Gordon in the News: last updated 06/04/2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 27, 2010
Media Contact
Bob Whittet
Office of Church Relations
978.867.4010
[email protected]
Wenham, MA—First there was art. Then business, followed by media and politics and science, each a lively discussion with Gordon College professors. Except these issue-driven conversations were not held in a lecture hall or a classroom, but in the sanctuary of a local church and later on cable access television stations.
Every Square Inch, an educational series exploring the interaction of faith and vocation, is the ministry effort of a new congregation called North Point Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) in West Peabody, MA. Started this past January as an opportunity both to talk about what it means to live out the Christian faith in “every square inch of life” and to invite neighbors from the North Shore to church, North Point (EPC) sponsored the discussions once a month immediately following their worship service. They also filmed each professionally as an hour-long program for local cable access stations in Beverly, Cape Ann and Hamilton/Wenham, and for the church web site. Each panel discussion included the expert perspectives of several faculty members from Gordon College.
“Part of our vision as a new church has been to reflect on God’s nature and character, wrestle with the implications of these reflections into every area of our lives, and respond accordingly,” said David Cook, pastor of North Point. “This series has helped us do that and our guest speakers from Gordon have been particularly thoughtful about these issues.”
On January 24, the series opened by considering the impact of Christian faith in the world of art. Toddy Burton, filmmaker and assistant professor of communication arts, joined two other Gordon faculty members, Norman Jones, associate professor of theatre arts, and Jean Sbarra-Jones, painter and art instructor, for a lively discussion of the personal intersection of faith and art.
On February 28, the conversation turned to business as Kent Seibert, professor of economics and business at Gordon, talked about work and ethics with Paul Van Ness, Gordon alum and owner of CinemaSalem & Van Ness Creative, and John Truschel, chief investment officer of The Boston Company.
On March 28, Jo Kadlecek, senior writer and instructor of communication arts at Gordon, explored issues related to media and journalism with Gideon Strauss, editor of Comment Magazine and parent of a Gordon student, and Lil Copan, acquisitions editor for Paraclete Press.
On April 25, the topic was politics and the panel included Paul Brink, associate professor and chair of Gordon’s political studies department, Rev. Ron Bell, director of Public Liaison Office for Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, and Steve Benson of the Coalition for Christian Outreach.
The spring series ended May 23 exploring the sometimes controversial relationship between science and faith with three Gordon alumni, all of whom are also professors: Dwight Tshudy, associate professor of chemistry at Gordon, Craig Story, associate professor of biology at Gordon, and Lisa Spencer, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.
“This series has produced remarkably open discussion about what it means to be Christian in these areas,” Cook said. “Each speaker (from Gordon) helped our community ask the important question: how can Christ’s representatives live out their faith in every square inch of life? Business? Media? Science? We’re looking forward to continuing the series in the fall.”
For more information on Gordon College church relations, please contact Bob Whittet, bob.whittet@ Gordon.edu. Or to view the entire programs, visit http://www.northpointepc.org/learn/adult-education/every-square-inch/.
