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Professor of Biblical & Theological studies Boaz Johnson shares his first-hand experience at CHIC, the national gathering of Covenant high school students.
Dr. Rajkumar Boaz Johnson,Professor of Biblical & Theological Studies
CHIC is truly exciting! I have attended every CHIC since I started at North Park in 2003. Every parent wants their kids to turn out to be good kids. All Christian parents want their kids to turn out to be good followers of Jesus. CHIC is a great place to see this come to fruition.Most churches have very small youth groups, and young people feel so alone. But at CHIC it is awesome to be with 6,000 other young people who are shouting and rejoicing, and jumping with joy.
I am always thrilled about every opportunity to speak into the lives of these young people. And it is such a joy to see CHIC students come to North Park. Even if the Holy Spirit uses one word I say, to influence a students choice to come to North Park, I am satisfied.It is always a joy to shape the minds and hearts of these young people, so that they are able to go out and change the world. CHIC and North Park are once-in-a-life-time experiences that these young people will never forget.
North Park student Gigi Santos shares her first-hand experience at CHIC, the national gathering of Covenant high school students.
Gigi Santos,Current North Park Student
Listening to my youth group friends recount their experiences at CHIC was so lifefulfillingto me that I decided to volunteer with 蹤獲扦. Volunteering at CHIC was very exhausting because we were working different parts of the event and had long days. However, I enjoyed every single moment of those long days because I engaged with other volunteers and staff and students; we were simply doing life together that week.
Going as a volunteer was a great opportunity for me and remains relevant in my life because I was able to grow in my faith and be vulnerable enough to share about my experiences with people who were very intentional with me that week. CHIC also allowed me to build relationships with people through which I can continuously share with others what God’s doing in my life.
Thats also what I love most about being at North Park: there is a community that has walked alongside me throughout my time here. I love that the friendships I’ve built here are intentional friendships and a great support system academically and with my journey with Christ.
I am excited about going to CHIC again this year because I loved watching all the good things God was doing in the lives of the students, staff, and volunteers. Simply being there together, putting ideas together to help students explore where they stand in their faith, and watching them take it into their own hands makes CHIC an incredible experienceas a North Park studentvolunteer.
Students, faculty, and special guest honor the service and memory of our veterans.
My friend has been gone for 47 years. Those are 47 years that I have been given and he has not. That is a sobering thought, began Interim President Carl Balsam during his opening remarks at yesterdays Annual Veterans Day Commemoration Service, which took place in Anderson Chapel. One comment left on my friends site caught my eye; it said: Save one backward glance when you are leaving for the places they no longer can go. In other words, remember them.
This years Veterans Day Service was organized by student-veterans Nico Canete and Roberto Martinez in conjunction with Dr. John Laukaitis and Renee Martinez. The guest speaker for the service was a friend of Nico’s, Weston Polaski, who served in the United States Marine Corps from 2005-2009.
Polaski shared his story on his road to enlistment and proceeded to give an account of what life was like throughout boot camp and into his first deployment. Polaski described some of the desperate living conditions he encountered during his initial time of deployment. He also described an encounter on the phone with his father where Polaski asked him what am I doing here? to which Polaskis father replied, you probably should have gone to class, huh? Polaski described how this one call spurred him on to the next adventure back home in America where he returned to school to finish his degree.
Since his arrival back home, Polaski has made efforts to connect with Veterans and create connections for returning Veterans. Polaski began as the President of the Student Veteran Club at his alma mater and has since moved on to aiding the transition of returning veterans by connecting them with local businesses and veterans. Every year over the next 5 years, 250,000 service members will exit the military, Polaski saidall of whom will need jobs, education, and communities.
After the service, Nico Canete commented on why events like these at North Park are important to him and other veterans on campus: It demonstrates the Universitys commitment to those who have served. It reaffirms that the University supports veterans, supports them in their transition from military to academic life, and that it is proud to have them on campus. Roberto Martinez also added that It shows me that Im welcome here as a US Army veteran; it shows me that we honor the sacrifice of those who went before us, and shows me that veterans are welcome here. It also gives us a sense of brotherhood and a place to share our experiences whether in combat or not.
Dr. John Laukaitis had this to say in his closing remarks to conclude the Annual Veterans Day Service, Our country has depended on veterans to stand strong against the threats to our liberty and way of life. They serve without expectation of recognition; they are humble servants. We thank you, the men and women, who have courageously put their lives in harms way for the sake of our country; today we thank the veterans of our country.
Life Groups at North Park are sponsored by University Ministries and are a great way to learn about what it means to walk with Christ.
