Cadres

Spring 2010 Cadre Opportunities

Interested in growing in your faith and getting to know others better? If so, Cadres are for you! Cadres are small group opportunities for students and faculty to interact, with the purpose of helping students gain a deeper understanding of faith and its role in shaping their lives and our world. Students can earn up to 8 Convo credits per semester by participating in Cadres. In order to receive credit, participants must attend a minimum 5 of the 8 Cadre meetings. Please take a moment to look over this semester's unique opportunities. Spaces are limited and fill up fast. Sign up today! 

Faculty or Staff interested in leading a Cadre please fill out the Cadre Proposal Form.

  • All About Anxiety
    Led By: Angie Smith

    When: Thursdays at 10:00
    Where: UCA 112
    Category: Personal and Professional Growth

    All About Anxiety will address how many people struggle with anxiety and how these feelings and thoughts impact our quality of life. Anxious feelings can range from uncomfortable to agonizing. If you have ever struggled with anxiety or love someone who does, then join us and discover the underlying causes of anxiety and how to better cope. We will explore scripture, views of mental health professionals, the physiological basis for anxiety, personal stories and more.
  • Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers
    Led By: April Robinson

    When: Thursdays at 10:00
    Where: Chapman 213 (Reid Commons)
    Category: Faith Development

    "Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers" articulates the inextricable relationship between prayer and action. The genesis of effective social engagement and justice work is a healthy prayer life. "If we hope to see God change society, we must be ordinary radicals who pray---and then are ready to become the answers to our prayers."

    *Weekly Reading Expected
  • Captivating
    Led By: Angie Smith & Andrea Mills

    When: Tuesdays at 10:00
    Where: UCA 112
    Category: Personal and Professional Growth

    Captivating will address how many women struggle with self-esteem and a deep longing to be loved. Feelings of worthlessness extend beyond body image to impact many facets of our lives. If you have ever struggled with self-esteem or desire to find worth, value, and strength in your daily life then join us as we use scripture, tools from the mental health field, and personal experience to learn more about this important topic. Information will also be used from the book "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge.

    *Weekly Reading Expected
  • Exploring Environmental Stewardship
    Led By: David Bains, Jennifer Rahn, Jim Brown, Bob Greene and Heather West...,

    When: Mondays at 4:15
    Where: Divinity South 103
    Category: Personal and Professional Growth

    The Earth is the Lord's, and they that dwell therein. What are our responsibilities to this planet? What does the Bible say? This cadre explores Christian stewardship and personal responsibility from the global to the local scale. It is lead by a multi-disciplinary team of 5 faculty members: Dr. West (World Languages). Dr. Rahn (Geography), Dr. Greene (Law), Dr. Brown (History) Dr. Bains (Religion).
  • Genesis, Part One
    Led By: Susan Murphy

    When: Thursdays at 10:00
    Where: DBH 307
    Category: Faith Development

    We will be studying how the world was created and how man came into being according to the Bible. It will be an inductive Bible Study using a Precept Ministries workbook.

    *Weekly Reading Expected
  • Kelly Jensen’s Cadre on Women
    Led By: Kelly Jensen

    When: Tuesdays at 10:00
    Where: Chapman 213 (Reid Commons)
    Category: Faith Development

    Using the foundational stories and experiences of women throughout scripture, this Cadre will address questions women face in today's culture. Issues such as identity, purpose and calling will be addressed as we seek to better understand the contemporary role of women.
  • Literature and Healthcare: The Call of Stories to Meaningful Service and Profession
    Led By: Gary Bumgarner

    When: Tuesdays at 10:00
    Where: Brooks 135
    Category: Faith Development

    This cadre is an exploration of the power of stories to call us to service. Medicine is replete with rich literary works that can call one to the healthcare profession, as well as inspire and guide us in that profession. It is in this head-to-heart connection that we hear this calling to serve; we hear God calling us to vocation. This head-to-heart connection is at the core of true professionalism. We will read and discuss several short works of literature, by such authors as Albert Schweitzer, Robert Coles, Anton Chekhov, Flannery O’Connor, Nathaniel Hawthorne, etc. We will discuss how we are being called to profession by these stories and their power to remind us of what we really want to do. This cadre will be especially appealing to pre-medical, pre-nursing, nursing, pre-pharmacy, pre-dental, etc., students. 
  • Radical Reformission
    Led By: Chuck Sands

    When: Fridays at 2:30
    Where: OBB 107
    Category: Faith Development

    If the unchurched in the United States ever formed their own country, it would be the world’s eleventh most populous nation. Tragically, most of our approaches to reach them are not working. What will work? Nothing short of a radical change in how we share the gospel with men and women in our post-Christian culture—what Mark Driscoll calls a ‘reformission.’ Join us as we explore how God can use us to reach the unchurched of the US.

