FI R ST YE A R S I SSU E

19 January 2021 // Winter Issue 2 Happy Surprises and Reflections on Psalm 8 By Beth Cormack

LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:1)

I had intended to spend Christmas and New Year with a cousin in Alberta but changed plans in accordance with the health advisories. As I strolled along the seafront on a damp New Years’ Eve, I pondered on how different the celebrations for the end of 2020 were in comparison to the year before. On December 31st 2019, friends and I had stood on a balcony in London, champagne in hand, enjoying the fireworks above the River Thames. We toasted in the year, joined hands and sang Auld Lang Syne, before retreating back into the warmth of the apartment. From the laughter of ‘old’ friends to the many ‘happy surprises’ of wonderful people on the West Coast of Canada, I am so thankful for 2020. So thankful to be here, at Regent College, to contemplate God’s majesty as I study his Word alongside others, and see it reflected in the beauty and grandeur of the Vancouver Mountains and ocean.

When I consider the heavens…what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? (Psalm 8:3-4)

It seems miraculous to be here at all. Having been granted leave from my post as kindergarten teacher in London, I wondered whether I would have to complete my Regent studies back in the UK. But I longed for a change of scene! In the meantime, a family friend contacted me to offer the use of their basement suite, where I could quarantine and then stay on. It was such a wonderful offer and an answer to prayer. I was determined to get there and prayed hard! My first flight to Vancouver was cancelled but I was excited to hop on another one that flew via . I had such a sense of adventure on board that flight and was so thankful for the blessing of a Canadian passport. (I am a dual national.) Yet again, I was humbled by God’s care of me in so many details.

You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honour. (Psalm 8:5)

I imagine these last few months have been a reminder to many of us that we are not in control of our lives! We can make plans, but who knows what will happen! Actually, come to think of it, God does! This is not something that I find easy at all and have heard myself praying prayers like, ‘Ok LORD! I think this is the way you’re leading me so I trust you to work out the details. And help me to be content if I don’t get {Continued on page 2}

SUBMISSION Submissions must be in Word format. Please submit all prose, poetry, and artwork Current students, faculty, staff, and spouses to [email protected]. Classifieds are prioritized, but others may submit. Views GUIDELINES Maximum length for prose is 800 words. for the Greensheet must be submitted to expressed in the Et Cetera do not necessarily Longer stories or articles may be serialized [email protected]. No represent the views of Regent College, the Senior Editor: Steven Gomez over multiple issues. All submissions are guarantees that submissions will be printed. RCSA Council, or the Et Cetera staff. Associate Editors: Alice Hodgkins & Amy subject to proofreading edits and may be Deutscher returned for more substantial revision. Deadlines for submissions are 5pm on The Et Cetera and the Greensheet can be Published by the Regent College Student Thursday for the Et Cetera, and 5pm on viewed online at rcsa.regent-college.edu/et- Association Visual art must be submitted in digital Friday for the Greensheet. Submissions cetera. format in as high quality a scan as possible. later than this may be considered for Articles, fiction, and poetry are all welcome. future issues.

1 19 January 2021 // Winter Issue 2

Happy Surprises [cont’d] what I want when I want it!’ Amazingly, I have been blessed more abundantly than I could have imagined in his provision of accommodation, friends, loved ones, and time to study at Regent. I was greatly encouraged by reading through the Old Testament for ’s class. To read so much of the Bible in a short space of time, I was overwhelmed by God’s sovereignty, love, holiness and grace in rescuing his people Israel to reflect his glory and draw people to him. And so God’s rescue mission continues through sending Jesus, through the gift of the Holy Spirit to the church, and the anticipation of Jesus’ return as King. I was reminded that as God’s people we so easily mistrust God’s goodness. We are so like Eve in the Garden, the Israelites in the wilderness, and the people building the Tower of Babel, restless with being image-bearers. We are not content to be a little lower than the angels. We really want to be in control, like God. But we are not God. When thus convicted we repent of our idolatry and thank the LORD for his grace to us, his people. We are indeed crowned with glory and honour; it is through God’s generosity to us.

You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: …the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. (Psalm 8:6,8)

I can trace God’s blessings in my life on the larger scale: growth in love for God and his word, a community of friends, rest from the workplace, a beautiful location and so on. It occurs to me that God also loves to bless in the ‘little things.’ As I continued on my misty December walk on that last day of 2020, I wandered out onto the pier at Jericho Beach. A girl ran along it calling to her mother, ‘Look Mummy! A seal!’ I was just as excited as I peered through the gloom. Sure enough, the grey head of a seal! That moment pretty much summed up my year. So much out of my hands and so many ‘happy surprises!’ I am so thankful that he is God and in control! Thank you, LORD!

LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:9) ✦

Timing By John Nolan

Symboled dew drips form months round years Before pelting wetly what’s left—but fear Not dappled shells of days’ dry premise: Cracking throats till mucous’ shot bleeds breaths’ Restless wind roiling waters’ face depth— He returns endless, future-lung sent and kept To pour veins like rainfall upon repentant pleas Blessed, yes, dead in whose second hand is He In whose first finds ages endless thistle in time’s dew Evaporated—redrenched through grace’s being’s news

