The Thanksgiving Story

Transcription

1 November Vol. 38 No. 14 THE PRESIDENT The Thanksgiving Story In This Issue: ESL Faculty In-Service 2 CMG SafeEnvironment Training 2 CMG Instructions Attached Birthday Corner November 23 Dr. Evelyn Dias 25 Truong An Duc Nguyen When did Thanksgiving start? The answer is more complicated than you might think because the history of the Thanksgiving holiday is a long succession of starts and stops. Apparently, the first thanksgiving in the Americas was held in Virginia in It was a day of prayer to give thanks for the safe arrival of 38 English settlers. Then, In 1621, near Plymouth, Massachusetts, there was a feast to give thanks for a good harvest. In 1789, George Washington, the first president of the United States, proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving for the young nation in view of the many blessings received. In 1863, in the middle of the US Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed an annual national day of Thanksgiving to be held every November to give thanks to God. The war prevented any real celebration until the 1870 s, and it was not much celebrated in the South. In more recent times, Thanksgiving has become a truly national holiday, celebrated across the entire country and with strong ecumenical and interfaith support. The popular story of Thanksgiving is built on a thin scaffolding of facts from the celebration in Massachusetts in The settlers from England, many who were Pilgrims seeking religious freedom and separation from the Church of England, landed near Plymouth Rock on December 6, The provisions they brought with them were not enough to last through the harsh winter. A Native American leader of the Wampanoag people, Massasoit, gave food to the newcomers to help them survive. (Still, nearly half of the 100 settlers died in the first winter at Plymouth.) A Native American named Squanto came to live with the settlers, serving as a translator, negotiator and instructor for the newcomers. He taught them how to grow local crops and how to fish in the new environment. Ten months later, In October 1621, a three-day feast was held to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. There were about 90 Native Americans in attendance, and 53 settlers. (Squanto had a strange personal story. In 1605, while still a young man, an English trader kidnapped him and took him to England as a curiosity. He learned English so he could serve as an interpreter for the colonial organizers. In 1614, he was returning home when he was again kidnapped by an English trader and taken to Spain to be sold as a slave. Some Address: 102 Jacoby Dr SW, Epworth, IA Phone: (563) or info@dwci.edu 1

2 Franciscans in Spain saved him from slavery and taught him about Christianity. He was baptized a Catholic and returned to his home in Massachusetts in 1619!) The Thanksgiving Story I heard as a child celebrated the generous hospitality of the Native American people and the gratitude of the English settlers. (The cover of a children s book suggests the way we usually tell the story.) The popular story of Thanksgiving is not so much a history of the events of 1621 as it is a story about ourselves today. It emphasizes our yearning to be a people that are united, generous, and thankful. It also highlights the goodness of people from different races, cultures and religious ways. The truth of the first Thanksgiving was much more complicated. There was mutual support; but there was also hostility and conflict among the English settlers, among the Native Americans, and between the two groups. There was friendship; and there was suspicion and double-dealing. There was welcome; but there was fear and rejection too. Again, this year we will celebrate Thanksgiving because we have much for which to be thankful. But there is also some fear of refugees and immigrants in the country. There is polarization, suspicion, and double-dealing. We need to be reminded once again that the whole human family yearns for unity. We need to remember that God s extraordinary and bounteous grace frees us to be generous people. VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS ESL Faculty In-Service #2 The IELI faculty will hold another in-service from 12:30-3:30 PM on Wednesday 21 November to revise and norm the rubrics for the English Writing Test (EWT). To accommodate this meeting, ESL writing classes are cancelled for that day. ESL communication classes are offered in normal classrooms but at a different time, 9:00-10:50 AM. ESL reading classes and ESL 099 are offered as originally scheduled, except for ESL 085 which meets in the normal classroom but at 11:00-11:50 AM instead of 1:00-1:50 PM on that day only. Quick Hits Thanksgiving Break/No Classes There will be no classes on Thursday 22 November and Friday 23 November for the Thanksgiving Break. Classes will resume on Monday 26 November. Happy Thanksgiving! Faculty Annual Performance Evaluations In accord with the Faculty Handbook sections #230 and #260, Undergraduate and IELI faculty are reminded that self-evaluations and annual planning goals are due to the respective Chair/Director by 1 December. If necessary, faculty may have some extra time to submit these documents but not later than 14 December The annual faculty performance evaluation requirement does not apply to adjunct faculty. 2

3 VICE PRESIDENT FOR FORMATION DEAN OF STUDENTS There will be no formation meeting scheduled for Wednesday, November 21. Enjoy the extraday Thanksgiving break. Thanksgiving is finally here. It is more than the festivities; it is truly a time to be grateful for the blessings that God has bestowed up on us and our families, in particular our community at DWC. Let s join in singing the Psalm 107:1 Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever. Wishing you all a blessed Thanksgiving! Prayer request: Sr. Theresa Marie Tran, SCC attends the Chapter of her congregation, beginning from Monday, November 26 until Wednesday, November 28. Please remember in your prayer Sr. Theresa Marie and her religious community as they listen to the guidance of the holy spirit in this time of discernment. On Wednesday, November 28, the formation of SVD Jr will be in charge of the Vocational Mass, praying for an increase of vocations. Let s continue to pray for Br. Mike Decker and all the members of SVD Jr. VICE PRESIDENT FOR OPERATIONS CMG SafeEnvironment Training Just a friendly reminder that the CMG training for child safety is due by December 31, If you have not completed the online training, you should follow the directions attached to this issue of the LOG. PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR Operation: New View Community Action Agency will hold a sign up for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in the Weyland Gallery on Monday, November 26. The college is providing space for this important program. Low income residents of Dubuque, Jackson and Delaware counties can apply for monetary assistance with winter heating bills. 3

4 Create an account with CMG Connect 1. Go to 2. In the box labeled Find Your Diocese Scroll to and choose Dubuque. 3. Click Go. 4. In the next screen you will Register for a New Account. 5. Fill in all of the required boxes. Be sure to write down your Username and Password for future use. 6. Click Next Step 7. Complete the address section. Students should use the address for Divine Word College: 102 Jacoby Drive Epworth, Iowa Phone number can either be your personal phone number or the college number: Your birthdate is required 8. Click Next Step

5 9. In the first box, scroll down to Divine Word - Epworth 10. In the next question, EVERYONE (including students) should check the box that says, ONLY select if you are an Employee/Volunteer at any of these locations Click Register My Account 12. You are now ready to begin the program. You must watch each video and answer questions. You cannot skip forward.

6 13. The program looks like this as you are moving from section to section. You do not have to complete the program all at one time. You can stop and come back to the program at another time and you will pick up where you left off. Be sure to have your username and password so you can login. 14. Once you have completed the entire program, your screen will show a green box labled Completed. Frank N. Stein The second box is a link to your completion certificate. Click that box to download your personalized certificate. 15. The certificate file should appear in your Downloads folder. Students: Print or the certificate to Fr. Bang, Dean of Students. btran@dwci.edu mailbox: 208 Employees: Print or the certificate to Steve Winger, Director of Operations. swinger@dwci.edu mailbox: 142 This Certifies that Frank N. Stein Divine Word - Epworth Archdiocese Of Dubuque has completed A. Safe Environment Training - Loras College, Mt Mercy University, Clarke University, Divine Word, & Mission Coop Priests ONLY on CMG Connect on the following date: September 15th, 2018 Expires: September 15th, 2023 This Module was sponsored and brought to you by: