How should we as Christians approach issues of injustice?  In this 3 part film series, students will learn about the injustices occuring in the education system, and hear new perspectives on the issues.  Students will be part of a discussion after the film: Beyond Brown: Pursing the Promise.  A cocumentary about desgregation in the school system and what the situation will look like 50 years later.

Alison Siewert will address themes from Genesis 1.  She served for many years on the staff of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.  She has coauthored three books on worship and drama, and directs theatre for the Urbana Missions conference.

Dr. Laurence Burnley will speak on the collaboratory core value of, "Demonstrating God's love through creative applications of our academic disciplines that meet human needs while valuing local culture."

The Collaboratory ministries team will lead members in a time of structure discussion and reflection on the Collaboratory core value of "Demonstrating God's love through creative applications of our academic disciplines that meet human needs while valuing local culture."

In recent months, the world has learned more about the southern African nation of Zimbabwe - 80% unemployment, astronomical inflation, the AIDS pandemic, and more recently, a serious outbreak of cholera - to name only a few of the problems facing the country that formerly was known as the "breadbasket of Africa."  What has gone wrong?  And how is the Zimbabwean Church responding to these challenges?

Dr. Victor Nakah was born and raised near Harare, Zimbabwe.  First trained as a public school teacher, he later was called to the ministry and studies theology (receiving his doctorate in theology from the University of Stellenbosch in Cape Town).  Since 2002 he has been president of the Theological College of Zimbabwe, serves on the boards of several para-church organizations, and is uniquely qualified to speak on current issues and solutions related to Zimbabwe.

Richard T. Hughes, Senior Boyer Fellow and Distinguished Professor of Religion, will address the themes from his upcoming text, Christian America and the Kingdom of God.

Documentary film exposing the child sex trade in Bombay through the personal stories of girls who were victimized.  It puts a face to the numbers of 2 million children trapped in the trade.  The film explains the irony of the existence of this trade even in some of the world's most faith-based and religious societies.  It shares the hope of the people fighting against the trade to free God's children.

We wish to celebrate this under appreciated day by increasing awareness about the hardships currently facing women living in the Global South.  The focus of this alternate chapel will be a film entitled The Shape of Water, which tells the stories of imaginative, courageous, and visionary women from four different cultures who confront the destructive development of the Global South with a passion for change.  The film will be followed by a panel discussion to address roles of faith and society in the lives of women working towards making a difference in our global society.

Grant Wacker from Duke Divinity School will be speaking on Billy Graham, about who he is currently writing a book.

Scot McKnight, Karl A. Olsson Professor in Religious Studies, North Park University, will address themes from his text, The Jesus Creed: Loving God, Loving Neighbor.

Transracial and biracial adoption remain controversial today.  Some say that children available for adoption should always be placed with a family with at least one parent of the same race or culture so that the child can develop a strong racial or cultural identity.  Other experts say that race should not be considered at all when selecting a family for a child.  Intertwining her own story as a Korean adopted, Jenna Ness, a recent Messiah graduate, will be facilitating this discussion, sharing her own experiences and research on adoption.

Matt Walsh, former Dokimoi Ergatai leader, now a full time missionary with Serving in Mission (SIM) in Burkina Faso, will be speaking to Collaboratory members about his experiences in missions.  This is a great chance for Collaboratory members to see how their experiences now can shape their futures, and to see what opportunities there are for full time service after graduation.

Dr. Ray Norman, Dean of the MEB School and Collaboratory advisor, will be speaking on the topic of "Keep on Collaborating," as part of our Senior Appreciation Night.  The focus will be on helping the students reflect on their experiences in the Collaboratory and on how to apply those experiences to their lifelong Christian vocation.

Come listen to Cathy Bao Bean: Living and Laughing by The Chopsticks-Fork Principle.