Inspire, Spring 2005

12 Spring 2005 Heritage Corner Upcoming Heritage Events Alumnae Educators’ Luncheon Monday, July 11 Beauty and the Beast at LaComedia Dinner Theatre Thursday, August 4 Homecoming Reunion Luncheon Friday, October 7 Doden Field House Dedicated Cedarville University dedicated its Doden Field House on January 20. The ceremony paid tribute to the late Rev. Chester A. Doden, father of Cedarville University Trustee Daryle Doden. Daryle, who is president of the Ambassador Steel Corporation in Auburn, Indiana, remarked that the Field House should honor all those, seen and unseen, who carry on the legacy of integrity, generosity, and faith exemplified by his father. “We must carry the torch,” Daryle added, “to live life like my father lived — he had a great love for God, his family, his parishioners, and for rural America.” The son of German immigrants, the Rev. Doden grew up on an Iowa farm, receiving just an eighth- grade education. He later went on to graduate from Chicago’s Moody Bible Institute and serve more than 40 years as a pastor, sharing God’s Word with churches in rural America. Opened in 2003, the Doden Field House has already proven itself a versatile and popular addition to Cedarville University campus life. The 60,000 square-foot building boasts four courts usable for indoor tennis, basketball, and volleyball. Its 200-meter track allows for indoor track meets, casual walking and jogging, and a multitude of other recreational activities. The structure has also been used to successfully host Cedarville University’s 2004 commencement, class meetings, basketball and volleyball camps, and a variety of youth events. The Doden Field House is just one part of the $12.8 million Recreation Center complex. For more information about the complex, visit the Recreation Center Web site at www.cedarville.edu/academics/hhp/reccenter . Cedarville Students Face Tough Issues Cedarville University students recently came face-to-face with two particularly challenging issues: homosexuality and eating disorders. On December 10, 2004 Alpha Beta Phi, the honorary theatre organization at CU, presented part of The Laramie Project , a play consisting of interviews with people who knew Mathew Shepard, a homosexual man who was beaten to death in Wyoming in 1998. Following the performance, a panel of Cedarville faculty and staff addressed questions from the audience about homosexuality and a Christian response to it. As a result of the play, Alpha Beta Phi was invited to Antioch College to perform the play and interact with students there. Paths are opening to closer relationships with friends at Antioch who need to hear of the unconditional love of our Savior. In chapel in March, Mike Haley , one of the nation’s leading speakers on gender issues, shared his testimony of how he walked away from homosexuality. Mike’s insights come not only from his 12 years spent in the homosexual lifestyle, but also from his years of counseling two groups: the struggling family and friends of homosexuals and the men and women who are fighting same-sex attractions. His experiences led him to write the book 101 Questions Asked About Homosexuality . The director of the gender issues department at Focus on the Family, Mike has also assisted others by talking about his escape from homosexuality in the documentary videos “Reaching Into the Closet” and “A Journey Out.” Students tackled the sensitive realities of eating disorders in February through Eating Disorder Awareness Week (EDAW). The University’s Social Work Club held an informative seminar series dedicated to teaching the truth about eating disorders in light of the Bible and the healing power of Jesus Christ. Tiena Britton, organizer of EDAW, shared, “It is estimated that one out of three female college students and one out of four male college students struggle with an eating disorder, yet many people do not know what eating disorders really are or how devastating they can be. Having been through an eating disorder myself, my real passion for EDAW is to raise awareness of and reveal the truth about eating disorders.” Margie Doden (left); her son, Daryle; and daughter, Sandra Latham, were a few of the Doden family members present for the dedication of Cedarville’s Doden Field House.