LifeGroups at North Park are sponsored and resourced by University Ministries. What are LifeGroups? They are groups of four to ten students who gather weekly to intentionally walk with or toward Christ together. LifeGroups are for anyone who has an interest in the Christian faith. This can include a spectrum of people from those who want to know more about faith and the Christian life, to those who are actively following Christ. LifeGroups are also a great way to explore what it means to follow Christ individually and in a group setting.
When Amber Jipp, CollegeLife and Spiritual Formation Coordinator for University Ministries, started at North Park in the fall of 2016, there were no current University Ministries (UMin) sponsored Small Groups. I am very passionate about small groups and really empowering the visions that students have, says Amber. Currently, there are around 14 LifeGroups resourced by University Ministries which are open to all students. Sponsored LifeGroups have access to resources such as printing flyers, creating events, spiritual guidance and coaching from UMin leaders, and use of UMin facilities.
LifeGroups take all different shapes and sizes as their student leader enters into the discernment process. Some are focused on discipleship, some are centered in one book of the bible, while others are for creative worship practices. LifeGroups are for those who know and desire to grow in Christ in an intentional community.
Jomarie Perlas, a previous student leader, found extreme joy in leading and walking alongside other women in her group while they learn how to be young adults, daughters in Christ, and college students, while also navigating a broken world. Her group times are spaces where she and others have been able to share personal stories, ask difficult questions about their frustrations and causes of anger, but also receive encouragement and hope. Were not meant to do this messy thing called life alone. This is the significance of being with our brothers and sister in a committed way, said Jomarie.
LifeGroups are started by students who see a need for prayer groups, Bible studies, book studies, or other shared practices. LifeGroups are expressions and visions of communities working together, moving towards Christ or learning more about Christ at North Park. Starting a LifeGroup sponsored or resourced by 蹤獲扦 Ministries is as easy as sending Amber an email and meeting with her about the LifeGroups vision. LifeGroup leaders can also choose how involved UMin is in their groups.
Joining an existing LifeGroup is also easy. Sign-ups are available during the first few Chapel and CollegeLife services, as well as campus events such as the Ice-cream Social and Viking fair. Getting plugged in to a LifeGroup at any time in the semester can be easily done by emailing Amber Jipp.
Three students share their experiences in summer camp leadership roles, in part made possible by North Park’s Camp Grant.
This summer, North Park students were active, participating in NPRESS, summer courses, Kids College, and serving at Covenant Camps nation-wide. Three students shared their experiences from their camps in their respective roles, in part made possible by North Park’s Camp Grant, awarded to students who serve at Covenant summer camps.
Barrett Loehrer – Lake Beauty Covenant Bible Camp, MN
I found myself in a unique situation at the beginning of the summer. I needed to decide between working at camp for the summer, or maintaining my double major in biblical and theological studies and exercise science. After a couple months of painful prayer and discernment, I felt this summer at camp was one I could not miss. God continually pointed me forward to the summer at camp. I lived here for the 2014-2015 school year as part of Solid Rock School of Discipleship. However, I had never worked for Lake Beauty before.
Our theme for the summer was “Set Free”, based upon the text of Galatians 5:1. Indeed, I personally felt set free in new ways, along with the rest of the summer staff. However, it was seeing kids set free in powerful ways that made the summer worth it. The campers were set free to vulnerably share their struggles with sin and difficult questions with one another, allowing even greater freedom through prayer together about such things.
It was impossible for us to predict how any camper, or which ones, would react to the preaching of the Gospel. It became apparent to me once again that I was not in control, though I sometimes wanted to be. This summer God reminded me that He is sovereign over everything and that everything, including our calling to salvation, is entirely dependent upon His mercy.
Hannah Geil – Cascades Camp and Conference Center, WA
I have successfully worked at camp for three summers now. I vividly remember sitting on the corner of my bed in Anderson, watching one of my good friends apply to work at a camp that was only four hours away from my home. She shared stories of how exciting it would be to venture away and serve God in the middle of the wilderness. This gave me flashbacks to when I had attended that camp for small retreats and I relived the joy those gatherings brought me in high school.
My first year I worked as a counselor. This is a special role that can truly show you what it means to pour out everything for Jesus, loving your kids 23 hours a day for every day theyre in your cabin. My second year I worked as an S.A.L.T. Crew Leader. This meant my partner and I were assigned high school students who were transitioning from being campers to being leaders and guides in the cabins and around camp. It was a summer that revived my love of helping high school students and reminded me how good my God is.
