Club Corner: M.A.F.I.A

Interview by Laura Joy Griffith with Becky Gerhardus

What’s your club about?

M.A.F.I.A. (short for Missionaries and Friends in America) started about six years ago as a club for MK’s (Missionary Kids, Military Kids, Multicultural Kids, and Moocher Kids), international students, and for people who have an affinity for foreign culture and exotic food.  It is Multnomah’s longest running club and has a rich history with its roots digging into the Dave Jongeward era.

What does a typical meeting look like?

A typical meeting always includes delicious free food and conversation about different cultures with people who share similar interests.

Meeting Times: every other Thursday at 6 pm.

How do interested students get involved?

Many cultures encourage people “dropping in” and sharing food, so feel free to just drop on by at your leisure.  (We don’t bite, I promise.)  Contact Becky Gerhardus either in-person or through email (rgerhardus@my.multnomah.edu) with questions and for more information.

i am

Sarah Weigel

by Sarah Weigel

divinity runs through me

makes a home

i am not its wellspring

draws from my depths a light

hands it over

truly mine

                       

small, frail, fearful

big, strong, brave

i am not the same

every day

divinity runs through me

as a gift, a grace, a taste

of perfection

i am not the stream

humility bows before

divinity revealing

i am not worthy

to host this company

but my body

is made a mountain

a temple holy

anyway

Student Athlete: Micah Sugiura

Photo courtesy of
Multnomah University
gomulions.com

Name: Micah Sugiura

Year: Junior

Major/Minor: Business

Sport: Men’s Soccer

Number: 10

Q: How long have you played your sport competitively?

A: 10 years

Q: What do you like best about it? 

A: I really like soccer because I feel like it is a gentleman’s game.  I have met some of my best friends through this sport.  Soccer has taught me a lot about life because you will constantly make mistakes on the field, but when you make those mistakes you can’t just stop.  Instead you have to work hard to make up for the mistake you did.  It has taught me to swallow my pride when I mess up and continue to work hard because the game of life won’t stop for you either.

Q: What do you like best about Multnomah’s team?

A: I really enjoy being on this Multnomah team because it is nice to play with players who all believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Instead of getting mad at each other after the game and blaming others like my other club teams; they find a way to keep their heads up and move on.  They do not take things personally and that has helped us to stay close and connected through this season.

Q: How can the Multnomah student body support your team?

A: Honestly the Multnomah student body has been excellent in supporting our soccer team because even though we are getting destroyed by the other team, they still choose to stay the whole game and find something to cheer about.  I love our student body and could not thank them enough for their support!

A Murder of Crows

by Daniel Gillespie

On a cold night in October, as winter draws ever closer

I take a walk into the forest all alone on fallen snow

When I stumble on a clearing, as the trees are disappearing

And sit down and look up peering at a branch on which a crow

Has landed for a time to sit and stare at me this crow

As he looks on me below

I step closer to the willow on which this fine black fellow

Has perched his feet to look and see the world I walk and know

I extend my hand engaging, but the bird I am enraging

As he flies away unchanging to the East I watch him go

The fine black coat upon his back flapping as he goes

This single lonely crow

I stand out there in the open on the winter ground so frozen

And ponder the crow’s own thoughts as he flies off through the snow

What was his motivation? Was there ever hesitation?

