Christian Faculty and Staff Fellowship meets September 25

Christian Faculty and Staff Network gathering on 9/25 

Come to the Christian Faculty and Staff Network lunch gathering on Wednesday, September 25, at 11:45 AM (done by 12:45 PM). We meet at the Baptist Campus Ministries building (University Boulevard and 4th Avenue). 

More:

• It's the best meal deal in town: You can get lunch there for $1 thanks to the generosity of local churches. Don't forget to thank the church workers for what they do for the students. The first meal of the term is special, so you won't want to miss it.
• Our book for the term is Tim Keller's Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God's Work. Here's a summary from the Amazon page: "With deep conviction and often surprising advice, Keller shows readers that biblical wisdom is immensely relevant to our questions about work today. In fact, the Christian view of work that we work to serve others, not ourselves can provide the foundation of a thriving professional and balanced personal life."
• Many thanks to Bob Brooks for facilitating the last gathering. Here is a statement that sets up our discussion of Chapter 4: "Our daily work can be a calling only if it is reconceived as God's assignment to serve others." Chapter 4 can spark a lively discussion because of the implications of that statement.
• You're welcome to facilitate one of our meetings as well. I pass around a sign-up sheet and invite all to participate. Some things you might want to do:
• Facilitate the discussion of one of current chapter of the book we're going through. That involves asking questions and inviting responses.
• Giving a discipline talk about what you're doing in your area. It's a chance to get to know you and what you're doing at UA.
• Bring in a guest speaker (we can also dial up someone on speakerphone).
• Invite your pastor or college minister to chat about college students in your church.
• Etc. That's a catch-all in case you have a great idea about something else for our lunch gathering. 

Here's some really interesting stuff:

• This information about American (formerly American Cast Iron Pile Company) is relevant to what we're discussing. The president, John J. Eagan applied his Christian faith to the company's business operations.
• An article from Strategy+Business identified American as one of the few where such practices outlasted the one or two leaders that promoted them. The writer identified these areas as what those companies had in common:
• "The founders of these four companies were atypical leaders: They developed fully fleshed out business philosophies in which they identified higher purposes for their enterprises than simply making a profit."
• "…a few enlightened capitalists have attempted, in one form or another, to institutionalize their practices in an organizational structure."
• "…the cultures of stewardship at ACIPCO, Lincoln Electric, the John Lewis Partnership, and W.L. Gore have been sustained, in large part, because control of those companies has remained in the hands of the founder’s descendants and employees." 

Big doings today:

• 1493. 12 Spanish missionaries set sail for the new world.
• 1555. The peace of Augsburg included official recognition of the Lutheran Church in Germany.
• 1789. The First Amendment, that includes the Establishment Clause, was sent to the states for ratification.
• 1890. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints announced the ban of polygamy.