The Golden Rule
Please let the GM editors buy a few indulgences and present some thoughts. Judy Mills Reimer's resignation could just be the financial shot in the arm that the denomination so sorely needs. Don't get us wrong; it's not that we think that giving has been withheld because of her leadership. Instead, it's the vacancy that's been created that could prove to be a boon. It is a vacancy which just cries loudly for the attention of every special interest group in the denomination.
It's the well known "Golden Rule." Those who have the gold make the rules. If a group wants to peddle their influence they are going to have to show they've got clout, and it's going to be the financial clout that carries the most weight. So there is an opportunity on the horizon and when it comes knocking, it could very well have its wallet out. The General Board just needs to take its time in its search for a new General Secretary. And each group that tries to influence the search process with threats of withholding should be shown another group that has given significantly and has its own agenda. Ideally, we'll have givers scrambling over each other to see who can be the most generous in order to prove their influential ability and, as a result, the denominations coffers will be filled.
And let's not stop with the search for the next General Secretary. We can extend this to Annual Conference and base congregations' representation on their denominational giving. After all, why should a congregation that does not give money to the programs of Annual Conference have an equal voice in how those programs are run as a congregation that supports them generously? Rather than making decisions based on what might be lost, Annual Conference and the General Board would be able to make decisions on what's actually been given.
Thursday, August 29, 2002
College Rankings
The Princeton Review annually ranks colleges across the country in several categories. Each of their rankings will give you an unbiased and uncensored view of each school profiled. They can guarantee that their candid profiles will seldom be found in any admissions office glossy view book. The important thing to remember is that each ranking is based on what the real experts, current college students, tell the Princeton Review about their schools. What could be more useful to students choosing a college than the opinions of current students?
Their list of the top party schools recently garnered a lot of press coverage. And, while none of the Brethren affiliated colleges made that particular list, one of them made it to the top 20 of a couple of their other lists. Juniata College ranks 8th on the "homogeneous student population" list and 14th on the "alternative lifestyles not an alternative" list.
As a service to our readers, the GM staff have gleaned the Princeton Review statistics for the Brethren schools and done some ranking of our own.
Most Comfortable Brethren College: Elizabethtown College (% Living on Campus: 85)
Least Comfortable: University of LaVerne (% Living on Campus: 35)
Smartest Brethren Faculty: Juniata College (% of Faculty with PhDs: 81)
Dimmest Brethren Faculty: University of LaVerne (% of Faculty with PhDs: 49)
Most Organized Brethren College: Juniata College (Registered Organizations: 97)
Least Organized: Manchester College (Registered Organizations: 38)
Note: McPherson College numbers for this statistic were not available.
Most Affordable Brethren College: McPherson College (Annual Tuition: $12,500)
Most Expensive: Juniata College (Annual Tuition: $21,160)
Brethren College with the Lightest Reading: Juniata College (Average Annual Book Expenses: $450)
Heaviest Reading: University of LaVerne (Average Annual Book Expenses: $846)
Best Brethren College to Find a Woman: Elizabethtown College (% Mail/Female: 38/62)
Best Brethren College to Find a Man: McPherson College (% Male/Female: 49/51)
Brethren College with the Happiest Freshman: Juniata College (% Freshman Returning for Soph Year: 90)
Least Pleased Freshman: McPherson College (% Freshman Returning for Soph Year: 45)
Most Generous Diploma Mill: Juniata College (% Freshman Graduating in 4 Years: 69)
Stingiest with the Sheep Skins: McPherson College (% Freshman Graduating in 4 Years: 30)
Easiest Brethren College to Get Into: Bridgewater College (Accepted as % of Applied: 87)
Hardest Brethren College to Get Into: Elizabethtown College and McPherson College (Accepted as % of Applied: 69)
Brightest Brethren College Students: Juniata College (% Freshman in Top 10% of HS Class: 39%)
Dimmest Bulbs: McPherson College (% Freshman in Top 10% of HS Class: 7%)
And, for the record, only one of the six schools we looked at does not list any religious affiliation with the Church of the Brethren.
The Princeton Review annually ranks colleges across the country in several categories. Each of their rankings will give you an unbiased and uncensored view of each school profiled. They can guarantee that their candid profiles will seldom be found in any admissions office glossy view book. The important thing to remember is that each ranking is based on what the real experts, current college students, tell the Princeton Review about their schools. What could be more useful to students choosing a college than the opinions of current students?
