To all the readers of the Voice of EBC; your mission should you choose to accept- wait a minute, wrong message. Hey everyone! Welcome to the second last week of classes. I suppose there are some people who are happy about this and others such as me who are a bit sad about it. I can’t lie to you; it’s strange to think that after this semester, I’m halfway done my education here at Emmanuel Bible College. I’m sure some of the graduates are having the same kinds of feelings; happiness and sadness about finishing. For anyone in their first year, trust me your time at EBC flies by faster than you’d expect!

This is the part where I write about something totally unrelated to the newspaper…

A week or two ago I was walking down the street on the way back from the gym when I encountered an intersection with traffic lights. As soon as I was going to step out onto the road, the light changed to yellow, then green and I knew I couldn’t have crossed the road; I had to wait. Such a setback usually doesn’t bother me, however every bone and muscle in my body was aching, the wind was blowing my wet, matted hair and I was ready to pass out in the middle of the sidewalk and take a small nap in between traffic lights. Instead though, my mind began to wander (scary thought) and I began to think about my life. I thought to myself there are so many intersections I’m caught in on a daily basis in terms of time management, when to do homework exc. that sometimes I walk blindly into traffic because I’m not paying attention to what I should be doing. God places traffic lights in my life to tell me when it’s safe to cross the path, when to stop and go and when the right timing is for all things. All I have to do is look to the light. Despite pain, fatigue or circumstance God will provide a way that is good and that will give us peace in His timing.

Christmas Production 2009: Jamie Clelland and movie by Christopher Shiels
Wildcats with Brooms Fall ‘09: Wesley Hague
Ethiopian Service: David Gillies
Website Review: Jesse Goulet
Tea Off: James Fretz
When Trusting God is a Handful: James Fretz
Things We Lost in the Fire: Anonymous
Voice on the Street: James Fretz

Christie Heemskerk: Publications Editor

When I was first asked to participate in this year’s school Christmas production “Home for Christmas,” I was given the position of usher. Marjorie had rightly assumed that I would be attending the production anyway since my girlfriend Donna was one of the actors, and I suppose she figured that if I was going to be there, I might as well be useful. Ushering did not seem too difficult; standing at the entranceway looking good and handing out programs is a gravy job, not to mention the fact that I would get to play with fire at the end of each production, as it is a yearly tradition for the members of the audience to each have a candle to light during the singing of the last song, with the ushers getting to light the candles of those on the end of each row. Best of all, ushers do not have to attend any of the practices; they simply show up at each show and do their job, making them the envy of all involved in the production.
After a discussion with Tech Assistant Chris Shiels however, it was decided that they would need extra help and I was, depending on your point of view, promoted or demoted to the position of visuals. That’s right; my job was to push the right arrow key, keeping the song lyrics flowing from the PowerPoint and onto the screen. Oh yeah, the visuals person also has to attend practices; meaning that I got to sit through a 6 hour practice to ensure that I could master the art of pressing the button. Not that I minded, as I had my Greek textbook to keep me company (Sarcasm? Perhaps) as well as a gassy tech head to keep me amused. Running over to City Pizza was a nice break from the hot chapel, and running around to try and locate a certain performer who was MIA and shall not be named kept me on my toes. What am I writing about again? Oh yeah, the Christmas production.

The production took place on Friday and Saturday night (Nov 27 & 28) and drew approximately 100 audience members each night. This year’s production contained various Christmas memories and stories of EBC staff and faculty as acted out by this year’s cast of David Dunn, Marilyn Girimonte, Kristy Rinzema, Donna Welch, Matthew Whyte, and Julie Anne Wideman. It also contained the lighting of Advent Candles, congregational songs; including a catchy version of “Go Tell it on the Mountain” as led by Tim Chester and his orchestra, and choir songs; including a chilling rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus. A half-time speech was delivered by the Acting Dean of Student Life Marjorie Hopkins in which members of the audience were encouraged to donate to the school or face the wrath of usher Michael Beams on their way out the door (Okay, I made that last part up. But it did make you read it twice, didn’t it?). After the final performance the majority of those involved in the production stayed for over an hour to clean up and enjoy some well earned Twice the Deal Pizza.