As he left his lofty station and was gone away this crow

What was he thinking in his bird brain as he went away this crow

And I thought I’ll never know

I sink down into the grass there like a sheep put out to pasture

And looking to the sky I rest in the night’s cosmic glow

The frost still lightly falling I hear a distant squalling

And see my friend, recalling how he left so long ago

Upon remembering the hours, it was not so long ago

That he left me there, this crow

I see him coming through the forest across the midnight darkness

And see many more have joined him; he is not alone, my crow

So many black birds bringing notes of macabre singing

And their tune a frightful ringing such like I have never known

The flood of fine black feathers coming like I’ve never known

As they advance patient and slow

They moved onward as a phantom, in an order far from random

As a single seamless ghost of darkened shadow as they go

I saw them ever closer and I sensed incoming danger

So I fled right from the murder, to escape the mass of crows

I took off through the forest, fleeing the murder of crows

My feet falling on the snow

I run faster onward running, each foot and step I’m stumbling

The branches in my path come faster, falling to the snow

On hand and knee I’m crawling, after untimely falling

 Their squalling, squawking calling, coming closer this I know

The birds will soon attack me and I will not leave I know

From this murder of crows

I see their black beaks glinting, as I look up at them squinting

Descending on my body, coming like the falling snow

Their beaks begin the biting, as I lie there in my writhing

I am trying to be fighting them, this mass murder of crows

This bird of night I followed off has killed me here my crow

Why me? I’ll never know

I lay there bleeding, dying, as the crows just take off flying

I know this is my deathbed with a blanket made of snow

I feel a peace descending as my life is at its ending

How I wish there were extending, but I fear it is not so

I wish to live and leave this scene but know it is not so

From the murder of crows

Hogwarts in Portland: Multnomah is my Home

by Laura Joy Griffith

Photo courtesy of
@multnomahu on Instagram

It is Thursday afternoon in Roger's Cafe.  I am sitting at one of the tables, humming along to John Mayer under my breath.  A pretty brunette is sitting on one of the couches, knitting an olive green hat.  A group of students is studying for an upcoming exam.  Another student, like me, is sitting by herself with her laptop.  The barista is on her phone, selecting music appropriate for the mood.  I peek out the doors into the JCA lounge.  It is quiet there, too, although several clusters of undergrad and graduate students are gathered around tables and on couches.  This afternoon, Multnomah is a peaceful place to be.

Soon it will be dinnertime, and students will start pouring through the lounge on their way to the cafeteria.  The cafe will probably empty out entirely, as even these students go to chow down on hamburgers, salad, and rice, possibly followed by an ice cream cone.  I will probably go home and share a dinner of hot pasta with my flatmate.  At this time of year, when the rain comes down like a fire hose, Multnomah is a cozy place to be.

At this point in the semester, we are stressing about midterms, getting excited about basketball, and beginning to feel comfortable in our friend groups.  At this point in the semester, we are starting to put the pieces together in our Gurney class, discovering the wonders a text can hold in our Pothen class, and struggling to remember all those chapter titles for Koivisto.  We may have nervous breakdowns and we may sit in our rooms, staring at our computer screens at two o'clock in the morning, but our professors, friends and RA's are there for us when we need them.  At this point in the semester, Multnomah is a good place to be.

This is my third year at Multnomah, and as I sit here watching my fellow students, I am glad to be here.  No matter what my life looks like, no matter what I'm going through, no matter what my latest obsession is, Multnomah is a good place to be.  I will be leaving in May and pursuing a Master's Degree somewhere else.  But I know I'll be back, because Multnomah is my home, and even when I make my home elsewhere, my heart will always have a special place for this cafe on this particular afternoon.

Club Corner: The English Patients

Photo courtesy of Josh McKinley

Name: The English Patients

Q: What’s your club about?

A: This club is simply a chance for some literary-minded people to get together and discuss some of the things that are being presented to them in the texts that they are reading.  It is aimed at people in English classes at Multnomah.  The Professors of English here at our school don’t mess around when it comes to texts they give us to read.  They are life-changing works and must be treated that way, and we shouldn’t be reading them in isolation.  So to English Club we go!  To hash out some of the big things God is trying to teach us through literature.

Q: What does a typical meeting look like?

A: A Typical meeting will basically be circle discussion about things we are reading.  Discussion will involve things as simple as how are things going this semester, to what is God changing in your life through the texts we have been presented with.  There will also be opportunities for people to share writing they are proud of, or want some help with.  Basically a Lit nerd’s paradise.  There may be food…depends on if the budget comes through.

Meeting Times: We will meet every first and third Thursday at 6:30 in the PM.

Meeting Place: We will meet in the student senate room, which is located between the mailroom and the commuter center.

Club Officers: As a libertarian, I, Josh McKinley, reluctantly accept the role as President… but think of it more like a discussion leader.  Daniel Gillespie will be Co-Discussion leader, and of course the Honorable Hogan Schaak will be our emperor.  Of course there are opportunities to get more involved for students who wish to help out.

Q: How do interested students get involved?

A: If you would like to get involved you basically just have to show up at one of our meetings.  You can also contact me, Josh McKinley, or Daniel Gillespie on Facebook for more information.

