Spring has sprung! Even though the winter was short, it made up for its length in its temperature; it’s now high time for warmer weather. And with the warm weather comes the stress of final papers, assignments and exams. Other than budgeting your time and getting proper sleep, might I advise that when stress seems to be hitting you the most, a good solution is taking a walk (seeing as it is an enjoyable temperature) and letting your mind rest. (This is also a refreshing and relaxing way to procrastinate.) Enjoy watching as new life begins at EBC (and a new building!).

There is only one more issue of the Voice after this. If you would like to submit something for the final issue, have it to Rachel Neumeister or voiceofebc@gmail.com by April 6 at midnight.

Upcoming Events / Announcements

- Spring Banquet: April 13
The evening will occur in two separate sections: dinner will be in the campus centre at 6:00PM. If you are on the meal plan, this is free, BUT you are still required to get a ticket. This will be the only meal served this day, so make sure to get your ticket if you intend on eating. For those not on the meal plan, dinner will be $5. Dessert and fellowship will be in the chapel; doors open at 7:00PM. This portion of the evening also costs $5 (for both meal plan and commuter students). If you have a meal card, any of the student council members can sign it for you for this evening. Talk to Student Council, or Brittany Rice for more details.
- Baccalaureate Service: April 13 in chapel. Scholarships, bursaries and awards will be distributed.
- Residence Closes: April 29, 5:00PM
- Application forms for Student Council honourariums are available at the front desk. These will be awarded at the Baccalaureate Service on April 13.

Included in this Issue:

MTF Karaoke and Games Night - Melanie Vaillancourt

State of Mind - Rachel Neumeister

Sleep Deprivation - Tim Grace

Better is One Day - Rachel Neumeister

Ask Queen B - Someone said…

Devotional: Mumbler’s Musings - Julie-Anne Wideman

Spotlight - Jason Edgar

Global Perspective: My Thai Diary - Stefanie Parsons

Creative Corner:
Go M.A.D. Gusto! - Rachel Neumeister
Origin - Terry Ibele

Reviews: Coffee with the King - Dave King

Photo Gallery
MTF Karakoe Night
Go M.A.D.

Voice on the Street: Politicians of the Future

EBC Campus as of March 26, 2007

by: Jordan Vetro

As I move about our campus, I see so many bright minds, ready to thrive in the post-educational world. Cunning minds, ready minds, silly minds. So I decided to go forward and ask some of our great students what such incredible minds would do in a place of authority. This week’s question is: What would you do in the position of EBC president?

[As you shall very quickly notice, our camera problems continue… so I have decided to opt for a temporary alternative. We hope you enjoy it.]

Howie Allen
Bring in more special needs people so they can grow closer to God.

Brian Blake
I would charge students money so that I could have a budget so that I could actually do stuff. Don’t write “ so that I could actually do stuff” I really meant so that I can do some really great things, really big things for the students.

Jamie Knight
One word… Dictatorship.

Simona Grigore
No comment

Wesley Hague
I would introduce 12 courses on cleaning dishes

Jason Edgar
I wish not to answer that question. Nor be cited for it. You evil evil man.

Curtis Healy
That is so complicated a question for me. That’s not my answer!!! Jordan WHY!?

Tabitha Rozeluk
I would resign. If I became president of EBC I would allow myself to be misquoted (This is a misquote)

Abby Woods

I would be happy – But I’m not coming back next year… so meh.

Dan Cook
Get rid of the SLT cult Change the building plan so that there is some hot tub somewhere, and wear a suit every day.

Johanna Snieder
I would get rid of smoke in the kitchens which causes the fire alarm to go off. (see Brian Blake)

Andrew Walleeen

First I’d bring back the stubby beer bottle, make it legal to keep them on campus, and then make a law that anyone caught drinking from a stubby beer bottle would be shot.

Amanda Gray 

I would install a swimming pool and hot tub in the building.
Andrew Wallin: No wait, wait, you’re supposed to install a recording studio.
Amanda Gray: All right, a recording studio and gym and have it finished by next semester.
Andrew Wallin: Actually put recording studio on mine too. Recording studio and stubby beer bottle.
Amanda Gray: This is going into the Voice.
Andrew Wallin: Who cares. Nobody reads the Voice.
Jordan types: (Andrew Wallin spontaneously combusts… and dies.)
Andrew Wallin: There goes your last reader.

