Category: December
Rev. Jon Cavanagh
Monday, December 2, 2019
Rev. Jon Cavanagh 
Rev. Jon Cavanagh, Campus Pastor at Taylor University since 2015, is a 1998 Taylor University alumnus. He has served at Taylor since 2007, filling roles that have included Director of University Apartments/Coordinator of Off Campus Community, Co-Chair of Residence Life Programming, Hall Director at Wengatz Hall, Head Men’s Golf Coach, and committee assignments including Chair and member of the Community Life Committee, Lighthouse and J-term Capstone Co-Leader, and the leadership of various devotional groups.
In addition to his Bachelor of Arts in Christian Education from Taylor, Cavanagh holds a Master of Divinity from Winebrenner Theological Seminary, Findlay, Ohio (2008). He is an ordained minister in the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches (N.A.C.C.C.).
Prior to returning to Taylor, Cavanagh served as Associate Pastor for Plain Congregational Church in Bowling Green, Ohio, and as resident director at Asbury University in Wilmore, Ky., and Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. He also filled the role of Church Planter for Mercy and Grace Ministries in Sheridan, Wyo., from 1999 to 2000.
Jon and his wife Kara are the parents of 2 daughters, Phoebe (10) and Hattie (3).
Rev. David Neville
Monday, December 3, 2018
Rev. David Neville 
David Neville is native of Merrillville, Indiana, and an Indiana University graduate. He enjoyed a distinguished professional track a career that was highlighted by a gold medal for the United States in the men’s 4×400 and a bronze in the men’s 400 meters at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The 2018-19 season marks David Neville’s second season at Tennessee as an assistant coach for sprints, hurdles and relays. Before that he served as the Head Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Coach for Taylor University. David also served as the worship pastor and director of young adult ministries at Santa Clarita Christian Fellowship Church and as Associate Pastor at Elevate City Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana. David and his wife, Arial, are parents to a five-year old daughter named Acaia and a one-year old son named David.
Reflection/Discussion Questions:
– What is getting in the way of you feeling unashamed in the presence of Jesus?
– How are you sensing what God is calling you to?
Candles and Carols
Friday, December 8, 2017
Candles and Carols
1 Kings 19:11-13
The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
I ask you the same thing. What are you doing here? Are you distracted by the earthquakes and fires of life? Are you able to listen for the gentle whisper from the Lord?
Are you able to take a deep breath and patiently listen for the gentle whisper? Please do it right now while the lights fade and you focus on the Christ candle. How can we take a deep breath and when we exhale, we exhale life to those around us? What are the whispers of life we will hear echo today and tonight on our campus? What do we say to one another and about one another in the midst of our differences?
“Are you okay? I’m not sure I understand. This is challenging for me.
I want to know you more. Can we talk sometime?
I trust you. I respect you. You are valued. You belong here. I love you.”
Will we believe in God more because of how we will see Him work amongst us? Will we be able to affirm that God is real and active and alive here because of how we love one another in the midst of our differences?
Will others see us and think “There is nothing different about them at all” or will our chorus of gentle whispers to one another cause others watching to pause and to think…to wonder and remark that there IS something different…because we ARE different. We have been adopted into this family of Christ together. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. In Him, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us.
This is the Incarnation, that God came to earth and is living and active today and we belong to him, and by calling Jesus Lord together we are One in Christ.
If you can hear my voice let me tell you all who are truly listening…there are many differences between us, but let me assure you, you belong here, for such a time as this, you belong here!
You are of great value and you are loved…every single one of you.
In a minute, we will light our individual candles and it is representative of the light of Christ that unifies us, gives us life and shapes the decisions we make as we proclaim Him Lord.
Now I ask you…just you, not the person to your left or your right, just you:
How will you produce a gentle whisper for the chorus of the Incarnation?
Jesse Brown
Monday, December 4, 2017
Jesse Brown, Dean of Students
Originally
From Garfield High School in the
Four, four, three, oh, one.
Married to the dis-
Tractingly smart and pretty
Hope D Golden-Brown.
We have four children:
Boy Isaac, girls Eden, Grace
Cana and a dog.
I enjoy salsa,
books, gardening, coffee and
talking about race.
Suffering Cleveland
Sports fan, crying, tears, some joy
Tears, heartbreak, more tears.
Valley Forge Christian
Eastern College, Huntington
Indiana State U
New to Taylor U
I love the Boren Center
Windows. sunshine. sun.
Reflect:
How are you cultivating the fruit of the spirit in your own life?
What can you participate in mutual submission in your community?
CLICK HERE TO WATCH
Karl Haushalter
Friday, December 1, 2017
Karl Haushalter
Current approaches to treating HIV-AIDS require patients to take a combination of antiretroviral medicines for the rest of their lives. If a safe and effective gene therapy strategy could be developed, it would allow patients to better control their disease without a daily and expensive pill burden. Students in Prof. Karl Haushalter’s lab are helping to develop a lentivirus delivery vehicle that could potentially be used to genetically engineer hematopoietic stem cells (HSC’s) harvested from patients. After being genetically modified and expanded in culture, the resulting HSC’s could then be reinfused into the patient to reconstitute the patient’s immune system with cells that are resistant to infection by HIV. This work is being pursued in collaboration with Dr. John Rossi and Dr. Lisa Scherer at the City of Hope National Medical Center. In addition to these scientific pursuits, Prof. Haushalter is active in community efforts to combat the stigma associated with HIV-AIDS and support those living with HIV-AIDS through education and empowerment.
Reflect
In 2017, whom do we regard in the same way as people with leprosy were regarded during biblical times? Why?
What would it take to break through our fears and lack of understanding to touch the untouchable?
Who in your life is in need of hope? What can you do so that this person will feel God’s love?
Taylor University Chapel 