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The West Coast Faculty Conference will return to Campus by the Sea July 31 – August 5, 2011. Melodie Marske will serve as our featured speaker regarding the renewal of our universities. She writes:

Most of our lives are spent in ordinary mundane relationships, however, the way we interact with others may have effects far beyond what we can imagine. This year at our annual alumni & faculty conference we’ll be studying the lives of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz to see what we can learn about righteousness and renewal in and through the people of God. We’ll dig deep in the riches of the book of Ruth and find words of challenge and encouragement as we see Yahweh at work in the lives of his covenant keeping children. In the midst of a year where InterVarsity’s Graduate & Faculty Ministry is focusing on what “Campuses Renewed” might look like, we’ll consider campus and personal renewal in response to what we see in our manuscript study of Ruth. We’d be delighted for you to join us for this time of study together, both those experienced in manuscript studies and first-timers are all most welcome!”

A unique conference

The West Coast Faculty Conference will share Campus by the Sea with an InterVarsity Alumni Camp. During the week we will participate jointly in manuscript Bible study and small groups. Afternoons provide an opportunity to rest, play or visit with friends and family with no formal program. You will also be able to enjoy all the unique and fun activities that Campus by the Sea affords, including hiking, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking and water skiing. In addition one of the days we will be a free to explore Catalina, with an optional trip to Avalon to see the sights. Evening sessions are designed specifically for faculty.

We aim to make our Faculty Conference family friendly. Spouses are welcome to attend all of our sessions and either the faculty seminar or one of the evening seminars offered by the alumni camp. Child care and children’s programs will be provided during morning and evening sessions. But we would also be eager to welcome faculty who are single or married without children to join us.

In the morning…

We’ll be led in manuscript study, looking at the lives of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz to see what we can learn about righteousness and renewal in and through the people of God. We’ll dig deep into the book of Ruth and find words of challenge and encouragement as we see Yahweh at work in the lives of his covenant-keeping children. In the midst of a year when InterVarsity’s Graduate & Faculty Ministry is focusing on what “Campuses Renewed” might look like, we’ll consider campus and personal renewal in the light of what we see in our study of Ruth.

In the evenings…

N.T. Wright, a professor of history and a bishop in the Anglican church, spoke at InterVarsity’s Graduate & Faculty Ministries Chicago conference in 1998. Following the conference, he published lectures delivered at that conference together with other pieces of his work on the call, message, and example of Jesus in The Challenge of Jesus (IVP 1999). We will consider N.T. Wright’s articulation of the challenge of Jesus for academics, summed up as “Those in the universities and professions of our world who desire to be loyal Christians need to think afresh through the issues of what allegiance to Jesus means in practice” (p. 11). Through times of personal reflection, group discussions, and prayer, we will help one another discern how our universities and academic fields manifest signs of the exile Jesus came to redeem, and ways that Jesus equips us to pray, write, teach, and otherwise engage in acts of redemption and practices of restoration.

About Our Speaker

Melodie Marske has spent most of her adult life enjoying being in and around the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. She’s served on InterVarsity staff since graduating in the Spring of 1988, ministering to students and staff in a variety of roles, from an Administrative Assistant, to Campus Staff Member, and most recently Area Director for Grad & Faculty Ministry in Michigan. One year away from Ann Arbor, on sabbatical, allowed Melodie to begin work on a Master’s Degree in Art and Religion, with a focus on Biblical Studies, at Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, PA. Returning from sabbatical led to a transition from undergrad to grad ministry in InterVarsity. She was able to complete her degree work in the Fall of 2003. Melodie loves to teach from Scripture, and Ruth is a favorite book, not to mention friend and role model. When not meeting with IV Staff, Grad students or Faculty members over coffee, you may find Melodie running, short or long distances, almost always with her faithful companion, Samwise, the wonderdog. She also enjoys reading works of fiction and theology, travel and as much time as possible enjoying God’s creation.

Registration and Fees

Click here to register online!

Below are the rates for Alumni and Faculty. Please contact Lorrey Thabet for staff registration.

Total Family Registration Maximum: $2,000

Scholarships

Limited scholarship funds are available for faculty and staff who are not able to cover the full costs of the 2011 West Coast Faculty Conference. Please apply for a scholarship when you register.

For information regarding accommodations, click here. We hope to see you there!

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