Friday, January 4, 2008, 10:25 AM
Life often seems fragmented: we work in universities, live in neighborhoods, participate in the life of a church, often in three different places. Is there a way to think about living our lives as a seamless whole? For many of us in CGSA, this is not an abstract question. We study physics or English or computer science; we volunteer or even live in Weinland Park, and we may wonder what these have to do with one another. This retreat will explore the idea that our understanding of the kingdom of God, including the way of the cross, is the way into a truly integrated life.
There will be time for worshipping and listening, for discussions in groups and personal reflection, and time to just hang out and have fun. And Heartland Retreat Center has acres of grounds to wander over, weather permitting (it is January after all!)
Speaker: Stephen D. Eyre is involved in ministry with Church Discipleship Services, which helps churches use Scripture to connect sermons with small groups and personal Bible study throughout the congregation. He has written many books and Bible studies, including four LifeGuide Bible Studies. He previously served on the pastoral staff of two churches in Cincinnati and is a former InterVarsity Christian Fellowship staff.
Important Details:
Date: January 11, 2008 @ 7 pm to
January 12, 2008 @ 4 pm
Location: Heartland Retreat Center, Marengo, Ohio (directions will be sent when you register)
Details are available in the brochure here.
We hope to see you all there, both for the retreat and for the Friday Meeting.
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Friday, January 4, 2008, 10:22 AM - Friday Meetings
The winter break has ended. Christmas has come and gone, and the new year is upon us. Through all the preparations for new classes, returning to research work, catching up with fellow group members or classmates, a time of rest, retreat, and fellowship could not be more important. This Friday will be our first meeting in the winter quarter, introducing CGSA, welcoming new members and old alike to prayer and fellowship. The quarter's topic will be the Kingdom of Heaven as understood from the Gospels.
THIS FRIDAY AT CGSA:
FRIDAY NIGHT (1/4/2008): We will be starting this quarter in worship and praise, and in fellowship and meeting new friends and old alike.
We will all gather together to talk and enjoy refereshments between 6:30 and 6:45, and at about 6:45, we will quiet our hearts, and prepare ourselves to worship God, and learn more about His plans in our lives. There are a few important things to note about this meeting.
For those who may not be familiar with CGSA Friday meetings, during Friday meetings, we typically open with prayer and song, follow with a Scripture reading, a twenty to thirty minute talk, and then close again in worship and prayer. Meetings extend typically from 6:30 to 8 PM, and after, we usually go somewhere to eat, announced either at the beginning or end of the meeting.
SMALL GROUPS: CGSA has long honored and relied upon the structure of small groups as a way to find true and deep fellowship with other Christians and with God. There are two "types" of small groups: bible studies, and topic-oriented studies. There is a small group virtually every night of the week, with some meeting during mornings also. If you are not in a small group, they are a wonderful way to build deeper friendships, and to get to know God better. Each small group for CGSA will be introducing themselves this meeting.
ACTIVITIES: We will also set aside a time to discuss upcoming activities, such as the retreat next weekend, the square dance, and a panel discussion on religious freedom.
"REAL AND UNSEEN: THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN AND CGSA": Paul Rimmer will be giving a short introduction to the topic of the Kingdom of Heaven, introducing the topic for the year. He will also be mentioning the retreat coming up. As small groups will also be introducing themselves, and as worship will be longer than usual, the talk will likely only go about ten or fifteen minutes.
TIME AND PLACE: Our meetings are at 6:30 pm in the Royer Student
Activity Center. You can find it on the campus map at www.osu.edu/map/
Royer is located next to Jones Graduate Tower. Go into the building
through the left of the two front entrances. At the top of the steps
you will see a room to your right. That's where we'll be. We meet
until 8 pm, then visit and go out for dinner at an inexpensive
restaurant in the area.
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Thursday, November 1, 2007, 11:20 AM
Luke Corwin has compiled a good bibliography about "creation care," the topic of our upcoming Conversation & Cuisine session. Take a look at it here.[ add comment ]
Friday, October 12, 2007, 12:53 PM - Friday Meetings
Dear friends,
We welcome you to the fourth Friday meeting of CGSA. We have a treat;
Mark's wife, Debbie Splaingard, will be speaking this time. If you
enjoyed the last meeting topic and talk, come listen now to the better
half.
FRIDAY NIGHT(10/5/2007): Debbie Splaingard will be speaking about
witnessing and praying with and for peers in the academic world. Over
the years, Debbie has been a grant writer, stay at home mom, graduate
student, management consultant, and church staff member. Currently,
she does medical research part time and is active in ministry to
graduate and professional student women at Ohio State University
through InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. A wife and mother of two
grown sons, Debbie shares her passion for evangelism and equipping new
believers through investigative Bible studies and evangelistic talks.
TIME AND PLACE: Our meetings are at 6:30 pm in the Royer Student
Activity Center. You can find it on the campus map at www.osu.edu/map/
Royer is located next to Jones Graduate Tower. Go into the building
through the left of the two front entrances. At the top of the steps
you will see a room to your right. That's where we'll be. We meet
until 8 pm, then visit and go out for dinner at an inexpensive
restaurant in the area.
Everyone is welcome and rides are available.
If you have any questions about location, or need help getting there,
please e-mail John at acker.26@osu.edu.
UPCOMING ACTIVITIES: Tailgate Party for OSU-Michigan State Football
game: We will be holding a Tailgate Party on October 20, at the RPAC
terrace, at 2:30 PM. Snacks and drinks will be available; we look
forward to seeing people there. There will be a short skit explaining
the rules of American football, for those unfamiliar with the sport.
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Tuesday, October 2, 2007, 02:39 PM - Articles
From the Alliance Defense Fund:
PADUCAH, Ky. — Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund have filed suit in federal court on behalf of a Christian prevented from exercising his free speech rights on the campus of Murray State University. School officials barred James Gilles, a frequent speaker on the campus since the 1980s, from speaking and distributing literature on campus due to university “policy.”
“Christians seeking to express their faith in public should not be treated as second-class citizens,” said ADF Senior Counsel Nate Kellum. “Officials at MSU violated Mr. Gilles’ constitutional rights by suddenly choosing to enforce a discriminatory policy.”
Gilles, who speaks and distributes literature on campuses across the country, utilized public areas on MSU’s campus for approximately two decades before the director of the school’s Curris Center for Student Life informed him in 2004 that speakers were required to secure a “sponsorship” in order to continue their free speech activities.
The same official initially made an offer to sponsor Gilles so that he could distribute literature but not speak on campus. Gilles declined, and the offer was later rescinded. The school later barred Gilles from speaking or distributing literature at the school because he didn’t have a sponsorship.
Read the whole thing here.
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