Finally, this summer I worked as a Rec. Leader for a 4th-6th grade section. The Program Leader and I kept the camp moving along. We were the support system for the counselors, ensuring that they and their campers made it through the day smoothly. I oversaw the planning and leading ofall the games and activities for the kids, making camp as fun and exciting as possible for the kids. It was one of the most rewarding summers for me. I saw just how awesome God was using each counselor to teach these kids more about him. It was incredible to see counselors turn into screaming children full of face paint, engage kids with the Bible, or moved to tears as they said goodbye to campers each week. No matter how rough the cabin was or how exhausted the counselor was, they always wished they had more time to love on their kids.
Kaylyn Sweitzer – Mission Meadows Bible Camp, NY
This summer I had the honor and privilege of being the Jr. Staff Director. The Jr. Staff are full-time summer staff members of high school age that are hired on as the kitchen and cleaning crew. I mentored them in that way, but I also guided them spiritually and emotionally, leading them in the direction of pursuing counseling once theyre older.
God showed up in so many instances this summer: while listening to the tolls of the Chautauqua Bell Tower during First Word by the flagpole (at 7:45 am), late night staff worships, daily chapel sessions, within every gorgeous Chautauqua sunset, and especially in the changed hearts and minds of both campers and staff. It was so refreshing and exciting to see young people encounter Christ for the first time, and it was a real privilege and blessing to play such a large role and have so much influence in our campers lives. God used us staff members to change campers hearts and to draw them closer to Him what a spectacular thing to witness and be a part of.
My co-director and I both firmly believe in leading by example, and honestly, some of my best memories from my time at camp this summer involved moments in the kitchen. I found myself looking forward to spraying sticky maple syrup off of dozens of plates if it meant being able to belt along to the soundtracks of La La Land and High School Musical while doing so. The joy and satisfaction I receive from sharing the Light of Christ with young people are incomparable.
蹤獲扦’s Camp Grant has been around for over 20 years, encouraging North Parkers to serve at Covenant Camps during their summers. The grant provides a financial incentive and promotes North Park’s goal of Living Lives of Significance and Service by making summer work experiences at Covenant Camps more financially viable. The grant is awarded to those who display a servant attitude and are positive role models for campers and staff.
Keep serving at camp on your radar for this upcoming summer! Check out a list of covenant camps by following the button below!
North Park looks forward to the first semester of CRUX, an international, residential discipleship program for first-year Christian students.
As a new semester approaches, North Park looks forward to welcoming new students on campus and to the many ways they will contribute to the life and growth of the community. An exciting new aspect of campus community this year is CRUX, an international, residential discipleship program for first-year Christian students who desire to grow deeper and wider in their personal relationship with Christ.
The Director of CRUX, Marcus Hill, describes this discipleship model as Doing Life together. He also gives us a closer look at what that means big picture as well as in the daily life of CRUX students.
On CRUX Discipleship
“The CRUX program affirms the biblical scriptures and works to advance the Kingdom of God through a commitment to shared practices:
Intentional relational discipleship
Intentional personal discipleship
Practical Bible teaching
Creative opportunity for worship and service
Creating authentic community
The CRUX program affirms the biblical scriptures and works to advance the Kingdom of God. Jesus commands us to go and make disciples of all peoples. This starts for us at 蹤獲扦 with making disciples of the next generation of college students. The way we make disciples is to instill in our students an unwavering belief in their identity in Christ. The world is bombarding students with empty promises with which to base their identity. The promise is that somehow the things of this world can fill the God-sized void in our heart. The gospel teaches something radically differentwe aim to lead students into an understanding that hope and fulfillment are found in recognizing that sin separates us from God, and in accepting Gods grace through Christ we become rooted in our true identity that is found in Christ alone. The result of this will be a generation of college students who are marked by a faith that is filled with hope, power, and humility.
As a CRUX student, you will have the opportunity to connect with community leaders and other passionate students through organized events, attending church together, and giving back to the community. The unique aspect about CRUX is North Park believes that both discipleship and scholarship go together. So not only will you be discipled, you will receive academic credit towards your intended major. Over the one-year cohort, our goal is to equip students with the skills needed to strive as a Christian with integrity, the ability to articulate one’s faith, and confidence in sharing that faith with others.”
On the Day to Day Life of a CRUX Student
“On a weekly basis, students will:
Connect with and attend a local Evangelical Covenant Church
Share Sunday night dinner
Attend Bible study
Worship in Chapel service
Have daily devotions
Participate in service opportunities
In addition, CRUX students have the opportunity to:
Interact with community leaders through didactics
Attend retreats, local and international mission trips
Participate in the Experience of Sankofa
Each week, students will meet one-on-one with their Seminary Ministry Coach (SMC) to connect and check-in. The SMC is there to help you succeed. This one-on-one time can be used however the students wishfrom praying, hanging out, or sharing an activity.