Dan Sage

I would make Shoppers 24 hours again - NO! - I will build a 24 hour Shoppers on campus along with Twice the Deal pizza, Tim Hortons and Crabby Joes!
Amanda Gray says: But NO! That’s dumb!

photos by: Katelyn Unger

Katelyn Unger, Melanie Vaillancourt and Sarah Capeling decked out in 60’s garb

Andrew Wallin: “ehhhh!”

Drew Peterson and Wesley Hague enjoying Solitaire. 

A friendly game of Outburst

Amanda Gray, Heather Marion, Ben Ahrens and Jessica Nahwegabow assembling a puzzle

The hilarious game of Boxers or Briefs?

Sarah Capeling and Steph Vincent singing some karaoke

The Student Council fundraiser “Go Make A Difference” took place on March 17, 2007.  There were five teams involved, consisting of between 5-8 people each. 

Each team served the community in various ways, such as picking up trash and sticks from the campus and surrounding area, painting, cleaning etc.

The students raised $3000 and several hundred is still expected to come in further pledges from the event.  The money will be used to furnish the student lounge in the new building, as well as providing honourariums for students.

Congratulations and thank you to all who were involved!

Brandon Meyers painting at Oasis

Katelyn Unger and Scott Dennison washing dishes in the blessing kitchen

Laurie Winfield, Jolene Voskamp, Bethany Michaelis, Christina Annett and Taryn Wiley

Jason Edgar and Jessica Nahwegabow picking up sticks

Tim Grace and Mark Chatten making use of their muscles

Tom Fenske and Gillian Jarnick are helping Christina Fisher paint: how kind.

More picking up sticks

Katelyn Unger is joyfully sweeping

A team of servants

Another team, plus two helpful sidekicks

by: Melanie Vaillancourt

            On Friday March 16th, the Missions Task Force (MTF) hosted a karaoke and games night.  The theme was the 1960s, and some people “got all decked out” for the event.  The chapel was well-decorated with a variety of things representing the 60s.  These included 60s confetti, colourful flowers and records hanging on the walls.  There were also words posted on the walls to represent the 60s, with phrases like, “Wiggin’ Out” and “Groovy”. 

            Fun was had by all who were there.  Some of the many fun games played include: Boxers or Briefs, Apples to Apples, Yahtzee and Urban Myth.  Stephanie Vincent started the Karaoke portion of the night off with “Circle of Life”.  Jamie Knight then touched all hearts with his rendition of “You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling”, which he dedicated to Drew Peterson.  There were a few performances by Graham Sweet, one of which - “Help” - he jokingly dedicated to his homework.  Andrew Wallin and Trevor Creech performed “Here comes the Sun” while Amanda Gray did an interpretive dance to the song.  One of the more interesting performances of the night involved Brian Blake, Stefanie Parsons, Amanda Gray and Jason Edgar.  They sang a song called “I am the Walrus”, after which Erin Morley commented, “This is what drugs does to you”.  Sarah Capeling and Stephanie Vincent performed “In Christ Alone” because they, according to Stephanie, “wanted to harmonize”.  Trevor Creech enlightened us with the knowledge of his favourite song when he sang “We wish you a Merry Christmas”.  The two final performances were “Can you feel the Love Tonight?” by Howie Allen and “Ha Kuna Ma Tata” by myself, Melanie Vaillancourt, and Heather Marion.  Many of the performers should be relieved that this was the not the Gong Show, because they surely would not have been allowed to finish their performances.  Luckily it was all in good fun, and singing talent was not a pre-requisite to get up on stage.

            In the midst of all these performances was an auction.  There was a delicious Farmer’s Apple Pie that was wanted by many.  After an intense competition between Wesley Hague, Jason Edgar and Andrew Wallin as the main bidders, the pie went to Andrew Wallin for $25.  Hopefully this can help to buy some books for a school in Nigeria.

[See the Photo Gallery for pictures of this event.]

by: Rachel Neumeister

Did I remember to lock the door?  Is the stove off?  Did I wash my hands with soap?  These are simple questions that may bother us as we leave the house for work, but because of billions of neurotransmitters and chemicals in our brains, we are able to carry on with our day in a normal fashion.  But what if these neurons do not function properly? 

