From rshadian@hawaii.eduWed Mar 20 00:08:01 1996 Date: Wed, 20 Mar 1996 00:06:42 -1000 From: Ritchard Shadian To: Chi Alpha Subject: The Brotherly, volume SP96, issue 5 *** * * *** * *** ** * * * *** ******* ****** ****** ******* ** ** ******* ****** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ****** ******* ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ******* ***** ** ** ** ****** ******* ***** ** ** ** ******* ****** ** ** ** ****** ******* ****** ** *** ** ** ** ** ****** ** ** ** ** ** ** ****** *** ******* ** ** ****** ** ** ** ******* ** ** ****** *** _ THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I AT MANOA CHI ALPHA CHAPTER ______________________________________________________________________________ MARCH 20, 1996 VOLUME SP96 ISSUE NO. 5 ______________________________________________________________________________ By now you should know how I'm going to start. If you said "Ritchard's gonna ask us for articles again, isn't he?" YOU GOT IT! I don't think I can stress this enough. Perhaps I should explain myself. The reason I want to have articles is to make this newsletter more interesting. In the first year of the publication it contained nothing but announcements. I felt this was getting really boring because I tended to repeat what was already announced at every Friday night meeting with a couple of long range activities thrown in. I figured that it was pretty senseless to use an email message to do this. Also, this newsletter goes to more than those who attend the Friday meetings. There's even a few mainland addresses on the mailing list --- our campus pastor, a student who attended Chi Alpha last year and is currently on student exchange, and even prospective Chi Alphans who came across us on the Web and are thinking of attending UH and would like to have a fellowship to go to once they are here. For these people, announcements about what we're going to do next week or next month has little relevance to them. It's more interesting for them to read things which are inspirational in some way. This gives them something to apply to their lives, and also gives them some idea about what each person is like over here. Okay, I've said my piece, now for the boring annoncements. Some important ones this time around, especially regarding the campouts. --------------- | ANNOUNCEMENTS | --------------- BYE BYE BELLOWS --------------- Because there was very little interest in the camp at Bellows beach, we've made an executive decision to cancel it. That's right, cancel it. I apologize to the few who signed up. HERE TODAY, GONE TO MAUI ------------------------ However, as you can tell by the cliche in the heading, the Hana, Maui camp is in full gear. Here is the latest information: When: Dates and times of actual camp: Monday, March 25 starting at 4:00 pm through Wednesday, March 27 ending at 11:00 am. Who: These are the names I have on my list of people who said they will most definitely attend: Ritchard Joel Sarah M. Sarah J. & sister Hanna Flover Tim Stacey There are also a couple undecided which I didn't list. If you are not listed, it means we haven't received word that you are definitely going to come. If you plan on doing so, or if you've changed your mind about going in the first place, email me or call Joel at 957-1596 (or call me at 957-1318). Food: To be purchased on Maui (which is a little more expensive than buying food on Oahu, but much more convenient and legal than bringing food over on the plane.) Flight info: Make your reservations so that you arrive no later than 10:00 am on Monday morning and depart no earlier than 4:00 pm on Wednesday afternoon. The reason for the times is to allow us plenty of leeway. After arrival we need to get food, and then make the 4-hour trek to Hana. Same 4 hours coming back. There are some cheap ticket options available. Royal Adventure Travel on Harding Avenue has coupons for Mahalo Airlines for $28 each way. Also, Flover can get coupons for Hawaiian Airlines for $30 each way. If you need to get them from him, get a hold of him IMMEDIATELY. His number is 957-1795 and his email is flover@hawaii.edu. Once you make your reservations, email me or call Joel at 957-1596 (or call me at 957-1318) and inform us about your flight number and time so we can arrange pickups accordingly. What you need to bring: Hopefully you've been camping before and have a good idea about what is typically needed. But when you pack, bear in mind the conditions of the camp. If you remember the show "Gilligan's Island" you'll have a pretty good understanding of what the conditions are like. There is a tremendous amount of beauty to be seen and fun to be had, but know that we're really going to be roughing it. The purpose is to get out of our comfort zones for a few days. The campsite has no electric and no plumbing -- that means no sinks, showers, or flushable water (although the camp DOES have outhouses). The climate is humid by day, cold and wet by night. So make sure you bring appropriate clothing and personal items for swimming, bathing in the waterfalls, and surviving. Feel free to bring entertainments like instruments, games, etc. and don't forget your sword (that is, the Word of God). What we would like you to bring: We need tents and sleeping bags first and foremost. If you have a lantern we can borrow, we would be grateful. We could also use pots or pans to assist with the cooking. Also, if you know how to drive a van with a stick shift, bring your driver's license because we are going to need you. That's the information that is currently available. I'm sure more will be presented at