Their list of the top party schools recently garnered a lot of press coverage. And, while none of the Brethren affiliated colleges made that particular list, one of them made it to the top 20 of a couple of their other lists. Juniata College ranks 8th on the "homogeneous student population" list and 14th on the "alternative lifestyles not an alternative" list.
As a service to our readers, the GM staff have gleaned the Princeton Review statistics for the Brethren schools and done some ranking of our own.
Most Comfortable Brethren College: Elizabethtown College (% Living on Campus: 85)
Least Comfortable: University of LaVerne (% Living on Campus: 35)
Smartest Brethren Faculty: Juniata College (% of Faculty with PhDs: 81)
Dimmest Brethren Faculty: University of LaVerne (% of Faculty with PhDs: 49)
Most Organized Brethren College: Juniata College (Registered Organizations: 97)
Least Organized: Manchester College (Registered Organizations: 38)
Note: McPherson College numbers for this statistic were not available.
Most Affordable Brethren College: McPherson College (Annual Tuition: $12,500)
Most Expensive: Juniata College (Annual Tuition: $21,160)
Brethren College with the Lightest Reading: Juniata College (Average Annual Book Expenses: $450)
Heaviest Reading: University of LaVerne (Average Annual Book Expenses: $846)
Best Brethren College to Find a Woman: Elizabethtown College (% Mail/Female: 38/62)
Best Brethren College to Find a Man: McPherson College (% Male/Female: 49/51)
Brethren College with the Happiest Freshman: Juniata College (% Freshman Returning for Soph Year: 90)
Least Pleased Freshman: McPherson College (% Freshman Returning for Soph Year: 45)
Most Generous Diploma Mill: Juniata College (% Freshman Graduating in 4 Years: 69)
Stingiest with the Sheep Skins: McPherson College (% Freshman Graduating in 4 Years: 30)
Easiest Brethren College to Get Into: Bridgewater College (Accepted as % of Applied: 87)
Hardest Brethren College to Get Into: Elizabethtown College and McPherson College (Accepted as % of Applied: 69)
Brightest Brethren College Students: Juniata College (% Freshman in Top 10% of HS Class: 39%)
Dimmest Bulbs: McPherson College (% Freshman in Top 10% of HS Class: 7%)
And, for the record, only one of the six schools we looked at does not list any religious affiliation with the Church of the Brethren.
Saturday, August 17, 2002
Just Say NOac
WHEREAS the Southeastern District Youth, meeting at National Youth Conference (NYC) in July 2002, having been asked to violate a signed covenant;
WHEREAS the Southeastern District Youth, meeting at National Youth Conference (NYC) in July 2002, having been asked to violate a signed covenant;
AND WHEREAS such a violation prohibited participation if the full NYC experience;
AND WHEREAS the youth do not wish the elders of their district to have similar, partial worship experiences;
AND WHEREAS the National Older Adult Conference (NOAC) is a program of the Association of Brethren Caregivers;
AND WHEREAS the NOAC attempts to provide a NYC like experience to the elders of the denomination;
BE IT RESOLVED:
That the District Youth affirm NOAC;
That the District Youth encourage elders to attend National Older Adult Conference;
That NOAC attendees be encouraged to sign a covenant that they will attend each and every one of the presenters' sessions.
This the 21st day of July 2002.
Thursday, August 01, 2002
NOAC Performers
Mutual Geritol joins the list of performers at this fall's NOAC where they will be performing at Thursday evening's late night concert in the Stuart Auditorium at 9:00pm. Mutual Geritol is a five person band from the Timbercrest Retirement Community. The group plays a wide variety of music, including folk, polka, acapella, jazz and gospel. The MG combines rich harmonies, high energy, a sense of humor, and a welcoming spirit. Song lyrics explore such topics as spirituality, love, community, justice, and play. Band members have a passion for music and believe that it can be a creative force for social change. When they're not rocking on the road or rocking in chairs at Timbercrest, you can catch their act at North Manchester's Firehouse.
Mutual Geritol joins the list of performers at this fall's NOAC where they will be performing at Thursday evening's late night concert in the Stuart Auditorium at 9:00pm. Mutual Geritol is a five person band from the Timbercrest Retirement Community. The group plays a wide variety of music, including folk, polka, acapella, jazz and gospel. The MG combines rich harmonies, high energy, a sense of humor, and a welcoming spirit. Song lyrics explore such topics as spirituality, love, community, justice, and play. Band members have a passion for music and believe that it can be a creative force for social change. When they're not rocking on the road or rocking in chairs at Timbercrest, you can catch their act at North Manchester's Firehouse.
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