Clarion 1999-08-26 Vol. 75 No. 01

              Thursday, August 26,1999
The Newspaper of Bethel College
Volume 75 • Number 1
One God, one spirit, one purpose
By Petra M.
Wonders
StaffWriter
While last weekend's fall
leadership retreat, "Uno: one God,
one spirit, one purpose,"
was a perfect time for
Bethel student leaders
to see old friends and relax, fun and games
aren't what these students will still be talking about in the weeks
to come.
The weekend's
main speaker was Doug
Pagitt, who was without
a doubt the main attraction of this retreat.
Pagitt is a graduate of
both Bethel College and
Seminary, and previously served on the
Wooddale church pastoral staff. He was at the
retreat to stretch minds,
raise questions, increase
expectations and open up a whole
new perspective of leadership to
students who thought they had it
all figured out.
Pagitt gave a series of three
talks challenging leaders to take
another look at the world around
them, rather than another look at
themselves as they attempt to lead
others into the year to come. The
job of a leader, Pagitt said is "...
to put struggles into a context that
minded students that they could
not explain a context that they did
not "know." He presented a way
of leading that put much more
emphasis on the "community"
than on the "individual."
Along with the opportunity
to listen, the leaders were given
Father, I pray that their
minds will have your wisdom,
eyes will see your glory,
ears will hear your words,
mouths will speak your truth,
hearts will be your home,
hands will do your work,
feet will follow you,
knees will bow before you
all the days of their lives.
- Doug Pagitt concluded his time at the
fall leadership retreat with this blessing
makes sense." In turn, he re-
the chance to dialogue with Pagitt
in a question and answer time.
During this lime, students were
able to voice their opinions and
ask questions in order to clear up
misunderstandings. These questions led to extensive discussion
regarding Pagitt's ideas of community and individualism. This
time began at 10:30 p.m. and did
not end until past midnight, with
the exception of a pizza break and
the addition of some culminating
thoughts from Jay Barnes, the
Provost of Academic Affairs. The
interactions were many limes
quite emotional, but Pagitt and
Bethel student leaders presented
their ideas as both speaker and audience wrestled aloud to find understanding for themselves as well
as with the community
they are part of.
At any retreat
you will get out of it
what you put into it.
The amazing thing to
see here, though, was
the vulnerability that
students were showing.
The cost of learning at
this retreat was interaction. The cost of interacting with Pagitt's
new ideas was to risk
Finding that the call to
leadership might require more than being
a unique and talented
individual with strong
leadership qualities. It
seemed that the rewards far outweighed
the costs as some began to understand, and everyone began to
think.
The retreat concluded with
Bethel's representative community coming together as one. Students as well as their leaders
united by remembering Christ, the
ultimate leader, through communion. They were brought together
as one body, having one purpose,
one spirit, and one God.
Clarion/Photo by Sarah Aue
A V-East RD David Chase and an excited "roup oj'RA 's gather for some fun before embarking
on the Leadership Retreat at Camp Friendship in Annandale, Minnesota.
Courtesy Photo
Dr. and Mrs. Brushaber relax in their PJs while hosting the
alumni/trustee PJ sleepover in the New Dorm.
President's Welcome
Dear 1999-2000 Bethel Student Body,
Welcome back to all returning students and welcome to all
new students. I hope that you all had a productive and enjoyable
summer. Allow myself to introduce...myself. My name is Brian
Westrate and I am your Student Body President for the coming
year (unless I mess up big time). I am a senior majoring in Business/Political Science with minors in Communications and Small
Business Management. This summer I worked for L & P Relocation Services moving furniture with two other Bethel seniors,
Ncal Jacobson and Matt Shiikey (get to know them they're great
guys). All of us in BSA (Bethel Student Association) arc very
excited about the potential that this year holds for the Bethel Student Body. I don't know if you've noticed, but the end of this
calendar year will be ushering in a new millennium. As this particular occurrence only lakes place once every THOUSAND
YEARS, BSA, together with the rest of the Beihel community, is
going lo make this Bethel's best year ever. All of us in BSA look
forward to serving you in whatever way we can. The BSA office
is located below Market Square next to the Student Center (the
place with the pool tables). There is almost always someone in
the office so please drop in to tell us how we can better serve you
or just lo chat. Our only goal in BSA is lo meel your needs. You
students are our bosses so please let us know if we're not doing
our job. We look forward lo working for you this year. On behalf
of BSA I say again welcome and stop on by.
.   Your faithful servant,
Brian Westrate
Student Body President