Leaning In: A Review of Sheryl Sandberg's Bestseller

by Laura Joy Griffith

A few months ago, I watched a YouTube clip of Sheryl Sandberg on Oprah, talking about a study that found that women are disliked for being professionally successful, while men are esteemed for it.  Intrigued, I vowed to read Sandberg’s book, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, a 2013 bestseller, which presents an optimistic view of the challenges women face in the workplace and practical suggestions for men and women who would like to see things change.

As chief operating officer of Facebook, Sandberg has first-hand experience with the obstacles—both internal and external—holding women back from professional success.  Her book engages the heart with a slew of personal stories, and it engages the mind with an abundance of statistics and facts.  Sandberg deals with the sometimes shocking data about women in corporate America in a way that is both honest and sensitive.  She is not afraid of the “f” word: feminism, but she does not preach the man-hating, bra-burning extremism so often associated with that word.

To the average university student, the subject matter of Lean In may seem irrelevant, especially the chapters that focus on balancing career and family.  But I found Sandberg’s principles to be helpful and inspirational even for me.  Whether you are torn between the office and the home or between the classroom and the dorm, whether you are male or female, I would highly recommend Lean In.  Former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice agrees: “Lean In is a superb, witty, candid, and meaningful read for women (and men) of all generations.”

Volleyball and Girla Sorensen

Girla Sorensen
Photo courtesy of
Multnomah University

Name: Girla Sorensen
Year: Freshman
Major/Minor: Psychology
Sport: Volleyball
Position: opposite hitter
Number: 13/14
Q: How long have you played your sport competitively? 
A: 5 seasons
Q: What do you like best about it?
A. What I like best about volleyball is having teammates.  It is nice to be surrounded by teammates to build a relationship on and off the court with.  Also it’s nice to have them when you need encouragement or guidance to better a play and be built up individually.
Q: What do you like best about Multnomah’s team?
A: What I like best about playing for Multnomah is the group of girls I am privileged to play volleyball with and the coaching staff that I am able to have for volleyball.  I really enjoy the accountability we have for each other either.
Q: How can the Multnomah student body support your team?
A: The Multnomah student body can best support the volleyball team by coming to our games and cheering us on no matter what the outcome is.  We love our fans and some of our energy, whether they know it or not, comes from their support that they give us.
Q: What are you looking forward to about the upcoming season?
A: We as a team have mentioned that we are excited to see what God does throughout this season, and even after the season is over.

The MU volleyball team has a tournament on Friday, Oct. 3 and Saturday, Oct. 4. Come out to the games at 3, 5, and 7 on Friday and 10, 12, and 2 on Saturday!

Live, Love, Repeat

Daniel Gillespie
Photo courtesy of Multnomah University

by Daniel Gillespie

Begin again. Resolve to solve your problems

Winter left its mark choose to embark

Today to Change the way Life is

Choose to Live, to face tomorrow with

Friends beside you

Choose to Love, to find someone new

Maybe one day say, “I Love You”

Make that first move outside, beyond yourself

Love someone or something else and Begin.

Journey past your heart to your core

Find yourself; push through Love’s open door

March in step and hand in hand

Enjoy someone’s company and make it last

Before it’s past.

Stop and smell every flower of Spring

Embrace the real thing not some screen

Sunscreen, grass of green, treasure the rain

Count the years and have a Birthday

Eat cake.

See bright colors of leaves and trees

When she leaves, pull yourself up again

Find comfort and depend on your Friends

Search and find new joy in Life

Even through strife.

Complete the school year, graduate from college

Learn and don’t Cease, never enough knowledge

Have fun in the sun as Summer

Has finally come, run and play, Celebrate!

Each day.

Halfway done. Independence Day, Family and fireworks

Look around for a job that works

Earn some spare change. Meet someone new

Begin summer romance on the random chance

It could last.

Attend the wedding of two dear friends

See people you miss, Laugh and Live

Enjoy every fleeting day of summer bliss

Get away today, go to the beach

Soak all in.

Watch the leaves Fall back in routine

Continue to Live and continue to Dream

Remember the past college days of classes

Do not loose touch with Friends in

The process.

Hold the ones that you Love close

Hold on to this moment, treasure it

Because with sudden torment it could End

Cry with your friends through broken hearts

And lost jobs.

