixels. Ultra-HD is closer to nine million. Aside from that, we don’t know much at all! At E3, Sony put their focus on a plethora of exciting exclusives, instead of unveiling a console with little information. (Looking at you, Microsoft).

Nintendo NX

So, the WiiU, eh? It wasn’t as tremendous a failure as many people like to say it was. And there are several games on it that everyone should play. But it definitely wasn’t a must-own console, and it paled in comparison to it’s siblings on the same generation.

And now here we are: a new Nintendo console is already on the horizon. It’s pegged to be the serious contender for the hearts of this generation of gamers. We already know that it will be the platform of the next Zelda game. Aside from that, details are pretty scarce. It looks like the system will use cartridges instead of discs. But Nintendo will probably continue to focus on content rather than sheer console power. Some may dismiss this as folly. But hey, it worked for the PlayStation 2!

About The Author

Gadget lover, gamer, tech obsessed daddy blogger - Loving husband, father of two girls and dog owner


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• John Zeretzke, with the Costa Mesa-based Segerstrom Center for the Arts, helps Juliana Delgado, 15, create a “Book Poem,” on Tuesday, April 18, 2017. (Frank Perez/Correspondent)

  • A “book poem” by Jurupa Hills High School student Johann Rodriguez, 14. (Frank Perez/Correspondent)

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    The gallery will resume inseconds

FONTANA >> The words were written by Harper Lee and it’s a page from “To Kill a Mockingbird,” but it’s not the classic tale of Scout and a trial in Jim Crow-era Alabama.

“arms akimbo, … shoulders drooping

“head cocked to one side, … glasses winking in

“grin of the uttermost

“departeth in darkness!

“Why … was a

“devil on trial for

“his life.”

All the other words have been blacked out with black marker or colored over with a red marker, the page turned into a stylized smiling devil.

“We get to cut up old books for this, it’s great,” artist John Zeretzke said.

Copies of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Old Yeller,” “Call of the Wild” and other books used earlier in the year in Loralei Atchley’s ninth-grade English class at Jurupa Hills High School have been sacrificed to let students create what Zeretzke calls “book poems” but which are also known as “blackout poetry.”

Zeretzke is an artist in residence for the Costa Mesa-based Segerstrom Center for the ArtsArts Teach program. Although he is primarily a musician and composer, Zeretzke’s also been an artist-educator for 32 years, and incorporates English, visual arts and other media into his lessons.

“So much of creativity has been taken out of education,” Atchley said. “So we’re lucky to get this.”

Since 1990, the Arts Teach program has sent artists to teach in local elementary schools, mostly in Orange County elementary schools.

“It’s a way to connect students to another world they might otherwise not be exposed to,” said Olivia Espinosa, manager of education partnership for the Segerstrom Center.

Seven artists have spent part of the school year at Jurupa Hills.

“Incorporating arts into regular classes is really beneficial to kids,” Principal Lorraine Trollinger said. “I just contacted them, and saw they had these residencies, and started working to put these residencies together.”

The Segerstrom program fits in well at Jurupa Hills, which has an arts pathway for students to pursue over multiple years.

“That’s one of our main areas of focus we want our kids up and doing,” Trollinger said.

That was literal in the case of one of the first artists, who wanted to teach Jurupa Hills students Gaelic dance and Irish music.

“At first, they were like, ‘What?’ But our kids are not afraid to get up and participate,” Trollinger said.

The chance to mark up novels to remix them into new pieces of art likewise engaged students this past week.

“In the beginning, I wasn’t really interested,” freshman Juliana Salgado, 15, said, “but once we started the poems, I really started getting into it.”

Said freshman Carlos Gallegos, 14: “Once we started getting into it, I thought it was pretty fun.”

After students turned one or more pages into poetry, Zeretzke announced a “gallery tour” around the classroom.

“I want you to leave out your art on the desks, even your scratch work,” he said. “Walk around, take time to read the poetry.”

It wasn’t all grinning devils on trial.

“Did everyone see Jordan’s?” Zeretzke asked. “Really joyful, a lot of flowers. She used only six words. … Sometimes, poetry can leave you hanging.”

The program will likely return to Jurupa Hills next year

“It looks like we’ll be getting nine to 11 artists next year,” Trollinger said. “I had double the teachers emailing me and saying they’d like to have an artist in residence to work with.”

The artists are equally excited, according to Espinosa.

“It’s a trek for them to come from Orange County and L.A.” or Ventura County, like Zeretzke, “but it’s worth it,” she said.

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Amanda Burt: Put a little love in your life

Amanda Burt

We all know that February is most recognized as a month focused on love. We celebrate Valentine’s Day by gifting stuffed animals, chocolates and flowers for those who are special in our lives. These are the “Hallmark” ways of showing love to each other. But, what if I told you that you could share your love a little differently this February?

Be a good neighbor. Just a simple act of kindness like taking someone’s trash can out for them, paying for someone’s groceries or making homemade cards for homebound elderly can make people feel loved and appreciated. See where more kindness is needed in the world, and be that kindness for others. It is said that the Golden Rule in life is this: “Do unto others as you would want to be done to you.”

At United Way of Northwest Georgia, we are in the business of building better futures by focusing on the building blocks of a good life — education, basic needs and health. You may be able to give financially to show someone in your local community that you care. By donating to United Way, your dollars can improve the lives of more than 55,000 of our neighbors each year. Then there are times in life where it is more difficult to give financially, and rather, you have more time and talents to give. One of the best aspects of United Way is that you have the ability to give your resources of time, talent and treasure with the peace of mind knowing they are used locally in the most efficient and effective ways.