2 19 January 2021 // Winter Issue 2

Stay Awkward, Brave and Kind By Esther Doerksen

At the start of the pandemic and lockdown in B.C. back in March 2020, I began to look for resources that would bring me a form of comfort and peace while also challenging me to live more holistically as a follower of Christ. I came across a new podcast that author, researcher and speaker Brené Brown had started calledUnlocking Us. The purpose of the podcast is for those who are looking for and seeking new practices and engagements with the purpose of discovering more about oneself or unlocking oneself. Brown began to end each episode with the words: “Stay awkward, brave and kind” and it struck a chord in me. It gave me language for what I as a person, a daughter, a sister, a student and a future pastor hope to embody as I move through life and that is to stay awkward, brave and kind. At first glance, staying awkward seems like the opposite of what most people, including myself, would strive to. However, awkwardness, or being willing to embrace flaws and imperfections, we as followers of Christ become more like Christ in that we embrace our full humanity. This is not to say that I don’t often run away and hide from these experiences because I do often and I don’t like it. Yet without these experiences there can be no growth and learning and through being willing to embrace the awkwardness that comes with being human there are more opportunities to live more holistically. Bravery is often understood as being fearless or acting without fear. However, I have certainly found this not to be true. Bravery means also being vulnerable as Brown says in this quote: “Vulnerability is our most accurate measure of courage”. The two must go hand in hand. Over my journey in college and now coming to grad school, I continue to have experiences that invite me into a space where I am invited to be vulnerable and share my own story. These moments are scary and anxiety inducing and I often want to show this perfect version of myself. Yet when I accept the invitation to be vulnerable I experience deeper connections with those I am sharing space with and this emphasizes how important vulnerability is in building community. Bravery is stepping into obedience to be vulnerable and being open to the potential risk of experiencing some pain while also experiencing profound and deep growth in the process. Kindness is a virtue and a trait that I don’t possess naturally. This is not to say that I am mean or rude on a daily basis (even though in some situations I know I can be). But; showing kindness to people that I don’t know is not an easy practice. Covid-19 has drastically changed the world and it will have repercussions for years and years to come and one key thing that I have observed is that in the midst of tremendous challenges and tragedy, humans have been showing kindness to each other in ways that if there wasn’t a global crisis right now might not have happened. This kindness is something I have had extended to me again and again from the people that I am privileged to call family and friends. It’s also an incredibly hard posture and attitude to maintain and sustain especially during a crisis. There are countless Bible verses including probably the most well-known, Ephesians 4:32 reminding us to “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you”. However putting this verse to action is not always easy or simple as life is complicated and messy. Yet when kindness is shown instead of meanness or rudeness or anger or disrespect, there is a greater opportunity for relationships to deepen and grow and for people to connect instead of creating potentially larger chasms and rifts. Throughout my life I have not always chosen to stay awkward, brave or kind and in those moments when I either intentionally or sometimes unintentionally chose to react and respond without kindness regardless of the situation it only ever causes pain and hurt. Turning 30 this year I wanted to start living into more of who I feel God has created me to be as well as who he has created me to be in how I treat others. I am journeying, seeking and working at being more intentional in how I treat myself and others so I can be better at embodying a life that is holistic.✦

3 19 January 2021 // Winter Issue 2 Why I Came to Regent By Ellen Wiggins

I was sure for a long time that studying was not for me. I was concerned that making God my subject would destroy the relationship I had with Him. And I did have reason for thinking like this… I took piano, drum, and ballroom dancing lessons in my teens and absolutely loved each one, but as soon as I was entered to take an exam, I completely lost my passion for them. I didn’t want to go the same way with my faith. I didn’t enjoy my undergrad degree and was convinced I’d never go back to studying. Years later, I lived with a friend who started a part time Graduate Diploma in Theological Studies. She used to come home so full of energy and share bits of what she’d learned that week with me - most of it going straight over my head - I loved that she was doing it, but it still didn’t interest me. So what made me change my mind? Honestly, it was three things… 1. Feeling like I didn’t always get Biblical references (I became a Christian at 20 so often felt like I was missing out on the old faithful Sunday school stories all my friends knew). My neighbour at the time (she’s sadly passed away since) was a legend theologian who’d met the Dalai Lama discussing creation care and I always felt way out of my league talking to her which also added to this desire to learn more. 2. I wanted a change up in career but am not really qualified for the jobs I’d been interested in (on paper or confidence). 3. My husband and I really love Vancouver and want to stay here - studying enables us to do that, and helps with PR applications… (I did say I’d be honest! It really felt like God brought us here two and a half years ago, and the timing and way things fell into line with visas etc certainly confirmed for now that this was the right next step.) When the lightbulb came on, connecting the dots that I might be able to combine staying in the city we feel called to, learning more about the Bible and God, and get a kickstart in my career conundrum too, a Masters Degree seemed like the way forward and Theology seemed like the most fitting subject! I started looking at grad schools, and Regent was an obvious place to start my search as I had so many friends studying there. After attending the Experience Regent day last February it seemed with its focus on being for the , it was a good fit - I didn’t have to commit to a life of academia or training to become a pastor, I could study at Regent for a better foundation of faith and to develop how that interacts with life and work. I’m now beginning my second semester, and so far my entire learning experience has been on Zoom, but I haven’t felt that it’s hindered my studies - maybe that’s because I don’t know what I’m missing?! I have been sad not to be able to meet people in classes and corridors, as the community is one of the things people say they love most about Regent, but it’s been great getting to know a few people in real life, and connecting with groups in Zoom tutorials. The biggest thing for me though has been the reality of studying bringing me much closer to God, the opposite of my initial concern! It’s like there’s been an invisible thread sewn throughout each class, lecture, discussion, assignment, and chapel that has drawn me to lean in and feel the presence of God, which has made me realise that maybe studying Theology was exactly what I needed to do.✦

4