September 2019 Bethany Messenger

Vol. 133 No.1 Sept 30, ’19

SGA Blurb Page 2

Scavenger Hunt Page 4

Women’s & Gender Page 8

Hyllningsfest Page 16

Sports Update Page 17-18

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About Messenger / News & Features

SGA Blurb

ABOUT US The Messenger has been serving Bethany College since 1892 and is an independently run newspaper. The Messenger is entirely produced by Bethany College students who are deeply committed to providing relevant, acurate, and timely information to the Bethany College and Lindsborg communities.

EDITORIAL POLICY The Messenger encourages letters to the editor. Authors should include name, address, and phone number, though names may be withheld from the publication.

Letters to the editor can be dropped off at Room 12 in the lower level of Presser Hall or by the mailroom in the Pihlblad Memorial Union. Alternatively, emails can be sent to messenger@bethanylb.edu.

The Messenger reserves the right to reject or edit letters.

Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the signed author. They are not necessarily those of the Bethany College administration, faculty, staff, student body or The Messenger staff.

CONTACT US If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email us at messenger@bethanylb.edu. To directly contact the head editors, email hennekm@bethanylb.edu or reedsw@bethanylb.edu. We can be reached via mail at 335 E Swensson St, Lindsborg, KS 67456.

THE MESSENGER STAFF Editor-in-Chief: Kerri Henne Managing Editor: Sam Reed Treasurer: Ashley Nightingale News & Feature Editor: Emily Ballantyne Arts & Entertainment Editor: Abigail Rishel-Barnett Sports Editor: Serenity Storey Layout Editor: Miranda Work Social Media Manager: Baptiste Chazelas Advisors: Rebecca Miller and Frank Ballew Front Page Photo Credit - Gavin Sutton

Sept 30, 2019

Welcome back to school everyone, I hope you all have had a great semester so far!

For those of you who do not know, SGA (Swede Government Association) is a group comprised of students who represent the campus community when trying to make decisions on how to enhance the student experience from a student perspective. We meet weekly in the Swede Spot (the downstairs of the Student Union by the Pit) on Wednesdays at 12 pm. Everyone is always welcome to come and express their concerns and hear the discussions we have each week! For the 2019-20 academic year, our executive board for SGA consists of: Parliamentarian Tori Quintana, Executive Board Assistant Hope Burton, Vice President of Communications Halle McClure, Vice President of Finances Emily Mocricky, Vice President Katie Klaassen, and President Trevor Kemp. We also have eighteen other general board representatives. If you have any questions or concerns please contact one of us so we can try and help you out!

SGA was busy planning over the summer to have our first event of the school year, our Back to School Kickoff. Thank you to everyone who participated in the event, we hope you enjoyed your time with the free food and beverages, plus entertainment by Bethany’s own Kyle Killgore. As for our upcoming plans, we are now organizing events for this year’s Homecoming. We will start out the week with a S’mores social on Wednesday, October 16th. On Thursday the 17th, Bethany will host their very own Homecoming Dance! On Friday the 18th, we will follow up the SAB talent show with the Homecoming Coronation. Finally, on Saturday the 19th we will have SGA representatives and a Homecoming float in the Hyllningsfest parade. Please keep checking the campus bulletin boards and your emails for more details on each of these events. We look forward to seeing you there!

As we continue down the journey of this academic year, I stress to each and everyone of you to become involved with SGA. We want the opinions of all students across campus!

So let us know what we can do to help out and make your Bethany experience a great one!

We will do everything in our power to meet your needs and express any problems SGA cannot solve to our campus’ higher power.

“The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.” ~ Thomas Jefferson Have a Great Year!

Your President, Trevor Kemp SGA President

Sept 30, 2019

The kick off event for the 2019/2020 academic year was a blast with over 200 people in attendance. The event, coordinated by Foam Drop, was a rave of people dancing to some popular music remixes throughout the night as foam bubbles were shot out of a fan, exploding in the air landing on everyone who attended. Students went out with their friends -- both returning students and new freshmen experiencing their first college social event. Throughout the night, Foam Drop stayed and played their music, raining down foam on attendees until midnight. Overall, the event was a fun time that made you feel like you were in a foam wonderland that was blaring your favorite tunes.