Overall the production was a huge success, and although it involved much work, various members helped to keep the mood light; whether it was Matthew Houle dressed up as a candy cane, Chris Shiels forgetting his bike seat for a Zehrs run, or Marjorie giving tips on the art of showing off one’s legs, fun was had by all. Okay, that last part was more scary than fun, but I had to include it somewhere. Perhaps the best part from a tech point of view was getting to see how the performers did in comparison to each practice; amazed at how some can recover from mistakes so that the audience doesn’t notice, or excited when someone nails a part that they had been struggling with. Nobody was 100% perfect and yet it didn’t matter; a great show was put on for the audience and the Christmas story went forth. Well, there was one perfect part, but enough about me and my button pushing.

Many individuals have come together to make this year’s production possible. Here are this year’s participants as listed in the program; apologies to anyone who I forgot to list.
Michael Beams, Erinn Buick, Braeden Burrows, Heather Capeling, Sarah Capeling, Tim Chester, Jamie Clelland, Daniel Dorsey, David Dunn, Jason and Tabitha Edgar, Sara Erb, Marilyn Girimonte, Jessie Golem, Emmalee Grove, Christie Heemskerk, Dan Hines, Marjorie Hopkins, Matthew Houle, Jesse Klassen, Tiffany Martin, Tina Moore, Robbie Oleniuk, Nathan Reimer, Kristy Rinzema, Chris Shiels, Brittany Simpson, Mat Snyder, Stephanie Van Spronsen, Stephanie Vincent, Emily Vos, Daniel Weber, Donna Welch, Matthew Whyte, Julie Anne Wideman, Rebecca Wiens, and the staff and faculty of EBC who shared their Christmas memories, stories, and traditions.

By Jamie Clelland

Check out the Christmas production video by Christopher Shiels:
http://opher.ca/EBC/thevoice/vid/christmas/

This year for curling only 16 curlers hit the ice, and most of these curlers were alumni or staff. Regardless of the small number, one thing is for sure; this small group still managed to rock the house.

Curling was off to a doubtful start with fewer numbers. At one point it looked like we were not even getting into the building, but soon enough the building was open, the ice was ready, and rocks would start curling down the ice. There were four teams. The first team’s name was Skipped by Tim Grace. Players included: Wesley Hague, Jeff Hopkins, and Emmalee Grove. The second was Jason Edgar, Mark Limont, Tasha Johnson (Mark’s Friend), and Carol Blake. The third team was Scot Denison, Tim Chester, Jordan Vetro, and Andrew Walin. Last but not least there was Katelyn Unger, Stephanie Vincent, Jenn Sills and Sarah Capeling.

All of us (except Tasha Johnson) had been curling before so we took to the ice with some of us occasionally hollering out “Do Less Worse”. Well actually, there was only one team did, but regardless, there were rocks, houses, ice and people slipping on that ice.

All in all it was a great time, and we will be curling again in second semester. Even if you have no clue of why you would want to slide down with a broom, come anyway and be part of the event that can only be described as Wildcats with Brooms.

By Wesley Hague

If you are looking for solid answers to tough questions but can’t seem to find them anywhere, or are looking for a costless, accessible way to more knowledge and understanding of Christianity, then Tekton Education and Apologetics Ministry may be your best bet. Armed with a Master’s degree in Library Science and experience as a librarian for a prison, J. P. Holding has spent hours and hours doing research to battle criticisms by the most bitter skeptics out there, and on some of the toughest questions and topics. The website is huge—it seems like every crucial and minute topic is touched on. From matters of the reliability and historicity of the Bible, evidence for the resurrection, and cults, to the Trinity, definitions of certain terms like “faith,” the “cruelty” of God in the Old Testament, it’s all there.

