Wendy Jones's Archive

From RightNow Media, “How do you love people when you disagree with them? We live in divided times. The tension of disagreement can be felt at dinner tables, board rooms, church gatherings, and in our communities. It can be hard to know how to engage with each other when the gap between us feels like it’s widening. Jesus lived in divided times, too. He modeled for us what it looks like to love across political, gender, religious, and cultural lines. Jesus’s life was marked by loving people wildly different from him, and he calls us to do the same. This four-part group study tackles topics such as curiosity, humility, and justice.” Explore with a small group, your department, or on your own what it means to love like Jesus when you disagree. Check out the trailer for more information. If you need an account with RightNow Media, email humanresources@acu.edu.

Human Resources has launched the ACU Braggin’ Wagon, a way for departments to recognize one another. HR filled the Braggin’ Wagon with breakfast and delivered it to the Student Life Offices in the Campus Center to thank them for all their work, especially the things the rest of the campus never sees or hears about. It is up to Student Life to reload the Braggin’ Wagon with fun and recognize another department shortly. Keep up with the Braggin’ Wagon here.

Every residential address in the U.S. can order one set of four free at-home tests. Order your tests today to have them in stock if you need them.

Last month HR announced the addition of Paid Parental Leave for the birth or adoption of a child. The details of this leave can now be found online. Email humanresources@acu.edu with any questions you may have.

From Kate Bowler, “Advent, which beings on Sunday, November 27th, is a time when we practice seeing the world as it has always been—as some of us know it to be too well. Time and again, we are reminded of how precious life is. One moment, we are on the upswing—buoyed by our self-reliance and our success. But the next moment, the foundations of our lives are shaken—by divorce or disease, natural disaster or a global pandemic. And still, in the midst of the chaos swirling in our inboxes and our hearts, the long dawn of Advent begins, the time when we prepare for the great inversion: God coming to Earth in the form of a human baby. Our hope and prayer is that this Advent Companion will be a way for you to make the very act of waiting, holy. And as we anticipate Christ’s birth together, may we experience the stubborn home of Christmas, joy in the midst of sorrow, a love that knows no bounds, and a transcendent peace amid a world on fire.”

ACU provides membership access for faculty and staff to Refuge Ranch. View the calendar for current experiences, including a Country Christmas and Remembrance Gathering.

Your membership includes everyone in your household and provides these benefits:

• Complimentary access for designated experiences: includes Family Fun Days, Personal Retreats, Guided Meditation, etc.
• Discount on premium experiences and merchandise: includes Marriage Date Night, Concerts, Festivals, etc.
  • Receive 10% off marriage date nights with code: ACUMemberDate
• Members-only access to both properties for personal/family use: subject to availability.
• Discount on group events: including a senior blessing for departments, faculty/staff retreats, strategic planning sessions, team building, etc.

For any questions or to make a request, email info@myrefugeranch.org.

Applications are now open for the One-time Federal Student Loan Debt Relief Program. The U.S. Department of Education will provide up to $20,000 in debt relief to Pell Grant recipients with loans held by the Department of Education and up to $10,000 in debt relief to non-Pell Grant recipients. Borrowers are eligible for this relief if their individual income is less than $125,000 or $250,000 for households. Learn more about the program. Applications are due December 21, 2023.

CUPA-HR has released a new Understanding Higher Education e-learning series. Course 1 is perfect for all new higher ed hires. The second and third courses (for CUPA-HR members only, ACU is a member) offer HR professionals and aspiring higher ed leaders a deeper dive into topics such as tenure, Title IX, leadership and more. Learn more.

September 15-October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month. Join us in paying tribute to generations of Hispanic Americans during this month. To learn more about Hispanic American history and heritage and to get involved in events to honor this influential community, visit www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov.