Torch, Summer 2001

Day of Prayer Observed C edarville University celebrated the National Day of Prayer (May 3) with a chapel service devoted to prayer, a faculty/staff prayer meeting, two student- led prayer and praise times during the day, and a tent prayer and praise time in the evening. A 30-Hour Famine C edarville University students recently raised money for the world’s needy by participating in World Vision’s annual 30-Hour Famine. For 30 hours, the participants ingested only water and fruit juice to help raise awareness of and funds for the world’s hungry. A 7 1/2 hour lock-in gave participants a special time of praise and worship, prayer, and sharing information on specific needy people groups and countries. Participants asked family, friends, and neighbors to sponsor them with pledges during the fast. The funds raised went towards World Vision’s emergency relief efforts and long-term development projects in countries such as Tanzania, Peru, and the United States. The event was co-sponsored on campus by the honors organization Tau Delta Kappa (TDK) and the social work organization Epsilon Alpha Pi. “Tens of thousands of children die every day from hunger and other problems,” said Sabrina Springer, TDK publicity committee member. “That means that every time you take a breath, a child dies from hunger-related causes.” “We decided that rather than holding our breath, we should do something about it,” TDK President Kimberly Eridon added. Participants also held a canned food drive for a food pantry in the village of Cedarville. Students went door- to-door collecting non-perishable foods and canned goods (right) . Staley Series Speaker Examines Overload T he 2001 Staley Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecture Program welcomed Dr. Richard A. Swenson (left) , director of the Future Health Study Center, as its guest. In three humorous yet practical chapel messages, Dr. Swenson offered criteria for determining if overload exists in one’s life and methods for regaining a healthy margin of rest. His three message titles were: “The Overload Syndrome: A Life Devoid of Time and Space,” “Margin: The Space Between Our Load and Our Limits,” and “Science, Scripture, and Sovereignty.” Swenson’s background includes five years of private practice as a physician and 15 years of teaching at the University of Wisconsin Medical School. He is the author of three books and has presented to a variety of groups, including Congress and the Pentagon. A full-time futurist, researcher, author, and speaker, Swenson is also a fellow at the Tournier Institute. To order cassette tapes or CDs of some or all of the series, call the CDR Radio Network at 1-800-333-0601. Dorsey Leads Intercultural Recruitment Endeavors M ichael Dorsey, a 2000 Cedarville graduate, assumed responsibility as coordinator of intercultural recruitment for Cedarville University in August 2000. In his new role, Dorsey (above) leverages existing University resources to recruit and retain minority students. One of the ways Dorsey strives to meet these goals is through the PEACE Project—a multicultural student organization which stands for “Promoting Ethnic And Cultural Education.” The group is already at work promoting an awareness and understanding of various cultures, especially different American cultures, through community service, discussion groups, and music. Service ideas include working in soup kitchens and helping Springfield’s Urban Light Ministry. Discussion groups began meeting in the spring, covering topics such as the Cincinnati riots. A new 80-member special choir performed twice, exposing the Cedarville family to a different style of music and culture. The choir plans to take their sound and style on the road, promoting Cedarville to audiences that wouldn’t otherwise be drawn in, according to Dorsey. “It’s been exciting to see how interested the campus is in what’s going on. Cedarville has a lot of potential to partner up with multicultural circles, and I’m looking forward to the partnership that’s going to grow,” Dorsey shared. Summer 2001 / TORCH 17