Volunteering is a great way to show that you care. One opportunity I have seen firsthand that makes a difference in the lives of so many adults and children is our Mentors United program. United Way of Northwest Georgia's Young Leaders Society has established a mentoring partnership with United Way community partner Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Georgia Mountains. Through Mentors United, 11 Young Leaders Society members volunteer their time at Valley Point Middle School as part of the Buddy Program, the school-based mentorship arm of our local Big Brothers Big Sisters. The mentors (Big Buddies) meet with their Little Buddies monthly during the 2019-2020 school year with the goal of supporting a successful transition into high school.

Meet Mentors United volunteer Yesenia Barragan, human resources manager at Engineered Floors.

“After some United Way impact tours, I realized how important and easy it could be to become someone’s cheerleader in his or her life. Work and home can be stressful at times, but it’s nice that I can escape for a few hours every other week while providing the same mental freedom to a youth soul. Sharing some of the sweet and fun activities I do with my buddy has helped me start good and important conversations with my daughter, too.”

The mentors give the Little Buddies someone to confide in and to look up to. Overall, the Little Buddies do better in school and at home because of their relationship with their Big Buddies.

The mentorship program does not just positively affect the Little Buddies — it impacts the Big Buddies as well.

Meet Jammie Green, mentor and director of health and welfare at Engineered Floors.

“When I was young, I was very impressionable. I had many people along the way to help guide and mold me into what I am today. This has made me very self-aware to want to pay it forward if given the opportunity. Knowing I have made a connection with my Little Buddy and seeing the positivity surrounding her as we talk about future ideas and plans is not only self-fulfilling, but gives me hope that she too will pay it forward one day.”

So as we celebrate the month of love and kindness, remember that showing love to someone has more of an impact than you may realize. Sometimes all someone needs is a person who is there supporting him or her through the trials of middle school. Maybe that person is you.

Amanda Burt is president of the United Way of Northwest Georgia.

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Panther Service Day offers new sites, collaborations

Kalyn Hayslett, Editor-in-Chief

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Students can volunteer sooner and at new locations for the 15th Annual Panther Service Day April 1, which will kick-start Greek Week.

Beth Gillespie, director of the civic engagement and volunteerism office, said making Panther Service Day a part of Greek Week is something new the office is trying this year.

“In the past Panther Service Day is typically later in April, and we do have Greek participation. But by building it into Greek Week, we are hopeful that we will have more students go out, both from the Greek community and not,” Gillespie said.

Individuals and groups will receive free T-shirts if they register to volunteer by Thursday. Students can register online by going to the Panther Service Day tab on the Civic Engagement and Volunteerism Office homepage.

If students are a part of a fraternity, sorority or registered student organization with more than five people volunteering, they will need to complete a group registration form. Individual registration forms are also available.

Greek Week lasts from March 31 to April 9. Airband performances, Panther Service Day and Greek Sing will all take place the first weekend.

Crystal Brown, assistant director for the civic engagement and volunteerism office, said the Greek Week volunteer committee came up with idea in the hopes of engaging more Greek members.

Committee member Catie Witt said the Panhellenic Council requires its fraternities and sororities to have 15 percent of their members participate.

“They came to (the volunteerism office) about doing a service project on that Saturday, and we discussed it here and with them. We thought, ‘Why don’t we move Panther Service Day and make it a collaborative effort and a larger event?’” Brown said.

Check-in will be at 9 a.m. April 1 in the University Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. Union. Participants can have bagel and cream cheese in the morning and will be dismissed based on site location. Students are responsible for providing their own lunch, Gillespie said.

Students can choose from volunteer sites that have been offered during Panther Service Day for years including HOPE, Douglas Heart Nature Center, Standing Stone Community Center, Five Mile House and First Fruits Homestead.

They can also choose sites typically offered during different times of the year including a mobile food pantry, a car wash fundraiser and community aid in Ashmore.

Gillespie said this year is the first time students can volunteer for Choices for Pregnancy, where they can help clean up the agency’s thrift store, stock the shelves and organize the merchandise.

“They help women with education during pregnancy (and) help with education about parenting in terms of techniques, physical and emotional health of babies after birth. They support the mother and baby until the baby is 2 to 3 years old. They do it for free,” Gillespie said.

Choices for Pregnancy only has one employee and relies on volunteers to help maintain the educational services they provide all year, Gillespie said.

“We like them because they support mothers who have low income, may be struggling or who are trying to be a different kind of parent then they have experienced — and they do this in a judgment-free supportive environment,” she said.

The car wash fundraiser will be held in the Auto Zone parking lot, and the goal is to raise $250, which will be donated to One Stop Community Christmas, Gillespie said.

Volunteers will make signs in the morning to recruit community members, Brown said.

The Eastern Illinois Food Bank will organize the mobile food pantry sites. The volunteers will travel to Georgetown, Illinois, approximately an hour away, so students will meet in the Union and carpool to the location.

“Just due to the nature of the program, it will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. which is a little longer than the time of the rest of the projects,” Brown said.

Every location will have student government representatives and executive board members to serve as site leaders.

Gillespie said the student government representatives will help answer questions and make sure everyone is having fun and knows what they need to do.

“We are going to act as those Prowl leaders for Panther Service Day. We don’t have a volunteer requirement for student government, but we always try to do our best to volunteer together,” Witt said.

Since 2003, student government has co-sponsored the service day and helped supply the free T-shirts.

“We are really grateful for the partnership; we are glad that it has continued, and we think it offers the senators from student government another chance to be a leader for those who put them in office,” Gillespie said. “To go out and spend time doing good together is a powerful experience and for those in student government who are wanting to be leaders on campus we think it’s a great way for them to do just that.”

Witt said the current student senators are not shy and will use this time to meet new people.

“This gives them a chance to branch out and potentially meet new people and maybe learn a perspective they originally did not hear before,” Witt said.

Kalyn Hayslett can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]