this Friday's meeting (I won't be there however). PRAYER OPTIONS -------------- Prayer is an important part of our everyday lives, so Chi Alpha is offering several opportunities for group prayer: * Every Monday at 7:30 am by the Hale Noelani front desk Amy is heading an intercessory prayer session, especially for people we know who are ill. * Every weekday morning at 8:00 am on the free speech steps in Campus Center (the stairs to nowhere in front of the CAPS office) Tim is heading a prayer session for general needs and for our unsaved friends and relatives. * Every Thursday afternoon at 12:00 pm in Hemenway Hall (either room 216, the mailroom, or the lanai, wherever is free) Marvin is heading a prayer session jointly with other campus fellowships to pray specifically for the revival of our campus. Try to attend one of these sessions if your schedule permits. Prayer is a good thing --- and a powerful thing. ______________________________________________________________________________ ---------- | FEATURES | ---------- Few in number, as usual. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE LARK AND HIS FEATHERS A lark, singing in the high branches of a tree, saw a traveler walking through the forest carrying a mysterious little black box. The lark flew down onto the traveler's shoulder. "What do you have in the little black box?" "Worms," the traveler replied. "Are they for sale?" "Yes, and very cheap, too. The price is only one feather." The lark thought for a moment. "I must have a million feathers, most of them quite small. Surely, I'll never miss one of them. Here is an opportunity to get a good dinner for no work at all." So he told the man that he would buy one. He searched under his wing for a tiny, tiny feather. He winced a bit as he pulled it out but the size and quality of the worm made him quickly forget the pain. High up in the tree he began to sing as beautifully as before. The next day he saw the same man and once again he exchanged a feather for a worm. What a wonderful way to get a dinner, and no effort at all. Days went by, and the lark lost a feather each day and each loss seemed to hurt less and less. To begin with, he had a a lot of feathers but as the days passed, he found it more difficult to fly. Finally, after the loss of one of his primary feathers, he could no longer reach the top of the tree, let alone fly into the sky. Indeed, he could no more flutter a few feet in the air and was forced to seek his food with the quarrelsome, bickering sparrows. The man with the worms came no more for there were no feathers to pay for worms. The lark no longer sang because he was so very ashamed of his fallen state. This is how unworthy habits possess us. First, painfully, then more easily, until at last we find ourselves stripped of all that lets us soar and sing. - author unknown ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ KEEPIN' WITH THE TIMES by Ritchard Shadian (Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the editor and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of UH Chi Alpha. Rebuttals are more than welcome.) Politically Correct Christianity -------------------------------- Would you hurt someone's feelings if you knew that it would save their life? We all face this struggle everyday when it comes to sharing our faith with our unsaved friends. We carry with us the key to eternal life, but we are hesitant to share it. Why? Because we are afraid of offending people. Not that God's message is offensive, but because it is not politically correct. It says that there is ONE AND ONLY ONE way to heaven. It says that God has set down an absolute moral standard for us to live by. It is a very good standard; it keeps us out of trouble and dictates how to live a happy life, but it contradicts the standard of the world. It is great news but it requires a sacrifice --- we must surrender the ownership of our lives to a perfect God who will mold us into the best person we can be. People generally don't like to hear this because they like to have ownership of their own life even though it is sending them into destruction. Sometimes I find myself compromising the truth in order to make the gospel of Christ more pleasing to the 90s mentality, to make it more politically correct. Once I realize it, God convicts me. He says "Don't try to twist my words or dilute my meaning just because it may be easier to swallow. If you present the truth, present the whole truth and nothing but the truth. If they really want to know Me, they'll accept my entire gospel in its full beauty. You cheat them and you mock me when you settle for anything less than what is absolutely real." Our friends are thirsty for Christ's message and we must present them with the drink that will never make them thirsty agian. The way I see it, the gospel is kind of like the syrup you make those instant drinks out of. If you pour it on too thick (i.e. force it on people), it tastes sour. On the other hand, water it down too much (dress it up nice and pretty hoping it will be more acceptable that way), it tastes weak. But with the right combination of pure truth and pure love, it leaves you asking for seconds. ______________________________________________________________________________ Here's to a great Spring Break, an awesome camp on Maui, and a plethora of articles for the next newsletter! Hana hou!! In Christ, Ritchard (rshadian@Hawaii.Edu) ============================================================================== Mailing list address: chi_alpha@Hawaii.Edu World Wide Web page: http://www2.hawaii.edu/~rshadian/chialpha/homepage.html