Once a month there will also be scheduled events that exist outside of campus and a less-work, more-play mentality. These events could be anything from a day at the beach, eating a Chicago-dog at Millennium Park, or taking in the fine arts of Chicago.”
The committee that is conducting the search for the 10th president of 蹤獲扦 has created an online survey where interested members of the North Park constituency can share their opinions and reflections on the search.
CHICAGO (June 30, 2017) The committee that is conducting the search for the 10th president of 蹤獲扦 has created an online survey where interested members of the North Park constituency can share their opinions and reflections on the search and on the Universitys strengths and challenges. It will be available through July 31, 2017at
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The committee hopes that North Park alumni, faculty, students, and staff and, in fact, anyone interested in the future of the University will take 15 minutes to complete this survey, said Owen R. Youngman, chair of the committee and a member of the North Park Board of Trustees. The results will help us to set priorities for the search and to evaluate potential candidates.
As previously announced, the 15-person committee has been instructed to present a candidate to the full Board of Trustees by early 2018. Approval by the Board of the Trustees, the Executive Board of the Evangelical Covenant Church, and the Annual Meeting of the ECC will be required to call a successor to David L. Parkyn, who retired at the end of June.
Results of the survey will be published in late August on the committees Web site, .
Carl Balsam has been appointed by the Board of Trustees and approved by the Executive Board of the Evangelical Covenant Church to serve as Interim President of the University, with all rights and responsibilities as president.
CHICAGO, June 5, 2017 As 蹤獲扦 undertakes a presidential search in the 20172018 academic year, Executive Vice President Carl Balsam has been appointed by the Board of Trustees and approved by the Executive Board of the Evangelical Covenant Church, to serve as Interim President of the university, with all rights and responsibilities as president.
The Board is grateful to Carl for agreeing to continue his deep dedication to the University by serving as president, beginning July 1. Because Carl has so generously stepped up to serve, we will benefit from his decades of experience and his steadfast commitment to North Parks mission. With his leadership, we will continue to move forward with our goals and aspirations during this transition period, said Dr. Kristine Strand, Chair of the North Park Board of Trustees.
Reverend Gary Walter, president of the Evangelical Covenant Church, added, Carl is a well-respected and trusted leader in the campus community and beyond. I am grateful for his openness to serve. This provides important continuity for initiatives underway.
Carl Balsam joined North Park in 1988. As EVP and Chief Financial Officer, he has managed North Parks annual budget and finances, and has overseen the Universitys endowment, continuing its strategic growth to a current value of $75 million. Additionally, he directed architectural planning for significant additions to North Parks campus, including Anderson Chapel, Brandel Library, Helwig Recreation Center, the Holmgren Athletic Complex, and most recently the Nancy and G. Timothy Johnson Center for Science and Community Life.
Balsam has committed three-and-a-half decades of professional life to Christian higher education. Prior to coming to North Park, Carl served for six years at Barrington College, Barrington, R.I. He holds a BS in Engineering Science, Pennsylvania State University; Master of Divinity, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; and an MBA from the University of Rhode Island. Carl also serves on the Board of Directors for Covenant Trust Company.
Carl and his wife Barbara are active members of Winnetka Covenant Church. They have two children, Aaron and Ashley, both graduates of 蹤獲扦, and six grandchildren.
Spring 2018 is the target date for the identification of a permanent president to succeed Dr. David Parkyn, who retires effective June 30.
Each grant will fund a year-long project (beginning in June) that promotes vital worship and faith formation.
April 25, 2017 The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (CICW) announced that it will fund another 33 worship renewal projects for 2017-2018 as part of its Vital Worship Grants Program.As one of the award recipients, Rev. Dr. Debra R. Auger, North ParkDean of Students andAssociate Professor of Ministry received $10,550.
These projects have a variety of emphasesvisual arts, storytelling, music, preaching, contemplation and morebut have as a common purpose a desire to both deepen peoples understanding of worship and strengthen practices of public worship and faith formation.
Said Kathy Smith, director of the Vital Worship Grants Program: These collaborative projects bring people together to study, plan and create, foster new learning and nourish intergenerational community in worship.
This years recipients are from around North America and include 20 congregations, one high school, four colleges and universities, three seminaries, and five other organizations, including a retirement community, a military ministry, a hospital ministry, a denominational worship committee and a regional synod. They also represent congregations and schools from 18 denominations, 19 states and two Canadian provinces.
Each grant will fund a year-long project (beginning in June) that promotes vital worship and faith formation, and this years awards range from $6,000 to $18,000 per project.
