Inspire, Winter 2002

Inspire 7 6 Winter 2003 Amazing Gracia D uring Homecoming Week, Cedarville University invites alumni to speak in chapel. This year students heard stirring messages from David Lyons ’78, Jewel Schroder Nordstrom ’86, Dr. Dan Estes ’74, and Mary Jones ’88. Mary Jones (wife of Lance Perry ’98) chose to share about her sister, missionary Gracia Burnham. Mary showed the student body a video from Gracia, which recalled Martin and Gracia’s experiences as hostages in the Philippines and also commented on Gracia’s life since Martin’s death. Just a few weeks later, Mary and Lance became the parents of a baby girl. When Gracia traveled to their Jamestown home to help with the new baby, Gracia also made a chapel appearance at nearby Cedarville University. Gracia was introduced in chapel by Dr. Frank Jenista ’68, professor of international studies and a former diplomat. Frank was at the American embassy in Manila when Gracia arrived there safely after her ordeal. Following a standing ovation from the University family, Gracia expressed her gratitude for all the prayers offered on her behalf and asked for continued prayer as she undertakes the many opportunities to speak with people about her ordeal. She commented that her experience as a hostage taught her that blaming God and blaming others for our circumstances brings nothing but sadness, conviction, and depression. She exhorted everyone to accept God’s will rather than play the blame game. She also challenged students to use their God-given gifts to further the Kingdom. Gracia’s video, which was shown during Homecoming Week, is now being offered through Tyndale House at no charge other than shipping and handling. Called Thank You For Praying, the 12-minute tape can be ordered at www.tyndale.com . T he Cedarville University Department of Communication Arts presented Molière’s comic masterpiece The Miser to capacity audiences in October. The Miser was directed by Mischelle L. McIntosh ’77, assistant professor of communication arts. Set in a decaying Paris townhouse around the turn of the 20th century, the play tells the story of siblings Elise and Cleante as they struggle under the stingy, strict control of their aging father, Harpagon. Elise has fallen in love with the handsome Valiere, who has taken a job as a servant in the household in spite of his noble birth. The story is complicated further by the fact that son Cleante and father Harpagon are both smitten with the same young woman, the beautiful Marianne. Cedarville’s upcoming theatre productions include the mystery drama Wait Until Dark (Jan. 30-Feb. 1, Feb. 6-8) and Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream (April 4-5). For more information, call 1-800-860-7625 or visit www.cedarville.edu/dept/ca/theatre/season_current.htm . 40 Years of Touching Lives T his year the CDR Radio Network is celebrating 40 years of ministry. Many people have played a part in the station’s growth and ministry, but there is one person, a Cedarville alumnus, who not only helped found the station but has guided it through all 40 of its years. In 1959, aspiring pastor Paul Gathany ’63 traveled from western New York to his Cedarville College dorm room with his bags and a modest AM broadcast transmitter. He experimented with transmitting music to receivers elsewhere in his dorm. His “broadcasts” caught the attention of fellow student David Jeremiah ’63, who told his dad, Dr. James T. Jeremiah ’73H, about them. Dr. Jeremiah had long been interested in Christian radio, so he, Speech Department Chairman Dr. John Reed, and numerous others assisted the young men in the conception of a Cedarville College radio station. Paul and the others excitedly made their first WCDR broadcast on December 1, 1962. With a modest transmitter that covered only the local Cedarville area, WCDR began broadcasting Christian programming for six hours each evening. Eventually, the Lord turned Paul’s plans from pastoral studies to broadcasting and placed him in the role of general manager at WCDR. For all 40 years of the station’s existence, Paul has served the station and led it in its mission to “help listeners understand the Word of God and understand the world in the light of the Word of God while redeeming the time.” Under Paul’s leadership and God’s blessing, WCDR expanded into the CDR Radio Network, which offers 24-hour broadcasts, nine affiliate stations across southern Ohio and eastern Indiana, and Internet audio at www.thepath.fm . At any given time, 80,000-100,000 people tune in for Bible teaching, music, encouragement, and news. Through the years, thousands of listeners’ lives have been changed for Christ. Recently, a six-year-old boy accepted Jesus after listening to Bible teaching on CDR. “I can’t express my thankfulness for your ministry!” wrote the boy’s mother in a letter to the station. “What keeps me going is the feedback we get from listeners—seeing how God works in the lives of people,” Paul said. “[It’s] amazing … to me how the Lord has allowed me to be a part of this ministry.” For more information about the network or to make a gift, call 1-800-333-0601 or visit www.thepath.fm . A new book on college faith features essays by Cedarville University’s own Dr. Paul H. Dixon ’94H and Dr. Irene Alyn, chair of the department of nursing. Dr. Dixon and Dr. Alyn’s contributions appear in College Faith: 150 Christian Leaders and Educators Share Faith Stories from their Student Days, released by Andrews University Press. The book contains short essays about faith lessons the writers learned while they themselves were students in higher education. “We published this book because we believe administrators, teachers, staff, and students will be inspired by the simple faith stories people have to tell,” said Ronald Knott, director of Andrews University Press. “Higher education is the time when many people make formative faith decisions for good or ill. We think people ought to read simple but powerful stories like those told by Dr. Dixon and Dr. Alyn.” In College Faith, Dr. Dixon recounts how a classmate’s silly prank was used by God to introduce him to Mrs. Dixon. Dr. Alyn tells how she accepted Christ during her stressful doctoral program and found, as a second blessing, that her son wanted to be “just like mom.” Besides Dr. Dixon and Dr. Alyn, writers for the book include the presidents of more than 60 Christian colleges, universities, seminaries, and Christian ministries. Among them are Bill Bright, founder and president of Campus Crusade for Christ; and Alec Hill, president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. College Faith is available in Christian bookstores, including the Cedarville University Bookstore, and online at www.andrewsuniversitypress.com . Book Features Essays by Dr. Dixon ’94H and Dr. Alyn The Miser Visits Cedarville Missionary Gracia Burnham made a chapel appearance as Dr. Paul Dixon ’94H and Dr. Frank Jenista ’68 looked on. In a scene from “The Miser,” sophomore Amanda Lucarini plays Elise, while senior Ryan Culpepper is Cleante and Brian Coon is the stingy Harpagon.