The website’s main page provides easy access to the various pages and articles. Wondering if a certain passage contradicts another passage? Look it up in the “Scripture Search.” Not sure what to do about Richard Dawkins? Look him up under “D” in the alphabetical topic index.

The heart of the website is the new hubpage. Having started out as only an apologetics website, Holding recently saw the need to revamp the site and move in the direction of an education ministry. The main hubpage provides access to futher hubpages on certain topics. Included in the hubpages are powerpoints, book reviews, helpful links, and bibliographies for further studies.

The wealth of resources and research put into each essay easily makes Tekton one of the most scholarly websites for Christians. While other apologetics ministries usually focus on purely philosophical matters, or brief answers based on brief research, Tekton combines hours of research with strong, philosophical logic and clear communication so that lay leaders can understand.

The fruits of Holding’s labour can be seen among the internet community especially. I’ve seen numerous people rely on Tekton in debate and for teaching. Lee Strobel cites the site in his latest book The Case for the Real Jesus. Even skeptics are affected, as Holding constantly receives numerous hateful e-mails from bitter enemies of Christ. Some people in the church don’t like the website either because his research yields views that offend some people in the fundamentalist and mainstream camps. For instance, he doesn’t like The Shack, and believes we have more of a client-patron relationship with God instead of a personal friendship. And yet, Holding doesn’t even come close to heresy. His research is so solid that it not only challenges skeptics and critics, it challenges Christians too.

Tekton is one of the greatest websites for Christians that the internet offers. For EBC students, this is one of the few websites that could be cited for essays, or provide source materials. The church would be at a great loss without it.

By Jesse Goulet

I have spent a lot of time with one of my friends that came to Canada from Ethiopia over ten years ago. She has continually surprised me with the differences in our culture. Even though she has been here for so long, simple things that she hasn’t experienced really bring the differences into focus. I once made her a toasted tomato sandwich and her reaction was one of complete surprise and delight; something so simple yet appreciated so greatly. It opened up an opportunity for me that changed how I perceived church and worship. I was invited to an Ethiopian service at an Oromo church in Toronto. The service began at 3 p.m. and the people gathered before that for a loud and busy meet and great. As I was the only Caucasian present I was inundated with questions and had my hand shaken close to a hundred times. It was a little overwhelming but it was offset by everyone’s sincere friendliness. As we were ushered into the sanctuary the music started. In short order half the church was dancing and singing in the aisles. It was quite different than the evangelical worship I had seen before. Not just a few members were involved; almost all the able bodied people were dancing. After about forty-five minutes the singing and dancing the church settled down into an open prayer. After the prayer the pastor got up to teach. The word was read and expounded on for close to an hour. Unlike the churches that I have been to where if the sermon goes over 20 minutes people start to get restless these folks all had their Bibles open to follow along and were quite enthralled. There was not a noise except for the person that was reading the word or pastor. When the sermon was over there was open prayer again. The enthusiasm and heartfelt feeling these folks displayed in their prayer was once more new to me. Again the length this carried on surprised me, nearly an hour and a half went by. When it was finished the whole service lasted nearly four hours. For the first time in my life I had sat through a service at church that was truly Spirit led and Spirit filled. I felt refreshed and uplifted as we left the church. The strange part of my entire experience was that the whole service was in their native language, Oromo, and I didn’t understand a word of it.

By David Gillies

As you all likely know, I am an avid tea drinker. I usually drink green tea, or some version of it (jasmine green, ginger green, mint green etc.) and I have learned a few tricks of how to make a darn good cup of green tea. First off, do not completely boil water but let it steam until it is hot. Learn how to time the kettle right; usually 15 seconds before boiling point. Second, you need to buy a good brand of tea. NEVER and I mean NEVER put milk or sugar in green tea because it kills all the anti-oxidants. Drink it plain, if you do not like the taste look for the different flavours of green tea like mint, berry, jasmine and lemon. Tazo is among the best and also fair trade brands like 4 O’Clock have satisfied my taste buds. Lipton and PC are college friendly because they are so cheap but if you work or receive a gracious OSAP loan, go for some fancy tea shops.

