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The COVID-19 Point of Contact and a Fogger Machine

The COVID-19 Point of Contact and a Fogger Machine

by | Jul 20, 2020

An Update from Randy Grimm, Chief Operations Officer

As Calvary continues to be proactive concerning COVID-19, here are a couple of things I would like to share with you so you can be aware of our course of action.

First of all, we have named Mr. Glenn Williams as our COVID-19 “Point of Contact” (POC). If anyone (the Calvary family) has contracted the virus, you are asked to contact Glenn immediately so he in turn can contact the Cass County Health Department. Of course, you are also asked to stay home and self-quarantine for the recommended amount of time. If you believe you have been exposed, contact Glenn to discuss your options.

We are taking steps to protect our Calvary family, we in turn ask for your help in keeping us informed.

We have purchased a “fogger machine” which sprays a fine mist to decontaminate rooms such as the dorms, offices, and hallways. We will begin the process of making sure it is used to its fullest extent.

As new requirements come along, we will do our best to keep you updated and aware.

As always, please continue to pray for Calvary as we draw near to students coming back to campus ready and eager to learn. Our deepest desire is to have a safe campus and we are truly doing our best to assure this will happen.

Plans for Fall 2020

Plans for Fall 2020

by | Jul 18, 2020

Safely Returning to Normal

Calvary University is planning to open as normal in the fall semester of 2020—starting August 17. However, we will also provide important options and measures to ensure everyone’s safety.  

Faculty will still have the option of whether to hold classes online only or invite students back into the classroom. Students, as always, will be able to make the same choice—either online or in person. If faculty choose not to hold classes in person, in-class students will not be charged the online rate. 

Every measure will also be taken to ensure that all who live, work and study on the CU campus can do so in a clean and safe environment. The University continues to work in close consultation with national, state and local public health officials. Our priority is to maintain the health of the CU community.  

For Athletics, we will always adhere to the federal, state or local guidelines when participating in any activity. We also are working closely with the NCCAA and the MCCC conferences as everyone is monitoring how best to keep our athletes safe. Workouts are taking place now. Practices are set to resume in August. 

Check out our Calvary Cares page for all the latest information.

We invite you to use the contact form below if you have any questions.  

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Calvary Grad Serves Youth through Equine Assisted Learning

Calvary Grad Serves Youth through Equine Assisted Learning

by | Jul 17, 2020

Emily Schmidt at Horsepower

“The biblical view I got at Calvary is the lens through which I look at counseling theories.”

Emily Schmidt graduated from Calvary with her bachelor’s degree in 2010. She went on to earn her certification as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Registered Play Therapist (RPT). She’s putting her degrees to work at Horsepower, an experiential learning program that helps students develop life skills in a ranch environment. Their equine assisted learning—equine assisted therapy when taught by a licensed therapist—focuses on reaching at-risk youth.

Schmidt said, “The program is about seven weeks long, and each week there’s a different theme.” These themes include communication, empathy, and decision making, and they help students develop and translate relational skills with horses to their human relationships.

The ministry at HorsePower appealed to Schmidt because of her long-time love for horses, as well as the integral role horses played in her coming to faith. Growing up with a difficult family life, she said, “I was desperate for a change, so I came up to Kansas City to go to a horse clinic.” She found an opportunity to work at a local horse farm, and through friends there, started going to church and was saved a few months later. She knew she wanted to go to Bible College, and she started her studies at Calvary in 2006.

Schmidt found Horsepower shortly out of college through a friend, and said, “It’s really interesting, because I remember volunteering, and I remember praying, ‘God, these kids need a Christian therapist. Please send them a Christian therapist.’ But I had no idea it was going to be me.” After attempting to start a horse-based program on her own, Schmidt decided to go back to school to become a licensed therapist. She also discovered natural lifemanship, a method of equine-assisted therapy that focuses on the therapeutic and healing effects that interaction with horses can have on psychological and behavioral disorders. Schmidt said many forms of horsemanship focus on controlling the horse, but HorsePower trains students to understand and work with their horse, teaching them a better model for healthy relationships.

With ten years of experience now, Schmidt said, “It’s amazing. We’ve had kids in the past that very clearly had no beliefs, and I got to share the gospel with them. Also, seeing them growing in ways that are going to help them relate to God in the future. We’re not always talking about God all the time, but we’re helping kids learn to have healthy relationships and attachment with humans.” She added that, “When working with kids, you don’t always see the fruit right away,” but the patterns they create prime the kids for a healthier relationship with God.

Looking to the future, Schmidt said her dream is to eventually be part of her own equine assistance program with a vision to “be compelled by love as we create space for relationships that bring hope and healing to a hurting world.” She said, “The biblical view I got at Calvary is the lens through which I look at counseling theories” without getting distracted by misplaced theories. “There are people who’ve dedicated their lives to studying human nature, and what they’re seeing is accurate, but something in their interpretation is wonky because of their worldview. So you can still learn, as long as you know how to interpret it biblically at the end of the day.”