SAB’s second event featured the appearance of sequined pillows, which were a huge hit on campus! Students were lining up around the Pit before the event even started, and all pillows were passed out within only two hours to those lucky students. The sequins on the pillow amazed the students who saw that there were two different colors, with the white side showing off the iconic Bethany Logo while the other side had shiny gold color. Students

News & Features

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SAB Blurb

stuffed their own pillows and had fun seeing how fluffy they could get before they were completely filled to the brim.

Seeing students being entertained by running their hands threw the sequins and hugging their pillow was a great moment that showed SAB members how much they appreciated the event.

Chick-Flick Night had some great food and some great showings. People who stayed for the whole movie enjoyed a plethora of snacks, great entertainment, and a giveaway of school supplies. What would you recommend for the next showing? What kinds of snacks? Let SAB know by sending us a message on Twitter or Instagram! Or tell an SAB member so it can be brought to the board!

It was a magical night when the magician Ran’d Shine came onto campus on Monday, September 9th at Burnett Center. Before his show, Ran’d Shine walked along campus showing previews of his tricks to college students, either walking along the campus or chilling in the lobbies of the dorms.

College students freaked out when they saw his tricks and

were dazzled with the amazing magic he did. During the show, he included a lot of audience participation and humor with his performance. People were stunned with his magic and amazed at how his tricks were performed. Overall, it was a great night.

SAB has many more great

events to come, so stay tuned for more and watch our social media for announcements. We hope to see you at the next event!

Sincerely, SAB Secretary Carla Aguilar

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News & Features

Scavenger Hunt

Directions: Take a photo including yourself and as many of the following things during Hyllningsfest Weekend (October 18th-19th). Place all of the photos into a Google Document titled with your full name and “entry”, ex. Bethany Swede Entry, and email it to the Bethany Messenger

by October 21st. The 3 submissions with the most pictures from the following list will win a gift card!!!!

Take a Photo of YOU...

• With a Dala Horse of your choice • With the Swedish Crown Sign • With a Hyllningsfest Committee Member • Hint: Look for their Badges • BONUS: Find the Committee Member that’s employed at Bethany • With the Birch Horn Player • With a Swedish Folk Dancer • Playing a game of Kubb • With the Phone Booth • Wearing a Bloomkran • With a fiddle player • BONUS: Find a nyckelharpa player • With the King and Queen • Eating food from one of the Food Vendors!

• BONUS: Eating a Viking on A Stick!

• Learning to Swedish dance • With someone in a Bethany Alumni Shirt • At the Homecoming Football Game • Watching the Grande Parade • BONUS: You’re IN the Parade • With the Smoky Valley Men’s Chorus Program • At the Everday Lights Concert • Volunteering at the event • With Sven the Swede • With your favorite Lindsborg shop!

• Wearing A Swedish Costume • At the Bondeensmarknad (Swedish Farmer’s Market) • Partaking in the Swedish Lutefisk Eating Contest • Playing in the Drum Circle • At the Jankors Plaza • With your entry in the Sven & Ole Joke Contest • With a Marquette Clogger

When in doubt, ask a local! They will definitely be able to send you in the right direction!

Sept 30, 2019

News & Features

Sept 30, 2019

Lift High the Cross

Lift High the Cross began in 1993, when Donnie Herren, then president of Student Government, came up with the idea for students to hold a cross for several days straight in the middle of campus. He wanted to do something that would involve all students, represent our identity in Christ, and connect homecoming to our lives within a community of faith. Nowadays, to “lift high the cross” means to act with peace and forgiveness and to utilize the gifts and talents God has given each of us. Join us October 16th through October 19th to Lift

High the Cross! When you “lift high the cross” there will be fun things to do!

You can take the cross to class or the cafeteria; but it doesn’t belong in the dorms.

Sign up as an organization, team, class, or friend group.

The sign up sheets will be available during lunch in front of the cafeteria on October 7th, 8th, 9th and during both lunch and dinner on the 10th and 11th.

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OCTOBER GOLD KEY

Sincerely, Student Campus Ministry

CAMPUS WIDE BLESSING BOX Take what you need, Give what you can!

Items Include: Non-perishable food, school supplies, and personal hygiene items Location- Bethany College Library All Night Study Room Please contact Katelynn Adam if you have any questions!

