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The Forge Report E-Newsletter - Valley Forge Christian College
Volume 156: November 2013

Thanksgiving Reflections
 
"One of the best ways to cultivate our gratitude in November is to make a list of everyone and everything for which we are thankful. We are profoundly grateful for all of our alumni during Valley Forge Christian College's (VFCC) 75 years of history. Thank you for being a part of the VFCC mission."
 
- Dr. Don Meyer

Read President Don Meyer's reflection on Thanksgiving, "My Thanksgiving List."
 
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Join Us for Christmas at Valley Forge

The Music Department will host its annual Christmas at Valley Forge holiday concert in the Flower Chapel for two evenings, December 6 and 7. Tickets are available through our website. 

 

Join us for a spectacular evening to begin the Christmas season!

 



Professor Earns National Award
 
The Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care awarded adjunct faculty member, Stanley Remer, MSW, LCSW, the 2013 Ida M. Cannon Award. This prestigious award honors a nationally recognized leader in social work within a health care setting.

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The Delta Sigma Award
 

Dr. Marilyn Abplanalp, President of the Alliance for Assemblies of God Higher Education, visited the VFCC campus to honor some of our longest serving faculty during Chapel on October 3. The Delta Sigma Award was awarded to five professors - Laura Brookins, Kathleen Terragnoli '83, Dr. Malcolm Brubaker, Dr. William DeSanto and Dr. JoAnn Smith - all faculty members who have spent at least 25 years serving in Assemblies of God higher education. 

 
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Homecoming 2013
 
Toward the end of October, alumni from around the country, and even some from international locations, celebrated the 75th Anniversary of VFCC by attending Homecoming 2013. A record number of more than 250 alumni and friends returned to campus to renew friendships, remember the past and anticipate an exciting future. 

Distinguished Alumni Award winners, Joe Butler '04, Chris '08 and Mandy (Davidson) '07 Morante, Omar Beiler and Gayle Brostowski '85, were recognized in Chapel. Read more about the Distinguished Alumni Award recipients.
  
 

View Photos
 
Philadelphia Ride for Kids
 
Eleven children are diagnosed with a brain tumor every day, and 71% of them are under the age of fifteen. In September, VFCC offered its campus to host the Ride for Kids, a national program dedicated to raising funds and awareness for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. This annual event is held in cities throughout the country. The Philadelphia Ride for Kids featured a 40-mile motorcycle ride through Chester County that began and ended on the VFCC campus.
 
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Alumnus Publishes Young Adult Novel
 
After more than two years of hard work and determination, Mike Beckett '00 has published "Free Will: A Young Man's Spiritual Journey." This novel, which comes from the inspiration of a high school teacher who sees teenage troubles daily, is designed to help young adult readers find inner strength to deal with peer pressure, family relationships and other emotional challenges.

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Midnight Madness
 
The Student-Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC), kicked off the 2013 basketball season with its annual Midnight Madness event. This event included students, athletes, staff, administration and faculty for a fun-filled evening of performances, introduction of the men's and women's basketball teams and a scrimmage between two teams formed from the College's staff and faculty.

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Convoy Philadelphia
 
The VFCC Missions Committee partnered with Convoy of Hope and local church leaders to serve in Philadelphia this past September. Student and staff volunteers contributed a weekend to serving thousands of people in need of food, groceries, medical assistance and hope. 

 

 

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Operation: Intelligence
 
As an Operations Intelligence Analyst in the Air Force, Keionna Jackson '12, isn't allowed to share everything that she does on a day-to-day basis, but she can reflect on how God has completely changed her life into an adventure that she could never have anticipated. 

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Missions Convention
 
Missions Convention, a favorite annual tradition here at VFCC, took place September 18-19. With a number of missionaries and leaders here on campus, students and staff had the wonderful opportunity to participate in the important discussion of global evangelism. Rev. Bill Snider, missionary to the Philippines, led this conversation and encouraged all participants to whole-heartedly pursue the callings that God has placed upon their lives. 