Perhaps the best (in relation to health and taste) is a brand of loose leaf tea I recently bought: Japanese Kokeincha. Basically it is tea leaves powdered and extruded into spaghetti-like strands. The health benefits of green tea include: lowered cholesterol, prevents prostate cancer, strengthens immune system and improves cardiovascular health. So warm up the kettle and join me for a good afternoon tea.

By James Fretz

The stresses of papers, presentations, deadlines and exams have got me thinking of a passage in 1 Kings. Despite the fact most of us are going crazy, pulling all-nighters and drinking countless cans of red bull, we must trust God fully to get them done. A little faith can move mountains!!

“Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the LORD came to him: ‘Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.’ So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, ‘Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?’ 11 As she was going to get it, he called, ‘And bring me, please, a piece of bread.’

‘As surely as the LORD your God lives,’ she replied, ‘I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.’

Elijah said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says:The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.’

She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.”

Now, this lady only had enough flour and oil to cook a small amount of bread. The fact that Elijah asked for her possible last meal is staggering. He followed with an intriguing challenge. Try and put yourself into both Elijah’s and the widow’s shoes. How would you react if your last meal on this earth was asked for by stranger? Despite his promise from God, would you trust him in the heat of the moment; I sure wouldn’t (forgive my doubt, but in the past I’ve had a Thomas-like faith). However like always, God fulfills his promise and the widow never runs out of flour and oil; quite miraculous.

Consider how trusting God is like that. How much more faith would we have if we trusted like that widow?

By James Fretz

I know that everyone has or will lose a friend or family member and has or will go through the grieving process from the shock of the loss, to the eventual healing of the hole in your heart. I would like to draw attention to something that we all know about but never really deal with. As Christians, new or old, we have set ourselves aside to follow Christ. The refining fire of God’s renewal process slowly cuts off and cauterizes the parts of us that are detrimental to our walk with God. These things that we lose in the fire are or have been part of a major part of our lives, sometimes for a very long time. From this perspective they can be a significant loss to us. Relationships, coping mechanisms, lifestyle choices (music, drugs, sex, etc.) are all things that Jesus requires us to change or discard. All of these things create attachments in our lives that generate a sense of loss when they are gone. Although God’s process of refining fire is a perfect one, we still have to do our part grieve the losses and completely let go of them. Without the grieving process we are left with emotional and spiritual baggage that impedes our growth and can come between us and God. When we bring these losses through the grieving process we can truly, fully and finally let them go.

As someone that has struggled with addiction I have spent many days of my life grieving and letting go of the things of my past life. I will say that this is not the perfect solution to all things that you struggle with. Some of the hardships in your life may never be miraculously fixed or taken away. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, Paul reveals the struggle that he personally dealt with “…Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” If there is an issue that continues to plague you after you let it go, take hear t that God may be using it to strengthen you and witness to others.

Anonymous

With Christmas unbelievably right around the corner, I decided to ask one of those usual and not corny Christmas questions. This time, we at the Voice desire to know: What is your favourite Christmas TV special or Movie and why?

Jason Bowes: Home Alone because I memorized about 90% of the movie when I was two

Dan Hines: Christmas Story because I want the Red Rider BB Gun.

Stephanie Vincent: Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown

Matt “Megatron” Gates wished not to be photographed, so here’s a picture of Megatron from
the transformers cartoon: I don’t like Xmas stuff

Melissa Goodridge: Grandma got Run Over by a Reindeer (really! It’s a show)

Jessie Golem: Charlie Brown, does he even need a reason?

Christie Heemskerk: Rudolph

Marilyn Girimonte: Xmas story

Katelyn Mast: Miracle on 34th Street

Sarah Robertshaw: Bing Crosby’s Holiday Inn

Mike Wilson: It’s a Wonderful Life

Me: Disney’s version of A Christmas Carol is a childhood classic I loved to watch every year.

Because often the old school Disney cartoons would follow. My favourite being Chip and Dale’s Xmas