Deeper Life Days 2012, Oct. 29 & 30
Each year RJC sets aside two days for ‘Deeper Life Days’ to
focus on a spiritually significant theme.
This year’s theme was ‘Sex, Hugs, and Rock ‘n Roll: A Biblical approach
to the Christian Life in the 21st Century’. Speaker Irma Fast Dueck, a professor
from Canadian Mennonite University, lead three sessions entitled: 1) ‘Sex’ (and
sexuality), 2) ‘Hugs’ (intimacy in relationships), and 3) ‘Rock ‘n Roll’
(media’s role in constructing societal norms and expectations). Jesse Doell, youth pastor at Hague
Mennonite, also lead a session thematically entitled ‘I used to be a
Metal-head’ where he discussed some things he has learned about the power of
media (including music and pornography) to influence our views of one another. Both speakers compared general societal
views, which tend to focus on ‘the self’, with a biblical narrative that
focuses on ‘loving the other’.
Students were challenged to follow the biblical narrative as they
create, live, and imagine their own story based on a different set of values
than that of the world.
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| Irma Fast Dueck |
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| Jesse Doell |
The chapel was decorated with hearts hanging from the
ceiling, each with a different student’s name. On the back of each heart was a bible verse or statement of
faith that encouraged the students to believe they were beautiful just the way
God created them, in spite of how inadequate advertising makes them feel. In closing, the Faith and Life
Committee randomly distributed the hearts while the student body sat in a
circle. The students’ task was to
find the person whose heart they were given and remind them they are created by
God and beautiful.
The RJC Faith
and Life Committee contributed with student lead sessions with the titles ‘The
Pressure to Be Perfect’, ‘It’s OK to be single’, and ‘Male Pride and Emotional
Detachment’ where Eric Epp, RJC’s student body co-president, encouraged male
students to be open to shedding ‘man tears’.
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| 'Male Pride and Emotional Detachment' |
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| 'It's OK to be single' |
Students also engaged in some fun game-centered learning
which involved a student body ‘speed-friending’ exercise as well as
‘relationship dodgeball’ in the gymnasium. Further Deeper Life Days events included a theme filled
lunch and a movie night where students watched the inspirational movie “To Save
a Life”.
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| 'Speed Friending' |
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| 'Relationship Dodgeball' |
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| Being helpful at lunch ! |
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| Ryan brings closure to Deeper Life Days |
A big thanks goes our to our speakers, and the Faith and Life Committee for a challenging two days.