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Senior Speakers Announced
 
The Office of Academic Affairs announced the VFCC 2013-2014 seniors who will speak during Chapel this year. Each speaker was nominated by faculty and classmates for this honor. Dr. Beery, Vice President of Academic Affairs, recently made the announcement that the following senior speakers have been selected:

Jake Vogelezang - November 20, 2013
Meredith Seymour - November 21, 2013
Elizabeth Whitman - December 2, 2013
Johnathan Norris - February 12, 2014
Alexandra Rutkowski - February 13, 2014
Samantha Clemo - February 19, 2014

Dates are subject to change. Please visit our Chapel website page to confirm the dates for each speaker. Congratulations to these seniors!
 
 
 
Athletics Update
 
Men's Soccer Players Help Form Youth League
The VFCC men's soccer team partnered with several local organizations to form an eight-week youth soccer league. The local organizations included the Phoenixville Area Youth Soccer League, Phoenixville Area Positive Alternatives and the Dorsey Training Academy. The purpose of the league was to provide an affordable and easily accessible opportunity for 6 to 12-year-olds to sharpen their soccer skills by learning the basics of dribbling, shooting and passing.
 
Cross Country Athletes Make the Cut
Six VFCC athletes from the men's and women's cross country teams have qualified for the NCCAA Div. II National Championships and will compete at Cedarville University in Ohio later this month. The students who will participate include: David Schwartz, Joseph Bacesa, Ethan Holmes, David Smith and David Crapser (men's team) and Molly Rupert (women's team). Congratulations to these athletes for qualifying for this national championship tournament. 
 
VFCC Ministry Teams Now Booking
Chosen & Pneuma Ministry Teams: Now Booking for 2013

The current Pneuma and Chosen ministry teams are booking now through the 2013 fall semester. While schedules are filling rapidly, dates are still available. 

 

These student teams are available to minister in churches, youth groups, retreats, camps, or other special events. Pneuma and Chosen desire to impact the lives of others for salvation, growth and ministry through the use of contemporary music and testimonies. 

 

The teams also share how God is working in them as they prepare for a life of service and leadership in the church and in the world. 

 

Booking requests can be processed online, or by contacting Donna Headlee at 610.917.3954.

Online Giving Tool
Give Now We sincerely thank you for considering VFCC as a recipient of your generosity. Your gift truly matters and inspires others to give. Your contribution will help VFCC equip students to be leaders in the church and in the world through education and spiritual formation. You can read about giving opportunities at VFCC by going to vfcc.edu/give where you can make your donation online. Thank you for faithfully lifting up VFCC in prayer. Your support, both spiritual and financial, will ensure that VFCC's light will shine brightly for years to come.

Make A Lasting Impact On VFCC
Transform lives, reach your financial goals and make a lasting impact on VFCC. Planned giving can make it happen. A variety of charitable options allow you to make a significant gift to VFCC and reach future financial goals for you and your family.

Options include: charitable remainder trust, endowment, charitable gift annuity and donor advised fund. VFCC is partnering with Assemblies of God Financial Services to provide professional planned giving services.

For information on how your gift can benefit VFCC, contact:

Dr. Dan Mortensen
Vice President of Development
610.917.1412 | [email protected]

Leadership Tools by Dr. Don Meyer
Gulbronson, Thomas F. The Complete Person. Making Life Better Publishing: Gainesville, 2009. 

The moment a person gives their life to Christ is an exciting time. In Luke, the Bible even says that the angels in Heaven rejoice when a lost soul is saved. This time of conversion is a happy one but it is only the beginning. Sanctification and spiritual maturity take their hold on the new believer's life and their journey with Christ begins. Ask any dedicated believer what the journey of faith is like and all who are honest with themselves will say it's not an easy path to take but in the end it's worth it. Along the way we hit some bumps and potholes and have to climb some treacherous mountains but we soon learn not far into the journey that these are the experiences that help chisel away the rough edges and allow us to grow spiritually. 
 
Dr. Thomas F. Gulbronson is a pastor who has lived through the thick and the thin during his Christian walk. Through his life experience he shares with Christians in all walks of life the understanding of the process of being saved and sanctified by Christ. True spiritual maturity takes time and dedication but we are reminded in Philippians 1:6, "That He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." It's a journey that all Christians make and each one is unique to another but we all have the common bond through Christ as we walk this journey together.

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