    *Weekly Reading Expected
  • Running with Crazy Love
    Led By: Robin Duncan

    When: Thursdays at 2:30, Orientation Meeting, Feb 4th at 2:30
    Where: OBB 311
    Category: Faith Development

    Is it crazy to think the God of the universe, the One who put this world in motion loves you unconditionally? How should we react to that love in our day to day lives? What do you think? Talk about these questions and more as we have a leisurely run along the Lakeshore trail on beautiful spring afternoons and discuss Crazy Love by Francis Chan.

    *Weekly reading will be expected.
    **Members must be able to run 3 miles while talking, at around an 11 minute pace.
  • Soulful Knitting
    Led By: Billye Currie & Kim Herndon

    When: Tuesdays at 10:00
    Where: Divinity South 103
    Category: Faith-Based Service

    Do you like to knit or want to learn? Are you interested in service for others? Mark said that if you want to be first, you must be last – the servant of all (Mark 9:35). Matthew said whatever you do for the least of your brothers, you do for God (Matt. 25:40) Do you have the desire to be a servant but can’t always find the time to do all that you want? A hand-knitted hat for a preemie or a crocheted baby blanket can provide physical and emotional comfort to sick infants, as well as indirect comfort to their families. A scarf or hat for a child in a local shelter can bring warmth and comfort and demonstrate that the world cares. You will knit some of these items during the Cadre, while making a difference in the lives of these families. Projects are designed for beginners. Yarn will be available for beginning projects, and we will deliver our items on the last session. Come, join, make a difference, and have fun while you’re doing it!
  • The Screwtape Letters
    Led By: Jason Wickers

    When: Tuesdays at 10:00
    Where: Divinity South 124 (Global Center Conference Room)
    Category: Faith Development

    "My dear Wormwood..." So begins C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters , a correspondence between two devils, Screwtape and his young nephew, Wormwood. As the senior fiend advises his young apprentice in leading humanity astray, Lewis delves into questions about good and evil, temptation, repentance, and grace, offering guidance to all who are seeking to follow Christ. You are invited to journey through the letters of Screwtape and discover what the underworld may already know.

    *Weekly Reading Expected

Service Cadres

Service Cadres are opportunities for Samford students to serve the Birmingham community. Students visit service sites once per week throughout the semester and can receive up to 15 Convocation Credits for participation.

  •  

    Literature and Healthcare:  

    The Call of Stories to Meaningful Service and Profession                 
    Led By: 

    G

    Gary Bumgarner

    When: Thursdays at 10:00
    Where: Russell 223
    Category: Faith Development

     

    This cadre is an exploration of the power of stories to call us to service.  Medicine is replete with rich literary works that can call one to the healthcare profession, as well as inspire and guide us in that profession.  Stories have the power to impact the whole person (intellectually, emotionally and spiritually) and thereby connect the head to the heart.  When this happens we are in touch with what we really want to do with our lives, deep in our hearts; we are engaged.  It is in this head-to-heart connection that we hear this calling to serve; we hear God calling us to vocation.  This head-to-heart connection is at the core of true professionalism.  We will read and discuss several short works of literature, by such authors as Albert Schweitzer, Robert Coles, Anton Chekhov, Flannery O’Connor, Nathaniel Hawthorne, etc.  We will discuss how we are being called to profession by these stories and their power to remind us of what we really want to do.  An emphasis will be on the various healthcare professions as a vocation or calling.  This cadre would be especially appealing to pre-medical, pre-nursing, nursing, pre-pharmacy, pre-dental, etc., students.    

    **Weekly Reading Expected 

  • Service at Southtown: Tuesday or Thursday 3:00-4:30
    Led By: Doug Clapp

    When: Orientation Meeting Tuesday, Feb 2nd at 10:00
    Where: Brooks 223b
    Category: Faith-Based Service

    Serving in Southtown will include weekly tutoring students in the Southtown housing projects.
  • Serving at Northstar Ministries
    Led By: Michaela Bundon

    When: Tuesday 4:00-5:30, Orientation Meeting Tuesdsay at 4:15
    Where: DivS 124 (Global Center Conference Room)
    Category: Faith-Based Service

    Have fun and build relationships with 3rd to 5th graders of College Hills in western Birmingham, through after-school recreational activities in the name of Christ.
  • Tutoring at the Learning Village...
    Led By: Steven Epley

    When: Mon or Wed/Tuesday or Thurs 3:45-5:15, Orientation Meeting Tuesday, Feb 2nd at 10:00
    Where: Divinity North 305
    Category: Faith-Based Service

    The after-school program offers tutoring for students ages eight through fourteen. Tutors will come once a week to assist students in completing homework assignments and working on targeted subject areas, especially basic reading and math. The program, sponsored by and held at Central Park United Methodist Church in western Birmingham about fifteen minutes from Samford, affords opportunities for mentoring relationships with at-risk students in an urban setting.