Eastern Mennonite University Podcast

Consider just how real abundant life can be for us with pastor Amanda Garber who was on campus for Spiritual Life Week. Amanda Miller Garber was born and raised in the beautiful Roanoke Valley of Virginia. She holds degrees from the University of Virginia, James Madison University, and Duke Divinity School. She currently serves as the pastor of RISE, a new faith community in the Harrisonburg area that launched in September, 2010.  Amanda has been married to Jack, a Cardiology Physician Assistant and an all-around-great-guy, for almost 17 years. They have two children, Abigail, age 7 and Robert, age 4. Amanda loves to laugh, drink lots of coffee, ask questions (especially about faith), and start new things. She is passionate about following Jesus and planting churches that are innovative, creative and alive. She also likes to play in the dirt and gets super excited when her plants actually bloom. She enjoys occasionally sleeping past 7 am and spends a disproportionate amount of her time and energy attempting to train the family puppy, Stewart.

In this week’s “Inside Athletics” podcast, Dave and James jump into the craziness of this time of year, which is the overlap of winter and spring seasons combined with the upcoming ODAC Basketball Tournaments.  They talk about both basketball teams and their wins over Bridgewater earlier this week, and the play-off scenarios we are looking at heading into Saturday’s final games.  James also talks about the special events surrounding all of our home games on Saturday and Sunday, including the “Mustache Event” for the volleyball men. Inside Athletics is a weekly podcast hosted by Director of Athletics, Dave King. The podcast offers a synopsis of what is happening in EMU athletics, but also delves deeper into how athletics at EMU shapes lives and enhances college educations by positively impacting an athlete’s understanding of self, others, and God. Sports Information Director James De Boer is a regular guest with EMU coaches and athletes making appearances as well.

This Chapel Gathering in the Seminary is led by pastor Amanda Garber, along with EMS students associated with RISE, a new faith community in the Harrisonburg area.   Abundant Life for all is the theme for the University’s Spring Spiritual Life Week, and Amanda is the featured guest speaker. Amanda Miller Garber was born and raised in the beautiful Roanoke Valley of Virginia. She holds degrees from the University of Virginia, James Madison University, and Duke Divinity School. She currently serves as the pastor of RISE, a new faith community launched in September, 2010.  Amanda has been married to Jack, a Cardiology Physician Assistant and an all-around-great-guy, for almost 17 years. They have two children, Abigail, age 7 and Robert, age 4. Amanda loves to laugh, drink lots of coffee, ask questions (especially about faith), and start new things. She is passionate about following Jesus and planting churches that are innovative, creative and alive. She also likes to play in the dirt and gets super excited when her plants actually bloom. She enjoys occasionally sleeping past 7 am and spends a disproportionate amount of her time and energy attempting to train the family puppy, Stewart.

Launch into unpacking Abundant Life for all, the theme for Spiritual Life Week, with pastor Amanda Garber. Amanda Miller Garber was born and raised in the beautiful Roanoke Valley of Virginia. She holds degrees from the University of Virginia, James Madison University, and Duke Divinity School. She currently serves as the pastor of RISE, a new faith community in the Harrisonburg area that launched in September, 2010.  Amanda has been married to Jack, a Cardiology Physician Assistant and an all-around-great-guy, for almost 17 years. They have two children, Abigail, age 7 and Robert, age 4. Amanda loves to laugh, drink lots of coffee, ask questions (especially about faith), and start new things. She is passionate about following Jesus and planting churches that are innovative, creative and alive. She also likes to play in the dirt and gets super excited when her plants actually bloom. She enjoys occasionally sleeping past 7 am and spends a disproportionate amount of her time and energy attempting to train the family puppy, Stewart.

Dr. Michael King, EMS Dean, preaches on the story of the Prodigal Son found in Luke 15.  His sermon follows up on the theme of this year’s School for Leadership Training in January. The entire campus community is invited to every chapel worship service on campus. Eastern Mennonite Seminary hosts chapel gatherings in Martin Chapel every Tuesday and Thursday; EMU Campus Ministries hosts chapel gatherings every Wednesday and Friday in Lehman Auditorium. Specifics and occasional changes are noted in individual chapel listings.

In this week’s “Inside Athletics” podcast, Dave and James look ahead to the building excitement of the ODAC Tournaments, including recent Region Rankings in both basketball and track & field. Dave talks a bit about the success of the new initiatives started by the athletic department recently, plus some plans for the this year’s “NCAA Division III Week.” Inside Athletics is a weekly podcast hosted by Director of Athletics, Dave King. The podcast offers a synopsis of what is happening in EMU athletics, but also delves deeper into how athletics at EMU shapes lives and enhances college educations by positively impacting an athlete’s understanding of self, others, and God. Sports Information Director James De Boer is a regular guest with EMU coaches and athletes making appearances as well.

Yehezkel Landau, Faculty Associate in Interfaith Relations at Hartford Seminary and first holder of the newly endowed chair in Abrahamic Partnerships at Hartford Seminary, offers professional and personal insights on “Abrahamic Partnerships in Pursuit of Peace.” This talk combines Jewish-Christian-Muslim relations with the wider agenda of religious peacemaking.

Camp Day Chapel gathered in the Campus Center greeting hall, surrounded by representatives from  camp organizations from several states.  Athletic department chair Lester Zook shared about EMU’s Wilderness Seminar program, accompanied by three students who participated in the experience last summer.

LaDawn Knicely, EMU Masters in Counseling student, shares her reflections with the Chapel Gathering in the Seminary. The entire campus community is invited to every chapel worship service on campus. Eastern Mennonite Seminary hosts chapel gatherings in Martin Chapel every Tuesday and Thursday; EMU Campus Ministries hosts chapel gatherings every Wednesday and Friday in Lehman Auditorium. Specifics and occasional changes are noted in individual chapel listings.

Dave recaps the week’s sports activities and highlights the Royals Athlete of the Week. With recruiting in high gear among all coaches, Dave reflects on the need to articulate the value of DIII sports to parents and recruits as they are influenced with the enticement of DI or DII options. In order to counter the idea of DIII being known simply as the division that doesn’t give athletic scholarships, Dave shares some of the facts about Division III athletics. Inside Athletics is a weekly podcast hosted by Director of Athletics, Dave King. The podcast offers a synopsis of what is happening in EMU athletics, but also delves deeper into how athletics at EMU shapes lives and enhances college educations by positively impacting an athlete’s understanding of self, others, and God. Sports Information Director James De Boer is a regular guest with EMU coaches and athletes making appearances as well.

Dr. Joni Sancken, EMS Assistant Professor of Preaching and Practical Theology, preaches on the subject, “Jesus Makes a Way” from Luke 4:21-30. The entire campus community is invited to every chapel worship service on campus. Eastern Mennonite Seminary hosts chapel gatherings in Martin Chapel every Tuesday and Thursday; EMU Campus Ministries hosts chapel gatherings every Wednesday and Friday in Lehman Auditorium. Specifics and occasional changes are noted in individual chapel listings.

Peace Fellowship hosts Jean-Robert Cadet for a chapel forum. Jean-Robert Cadet, a former Haitian child-slave, is now working to eradicate child-slavery in his native country. Jean-Robert is an advocate for children’s rights all over the world – working closely with the UN multiple times to form anti-human-trafficking policies and statements, the US Congress, the Oslo Freedom Forum as a keynote speaker, and addressed the International Department of Oxford University, Yale University, and Duke University. He has been featured on Oprah, 60-Minutes and CNN. Cadet is the author of “Restavek” and “My Stone of Hope” – books about his life as a child-slave and his current work in fighting the system he had been caught in as a child! His main focus is working towards change through education.

Living the abundant life means taking your questions to heart. Associate Director of Pastoral Studies for EMU’s STEP Program in Lancaster, PA, Steve Kriss is a pastor, student, teacher, and follower of Jesus living in Philadelphia. He’s studied communication and continues to write a column for Mennonite World Review frequently. As a pastor, Steve has served with Mennonite congregations in Johnstown, PA and Staten Island, NY and with emerging groups in Pittsburgh. He currently worships with Philadelphia Praise Center, a growing multiethnic, urban Anabaptist congregation. Steve enjoys traveling, writing, biking and is committed to living a healthy life of rest, risk and learning that prioritizes relationships with family, friends, colleagues, faith communities and neighbors near and far.

In this week’s “Inside Athletics” podcast, Dave and James jump right into the exciting activites of the past week, which includes men’s volleyball starting their season, track & field starting their second semester, and both basketball teams taking wins from rival Bridgewater.  Then they tackle the hot topic of social media and student-athletes, from what the NCAA thinks to how they at the individual institution plan to approach it. Inside Athletics is a weekly podcast hosted by Director of Athletics, Dave King. The podcast offers a synopsis of what is happening in EMU athletics, but also delves deeper into how athletics at EMU shapes lives and enhances college educations by positively impacting an athlete’s understanding of self, others, and God. Sports Information Director James De Boer is a regular guest with EMU coaches and athletes making appearances as well.

Dr. Simon J. Bronner, distinguished university professor of American studies and Folklore at Penn State University, offers the January 2013 colloquium presentation. Dr. Bronner is an American folklorist, ethnologist, historian, educator and author. Dr. Bronner’s personal website includes links to his blog and other information.