Walk once again in the cold temperatures

Feel the sting, stuck in cold weather

Be thankful for whatever you have got

May not seem like much but it’s

A lot

Shop for Christmas, get your friends gifts

Family and the girl you are with

Then cry when she breaks your heart

Make a new Start! Admit no defeat

Live, Love, Repeat

Faith Heple and Elementary Ed

Photo courtesy of
Multnomah University

Name: Faith Heple

Major/Minor: Elementary Education

Year: Sophomore

Q: Why did you choose this major/minor?

A: “I actually didn’t want to be a teacher.  I wanted to go into the Psych program.  But when I went on Multnomah’s website the slideshow for the different majors/minors wouldn’t move past Elementary Ed!  And then nothing but the link for Elementary Education would work.  I fought with God about this, but in my heart I knew He wanted me to be a teacher.  After applying and going into my first education class I knew I wanted to be a teacher more than anything.  I could (and still can) feel that this career is the one I’m supposed to be in, the one there I will make the most difference, and the one in which God will show Himself to others through me.”

Q: What misconceptions do people in other majors have about yours?

A: “[They think] that its easier because we focus on elementary levels.  But it isn’t any easier.  It’s amazing how much you forget over the years.  Plus, now that you’ve done the hard stuff, your brain doesn’t even think 2+2=4 without some crazy formula!”

Q: How do you hope to use your degree?

A: “I’d like to use my degree to become an International Teacher.  I’d also like to use my degree to change the way children do school; there are so many different ways of learning and teaching… We’ve only begun to scrape the surface.”

Q: How have you been impacted by being in this program?

A: “I’ve been impacted by how much God works within the schooling system: even in public schools where religion and God are practically banned, you can still work God into the lives of your students.”

Do you want to be featured talking about your major or minor?  Click here and submit the form!

The Journey: Mark Staples

by Laura Joy Griffith

            Mark Staples graduated from Multnomah with a degree in Bible and Youth Ministry in 1993.  Now he is the senior pastor at Emmanuel Bible Fellowship in Olympia, WA.  With twenty-one years of life and ministry experience since graduation, he reflects on his time at Multnomah and how it led him to where he is today.

            Rather than pinpointing one event or person at Multnomah that influenced him, Mark credits the overall experience with the life change he experienced.  Describing his passionate pursuit of intimacy with Christ, he says, “I embraced the spiritual side of life as much as the intellectual.”  This passion for spiritual maturity overflowed from the chapel and the classroom onto the basketball court.  Mark played Multnomah basketball for four years under Jim Skagen and credits Coach Skagen and the program for much of his spiritual growth at Multnomah.  “It wasn’t just an athletic endeavor,” he says of the basketball program.  “It was a ministry experience.”  He describes the closeness of the team and the cheerleaders, saying that their regular ministry involvement impacted him tremendously.  In addition to Coach Skagen, Mark names Prof. David Needham as a powerful influence during his time at Multnomah. 

            After graduating from Multnomah, Mark moved to Olympia to become a youth intern at Emmanuel (then called Emmanuel Baptist Church).  Although he only intended to stay there for a year or so, he ended up becoming the youth pastor and staying more than nine years before moving back to Portland—to the church at which he grew up—to work as a youth pastor there.  He then moved with his family to Arizona, where he served at another church and completed his Master’s Degree at Phoenix Seminary.  Finally, almost two years ago, he returned to Emmanuel as the senior pastor.

            During the past two decades, Mark’s main connection with Multnomah has been through the friends he made while there, like athletic director Lois Vos.  Though the “wrapping” has changed, he says, the principles on which Multnomah was built remain.  He encourages current Multnomah students to believe in those principles and the embrace the overall Multnomah experience.  Whether or not you are planning to enter full-time ministry, he says, soak up whatever you can from your education, but don’t let it become cold and impersonal.  “It can become an academic pursuit, instead of a real life pursuit,” he said. 

            Mark also advises students to ensure that they are involved in ministry: “It’s critical for a follower of Jesus to have an outlet in their life and not just always take in.”  Mark feels that there are too many consumers in the church and not enough givers, and it is important to form these habits as soon as possible.  Multnomah is an ideal opportunity to create habits and build a foundation for life.  If you learn to be a servant at Multnomah, you will be a servant for the rest of your life: “I think that’s what life is about: investing and giving.”

Multnomah University