As I have studied Abnormal Psychology this semester, (FASCINATING course with Ron Hallman) I have become increasingly thankful for my sound mind. 

Examining how a signal is transmitted is astounding in the intricate way God designed our bodies.  When an outside stimulus triggers a reaction, the message is taken in by our eyes, sent to our brains (via millions of neurons firing), in which is it processed, and the signal is from there sent down our neck, and to our appropriate limb needed for the reaction – all in the fraction of a second.  Indeed, I am fearfully and wonderfully made!

My heart and compassion goes out to those who are plagued with unwanted thoughts, or mental disorders.  The majority of these are caused by external triggers out of one’s control such as family or societal influences, or by neurological dysfunction. 

            When I think of all the current stresses in my life—final papers, Voice issue, summer plans, finances, work, my future—I realize how easily I overlook that with which I have been blessed.  Lately this has been my mental health. 

I can feel physical pain – I know to take my hand off a hot stove burner.

I can question, discuss and work through issues of salvation and eternal life. 

I can converse in a normal fashion with other people.

I can get a job and support myself.

I can differentiate between reality and delusion and therefore know that I do not have to look like supermodels, that a nightmare is just a dream, that although the government may be corrupt, they are not out to get me,

I can leave my house without a debilitating fear. 

I can read.

I can write.

And the list goes on.

Praise the Lord!

by: Tim Grace

You know the nights.  The ones where you want to go to bed nice and early because you’re feeling a bit drowsy after a long day of doing whatever it is you do best and then, suddenly, it hits: a severe case of being wide awake.  It’s like your body is playing some sort of cruel practical joke on you by tricking you into thinking you need sleep and then right when you think you’re going to be rewarded with dreams of sugar plum fairies or talking pumpernickels, you’re stuck with hearing everything that is happening around you.  Each footstep on the stairs penetrates your brain.  You want to kick the next person who turns on a tap or flushes the toilet.  And if you weren’t so convinced you were tired and needed sleep, you probably would.

Seeing as this happens to me more often than I’d like it to, I’ve come up with a list of things I do to help me fall asleep.

1. Read.  Whether it be your Bible or the latest Philip Yancey, or a book of Garfield comics, or perhaps your yearbooks from high school (reminiscing about the times I had in grades 9 – OAC helped me get to sleep a lot while still living at my parents’ house.)
2. Surf the Internet.  I’m a geek.  I have two computers both hooked into the InterSuperHighway in my room.  If I’m having trouble getting to sleep, I just turn one on and read through the blogs I’ve already looked at 6 times that day, check the weather for the umpteenth time, talk to random people on either of my two commonly used Instant Messenging Clients, look up random facts on Wikipedia, and the list goes on.
3. Pray.  You know, in theory, this one should be first.  I was once told by a person who lived in Lower Lehman with me my first semester that if I was having trouble getting to sleep, it was potentially because God wanted to talk with me.  As I continued on through the years, I forgot about this.  But, at the same time that I was forgetting what this person told me, I was coming to realize that prayer is something that we should do continually.  It’s a conversation with God that never ends.  We may have periods of silence, but we haven’t hung up the phone.
4. Play a game.  I can recall numerous times when I went into one of the local residence lounges and found myself playing Euchre with various people for an hour or two until I realized that it was WAY past my bed time and I wasn’t getting the sleep that the little sleep-deprived children in Michigan weren’t getting.  If you don’t use your sleep, no one else will.  Sleep’s like broccoli, right?
5. Talk with a friend.  The conversations may end up repeating themselves, or you may end up in the same place remembering what life was like in the late 80’s or early 90’s (for those who were coherent during those years, Mr. Belvedere was one of my favourite shows.)  You could also solve lots of issues, including how to successfully get your papers to write themselves.  It could happen.
6. Origami.  I made the mistake of creating three paper boats one night last January and reminding the people across the hall to allow the merchants to sail through.  600 vessels later and they’re still going
7. Write.  In high school I didn’t really like writing much.  I think it was my inability to understand literature at the depth the teachers expected from us that pushed me away from expressing my thoughts on paper.  That and every short story I wrote made no sense and the plot had about as many holes in it as the chapel roof when the snow’s melting.  But through maintaining a journal / blog online for a few years now and writing many papers for many different classes over the past 5 years, my skills have improved greatly.  Yours can too.