Interested in volunteering? Check out HorsePower's website.
Calvary Student Awarded in Short Story Contest

Calvary Student Awarded in Short Story Contest

by | Jul 16, 2020

Amanda Harman

Harman’s short story, “Three Walls,” was named Most Creative.

Calvary Junior Amanda Harman recently won “Most Creative” in a short story contest by online literary magazine Bottom Shelf Whiskey. Harman studies in Calvary’s English & Communications department, and originally drafted the piece for a creative writing course. Her piece, “Three Walls,” follows the experiences of a character who realizes she is just that—a pawn in her author’s story. Harman said, “I got the idea for ‘Three Walls’ from my love of humor that breaks the fourth wall, like in The Emperor’s New Groove. That self-awareness is really funny to me, so I figured I could try it myself and see what happened.”

Harman saw an ad for the contest online and said, “I decided to submit ‘Three Walls’ to the contest because it was my favorite story that I wrote, and when I saw the contest, I figured it was worth a shot.” While “Three Walls” didn’t win the contest, Bottom Shelf Whiskey awarded her story as “Most Creative.” Harman said, “It’s kind of hard to explain the feeling of being published. I am very proud and still kind of surprised that someone decided that my story was worth sharing.”

Beyond creative writing, she also writes articles for GotQuestions.org, a database created by a Calvary alum with answers to theological questions. Harman will be entering her junior year this fall, studying English Literature. She said she chose the English program because “I love reading. Books are such an escape; I can go anywhere in the world with the right book. I also love seeing the connections between books. The more you read, the more you understand.”

Read "Three Walls" Here
Cory Young Named Alumnus of the Year

Cory Young Named Alumnus of the Year

by | Jul 9, 2020

Interim President Jeff Campa presents the Alumnus of the Year award to Cory Young on June 27.

“The free grace and the dispensational theology that I came out of Calvary with drives everything that I have done.”

Cory Young, a Calvary graduate of 2003, was given the Calvary University Alumnus of the Year Award at the 2020 Commencement ceremony on June 27. Young serves as a rodeo chaplain through Golden Spurs Ministries. He explained, “[Rodeos are] a subculture in the U.S. that, because of their lifestyle, they’re on the road a lot, so it’s a needed thing.” Interim president Jeff Campa presented the award to Young, who said, “The free grace and the dispensational theology that I came out of Calvary with drives everything that I have done.”

Young grew up near Belton, Missouri, just south of Calvary’s campus. Horses and rodeos were a part of his life from a very young age. He said, “I grew up in that world, and that was kind of part of my family.” Young was raised in a church that “didn’t really preach the gospel,” so when he attended a rodeo Bible camp at age 16, he heard the gospel for the first time. He expected to learn his sport better and thought he was “good on the church stuff,” but when he heard the gospel explained, he said, “I was an easy sell.”

Young came to Calvary to earn his bachelor’s degree in Missions and Pastoral Studies and said, “When I did my internship, I never thought I could do my rodeo ministry… but I ended up with a rodeo chaplain—the only guy that did it—and I actually did my internship with the same guy that led me to Christ.”

After graduating, Young worked for Calvary’s maintenance department and served as a youth pastor in Belton. “After that, I just started hitting I think ten rodeo Bible camps in the summer.” Young quickly became involved in the National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA), serving at the National High School Finals Rodeo and National Junior High Finals Rodeo for the past 15 years.

As Young developed his outreach, he formed Golden Spur Ministries. Young and his wife, Leslie, are currently the only members on staff, but they have trained other leaders who went on to Bible college and other ministries.

Young said 17 years down the road, his time at Calvary is still impacting his ministry. “I’m still going back and using resources and notes, and that foundation is essential.” He noted that, “I had to take Greek and a lot of hermeneutics, and it taught me how to learn. I rely on that every day. On the flipside, having the missions program’s courses on culture has really informed a lot of my ministry. Even though this is not as stark of a difference [in culture], it still trained me to look at things through the culture.”

Cory, his wife Leslie, and son, CT.
Young ministers at rodeos across the country.

Kansas City Mask Requirements

Kansas City Mask Requirements

by | Jul 8, 2020

These are the new Kansas City, MO, guidelines for mask usage:

“All employees or visitors to any indoor public accommodation must wear face coverings in an area or while performing an activity which will necessarily involve close contact or proximity to coworkers or the public where six feet of separation is not feasible.”

When should masks be worn?

Anytime you are inside and unable to maintain social distancing (6 feet of separation).

Examples:

  • The receptionist could wear a mask while attending to a guest in the reception area when being less than 6 feet from an individual is required.
  • A Security Officer could wear a mask when responding to a call for service and will be inside and when being less than 6 feet from an individual is required.
  • Those working together in a meeting where maintaining 6 feet of separation is not possible.

When masks do not have to be worn:

  • Persons alone in their offices do not have to wear a mask.
  • If the distance of 6 feet can be maintained anywhere indoors between coworkers or visitors, you do not have to wear a mask.
  • Masks are not required outside.
  • Minors are not required to wear a mask.