John Witvliet, director of the CICW, believes that the 2017 projects will help the Worship Institute in its own work of both the scholarly study of the theology, history and practice of Christian worship and the renewal of worship in worshiping communities across North America and beyond.
We learn a tremendous amount from these programs, he said, fromthe wisdom demonstratedin designing them and the insights gleaned from implementing and adapting them as they unfold. We look forwardto sharinginsights from these projects with a larger audiencein our future programming over the next several years.”
This June, project directors and representatives of all 33 grants will gather on Calvins campus to dialogue not only with CICW staff, but also with the recipients of 2016 grants, who will come to campus to share the results of their year-long projects at a poster session that is open to the public.
We look forward to learning and worshiping together, said Smith, and watching the new grant recipients learn from the wisdom of those with experience. The grants event is always an energizing time of conversation and sharing stories!
Since it began in the year 2000, the Vital Worship Grants Program has now awarded 784 grants to churches, schools and organizations across North America for projects that generate thoughtfulness and energy for public worship and faith formation at the local, grass-roots level. An advisory board of pastors and teachers from a variety of backgrounds assisted in the grant selections, and the program is generously supported by Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc. Founded in 1937, the Endowments major areas of programming are religion, education, and community development.
For more information on the grants program, including a complete list of this years grants recipients, please see www.calvin.edu/worship.
A testament to 蹤獲扦s distinct Christian identity and Professor Alice Iverson
This is a staff blog post written by Andy Meyer, C06. Andy graduated from North Park in 2006 with degrees in math and biblical and theological studies. Hes currently Head of Electronic Resources and ILL at Brandel Library.
A testament to 蹤獲扦s distinct Christian identity and to Professor Alice Iverson
蹤獲扦 recently hosted Dr. Chris Gehrz from Bethel University to deliver a lecture titled The Pietist Option for (Current and Former) Evangelicals. In this lecture, Dr. Gehrz reflected on how pietism, a historical movement and ethos central to the Evangelical Covenant Church, could renew Evangelical Christianity.
This lecture inspired me to look back at my own experiences as a 蹤獲扦 undergraduate to see how this unique aspect of North Parks Christian identity shaped my experience as a student. And in my reflecting, my thoughts have coalesced around a particular moment in the classroom that I see as embodying the Pietist ideals for higher education that define North Parks mission.
As an undergraduate, I double-majored in mathematics and biblical and theology studies and eventually became interested in the intersection between the two fields. For some, the connections between mathematics and theology might seem laughable or even highly suspect. However, many Christian colleges and universities take these connections seriously. Within this realm, integrating faith and learning might look like understanding how Christian beliefs relate to mathematical axioms and truths. Another general approach would ask how Christian beliefs might guide the eventual application of this studytoward what end are you doing math? These are critical and important questions at Christian institutions. They are questions that I wrestled with as a North Park student. But, as I hope this story will illustrate, my experience as a student moved beyond these standard approaches and offered something unique.
The class was Real Analysisa class that focused on abstract concepts and proofs. We started with a few simple axioms and progressed until we proved the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. I remember one class period toward the end of the semester when the entire board was covered in what I thought to be a mess of unconnected thoughts. Then, in a powerful moment of surprise, Professor Alice Iverson connected the dots and I understood this otherwise incomprehensible mess.
I remember a profound feeling of awe and even gratitude thats hard to put into words. In that moment, I remember Professor Iverson putting the cap back on the marker and telling us: Somewhere it is written: whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirableif anything is excellent or praiseworthythink about such things. And then, while gesturing to the board, she said: And this is True. And this is Beautiful. And we should think about such things.
At stake here was not our intellectual understanding of the subject matter or the proof on the board. The real lesson was that we should pursue the true and the beautiful in all areas of life. In this moment I was transfixed and transformed. Or, to borrow from language the Pietists, I was converted and reborn. This is a distinctive of North Parks Christian identity. North Park focuses not only on forming correct opinions or on providing a Christian approach within a given discipline but also focuses on building a lifelong orientation toward the good, true, and beautiful.
And Professor Iversons concluding remark that we should think about such things was not a command from a teacher to a student. It was an exhortation that applied to us allteacher and studentsequally. Friendships with fellow math majors and my relationship with Professor Iverson embodied North Parks focus on community-based Christian higher education.
This memory stays with me. The verses that Professor Iverson recited that day were read at my wedding and encapsulate much of what I learned as a student at North Park. In my current role in the Brandel Library, I work to support this educational missional by serving a community of students, faculty, and staff engaged not only in learning but also in transformation.