These are just a few examples.  But, through them, you can find yourself in a new and better place.  The place I speak of is the state of Drowsiness.  And just across the border from Drowsiness is the land where you’re the captain of the pirate ship and you’re about to marry the damsel / handsome sailor of your dreams…. That is until the alarm wakes you up the next morning.  But that’s another story all to its own.

by: Rachel Neumeister

I wonder what the need is for songs that are more upbeat.  Music is becoming less of something simplistic and profound, and more of something convoluted and noisy.  Music is becoming noise.  I have had the opportunity over the past semester to attend the Sunday evening church service at Emmanuel Village where at least three hymns are sung every week.  Even though it is only an organ and voices making the music, it is some of the most beautiful I have ever heard because it is a group of believers joining together in true worship and adoration of the Lord.  The lyrics of the hymns are written from the heart; they are not mere words on a page fit to a tune.  They are profound. 

I can recall several times both recently, and as I was growing up, hearing these old-fashioned hymns sung a capella, and being able to sense the Holy Spirit; it sends shivers throughout my whole body.  Words cannot express how I feel in that moment.  It is especially at the pinnacle of several hymns when glory is sung that I feel this way. 

The following are three verses from three different songs that particularly move me when they are song.  [I know it is irritating to read lyrics – someone else’s writing – in the middle of an article, but take the time to read these and think about what they say.]

(Because He Lives)

And then one day I’ll cross the river;
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain.
And then as death gives way to victory,
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives.

(Amazing Grace)

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
bright shining as the sun,
we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
then when we’ve first begun.

(It Is Well With My Soul)

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

These hymn writers seem to capture our hope of the Kingdom with these words.  As difficult as it is to describe, no, impossible, we get a glimpse of what it may be like. And how exciting that glimpse is! 

I don’t know about you, but it’s this hope that excites me, that gets me through each day, that takes away my fear in death and builds my eagerness of spending eternity with the Lord God Almighty. 

Coffee Review # 7
by: Dave King, with special guest Simon Boucher.

Location: The new Starbucks located on Fairway Road, a half-block west of the Cineplex Odeon theatre.

Coffee: Mr. Boucher and I were both experiencing this specific location for the first time.  There’s nothing like a new coffee shop.  We decided to try the house blend.  I found it to be an okay, but unspectacular, blend.  It harbours a lingering, yet inoffensive, aftertaste.  What I don’t want in a coffee aftertaste is acidity.
     According to Mr. Boucher, it was a rather mediocre blend.  If I may be so bold as to quote him, he said, “It starts off subtle, then stands up and punches you in the face as if you’d just insulted its sister.”  I love having a mental picture to go along with my caffeinated beverages.

Service: Upon entering the coffee shop, Mr. Boucher and I noticed a small chalkboard that told us that we were being served by Whitney.  We proceeded to walk up to Whitney and order our houses.  Needless to say, we were so taken by her that we have named our coffee after her.  From this point forward, this house blend coffee will be called Whitney.

Atmosphere:  Mr. Boucher says that this location has an atmosphere that manages to capture a fine blend of both traditional and contemporary coffee shop elements.  It also has a home-like feel.
     To be honest, I couldn’t picture myself sipping on a good cup of “Whitney” at any other coffee shop.  There are many better places to have a coffee, but no better place to have a “Whitney.”

Suggested Reading:  The first thing that Mr. Boucher said came into his mind when I asked him about what he’d read at this location was Karl Marx.  I’m still trying to decipher whether that was a covert shot against the Starbucks empire.
     For reading at this location, I would suggest Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton.  The character of Father Brown is a fictional priest about whom Mr. Chesterton wrote many short stories.  This unassuming priest always ends up in the middle of a mystery that only he is able to solve, with the help of his priestly experience and back-door logic.  I find that these stories are both engaging and colloquial.

Overall Rating: Mr. Boucher and I have decided to give this location an 8.2.  The coffee was okay, the atmosphere was good, and, of course, what other coffee shop has Whitney (the barista)?