A Fast Approaching School Year

The summer is coming to an end, though the heat and stormy weather might have you believing otherwise! And while the atmosphere might not be aware of the transitional period, it is on the minds of many that a new school year is nearly at our doorstep. Therefore, it is the time to begin planning for the future semester of activities for UCMHE to pursue. Some of us got together to explore the physical, mental, and spiritual future of the organization with a day of activity. It began with a walk through a corn maze at Fontanelle Forest, and continued on through good conversation, a good meal, and a great opportunity to get some ideas going. Here's a rough idea of the things that were mentioned concerning both the beginning of the semester and the activities to pursue during it (and click the links for more information):

Inclusive Spiritual Searchers - This is a relatively new group whose roots spring from the desire for a progressive religious student organization on campus which would feature an open, accepting atmosphere of different ideologies and spiritual perspectives. It meets on Tuesday nights at 8:00 PM on the third floor of the Milo Bail Student Center in the Tower Room at UNO, and will continue to do so throughout this upcoming semester. ISS serves as a haven for those who wish to speak their mind on religion and gather the perspective from others. The only thing you need is an open mind. How these meetings will be directed in terms of what will be discussed is very flexible, and open to any suggestions. I'm looking forward to the exploration of religion in song, though I haven't been able to narrow it down to just one to present. The Labyrinth will be featured for a soothing and meditative path-walk for students again, most likely. Walk-ins and friends are welcome!

Camp Fontanelle Exploration - Today was the day that we explored the corn maze at Camp Fontanelle to gauge the activity benefits of the place. It was hot (and by hot, I mean could I please be excused from standing next to the sun now? because it is very hot in Nebraska) outside, though an occasional breeze brought mercy upon our sweaty, muddy bodies while we navigated by small green and black maps of the terrain. Out of nowhere it even turned into a biblical discussion as we journeyed!

What's the importance of this? It looks to be an interesting spot, so we're making arrangements for an all-day (possibly 10 AM - 10 PM) retreat to the forest. We'll be hammering out the details of activities, but it will be focused on a team-building exercise as well as a good time! More information will be available on this, but it looks like this is set to take place sometime around October.

Church Visits - It's not hard to guess what this one is about! There will be a schedule of visits to different churches to experience the religion of others to the fullest. Since religion is such a versatile institution, whose numbers can range from a church of one to billions of people underneath an umbrella definition, it's always useful to see how others choose to connect with God. From Roman Catholic to Greek Orthodox, and then back around again for Judaism, Buddhism, there will be even more than that to learn about! While we also don't have much real scheduling done, information on this one will come quick.

Bible Study - Because the Bible occupies an undeniably fundamental and tenacious element of the Christian religion, it is crucial to understand the Bible itself. Since we no longer live in a world with a readable, accessible Bible (thank you, Martin Luther), we have the opportunity to gather together and truly come to know as well as understand its passages. It is likely to include information not only on the Bible itself, but also on historically relevant information for context. If you aren't familiar with the Bible, need a tune-up on your holy information, or just want to come together and explore and discuss, this will be an excellent opportunity.

Sunday Movies - Religion plays a much bigger role in the media world than we sometimes give it credit for. Movie Nights will likely be held on Sunday, and will involve coming together to watch a movie, then discussing its spiritual context. The list of movies or a definitive time/date/location haven't been decided, but there are lots of ideas brewing for it.

Second Saturday of Service - No way could we miss another semester to gather in the morning at Caffeine Dreams at 8:00 AM to go build houses for those in need! You don't need any experience in building to come and help, and as with many activities, the more the merrier. What do you get out of waking up at that ungodly hour on a Saturday: free coffee, a great sense of satisfaction from helping others, and an all-around fun time.

Nothing But Nets - The goal is decisive: raise $1,000 to save 100 lives. In areas where combinations of tropical conditions and extreme poverty meet, a bed net can make all the difference between life and death - especially by malaria. Created by Rick Riley of Sports Illustrated, this organization is a charity that buys nets for those who are in dire need of them and cannot afford one on their own. We'll be raising funds for this in a variety of fashions, and will likely be accepting donations at the UCMHE table at UNO on Monday. A simple screen of mesh can literally save the life of the person inside of it, so make sure to take its importance to heart.

P.S. - If you want to help stave off the hunger and poverty which plague these places just as badly as the bugs, go to The Hunger Site and click daily. Each click is a donation of 1.1 cups of staple food for the hungry. Their store is also a large dealer of wonderful fair-trade goods for excellent prices, and provides a unique place for shopping (excellent for gift-giving!).

New Orleans - While it may not touch the news nearly as often anymore, New Orleans is far from repaired following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. More and more it is up to volunteers to put forth their time and effort to help bring the city back onto its feet. UCMHE has been to New Orleans four times in the past two years, and will likely have another trip as soon as winter break. It's a worthy cause, and once again the more that come the merrier we will be! For more information, contact us!


Okay, so this is all I can remember right now, or at least the major points we touched upon that I recall, so if I forgot your idea, please don't be sad and drop me a line so I can include it in today's summary. I'm expounding on this all with a reason: we want your ideas. Throw them at us! Give me ideas for anything you can think of for this upcoming semester involving both what's listed here and anything else! I mean it! Discuss this in the comments here, e-mail the ideas, come to ISS, or find members of UCMHE on campus to tell. I don't care how you do it, so long as it gets done, you know? Everything about this group is figuring out how God fits into our lives, and every idea is like another piece to the puzzle. We just need to get everything together and assemble the pieces.

- Laura