Email- adamkm@bethanylb.edu

Photo Credit: Jim Turner

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News & Features

Sept 30, 2019

Court of Appeals Comes to Bethany

Katie Klaassen

klaassenka@bethanylb.edu

At nine-o-clock, Tuesday, September 17, students, faculty/ staff and community members all stood for the entrance of three judges into Lindquist Hall. This was thanks to Congress’s federal funding for educational events relating to the U.S. Constitution taking place at educational institutions on or near September 17 each year.

The Court of Appeals, or the “traveling court” of Kansas, consists of 14 members. The Honorable Judges Anthony Powell, Stephen Hill, and Sarah Warner are three members that came to Bethany College in observance of Constitution Day. When the room settled, Justice Powell, the presiding judge, welcomed everyone and

Photo Credit: Gavin Sutton

explained the docket for the day: three cases were reviewed, two of which were State of Kansas v.

Shelbie Ellis and State of Kansas v. Ross Hammerschmidt. The room, consisting of more people than there were chairs, listened respectfully to the judges and to the oral arguments given.

The first case was State of Kansas v. Shelbie Ellis. Ellis was found guilty of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Through the opening argument presented by her attorney, it became evident that a police officer was performing a welfare check on Ellis after a store clerk pointed the officer towards the store’s restroom, which Ellis had occupied for nearly an hour. After some interaction with Ellis, the officer requested to see Ellis’s

Photo Credit: Gavin Sutton

drivers license and conducted a warrant check. Ellis appealed the case, arguing that the officer, who was there to perform a wellness check, should not have requested to see Ellis’s drivers license.

With the questions presented by the Appellate court judges, it seemed that the understanding was that Ellis voluntarily gave her license to the officer, and even if the search was unlawful, the attenuation doctrine applies.

The second case was State of Kansas v. Ross Hammerschmidt.

This case came from Ellis County, where the State appealed Hammerschmidt’s motion to dismiss after delays denied him his right to a speedy trial.

Hammerschmidt was charged with driving under the influence.

He was given a breath test during his traffic stop and filed a motion to suppress the evidence on the grounds that he was not given

proper information prior to the test. The court denied his motion to suppress, but then several continuances delayed the trial as the district court was waiting for Supreme Court decisions to be made in two unrelated cases with similar events. The district court’s decision to grant several continuances allowed Hammerschmidt to raise the further argument to dismiss the claim on grounds of denying him a speedy trial.

No final opinions were announced from the bench on these two cases, though the judges will issue written opinions in the near future. This was a unique experience for Bethany College, and it made it apparent the attention to detail with which police officers, district courts, and the Court of Appeals requires in performing their duties in our society.

Sept 30, 2019

News & Features

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Parking: Are We Running Out of Space?

Serenity Storey

storeysl@bethanylb.edu

There isn’t enough parking at Bethany College for all of the students. At least, that’s been the complaint made to many club representatives. At both of the past Swede Government Association meetings, a few of the class presidents have reported that they have been receiving complaints from their classmates regarding the parking. Mainly, as mentioned before, the complaint is that they can’t find a parking space quickly and within a short distance to the building they

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need. Other complaints have been the students feel unsafe walking far distances between their buildings and vehicles. Input from Joshua Snider, Director of Campus Safety, as well as from Caitlin Rethorst, Assistant Dean of Student Development, helped shed some light on the reality of the situation.

Joshua Snider has reported that at this time there are 440 parking stickers issued.

This is quite a high number, and Snider stated that “Our student numbers are slightly up from last academic year. Last academic

year Student Development researched the number of parking spots compared to the number of parking stickers issued and there were more spots than stickers.”

This quote was backed by Caitlin Rethorst’s report of the current number of students enrolled sitting at 756. Both believe that parking on campus should be no issue, even if it is necessary to park across campus from the building needed. Bethany College is small, and the town of Lindsborg itself is approximately 1 square mile in area. Walking to and from any location on campus or in town, as long as the weather holds, is no problem for any able-bodied individual. Rethorst had this suggestion for those who complained about spaces: “Go green! If you are able, try not to use your vehicle on campus or in town as much. Walking and bicycling are much better options for the environment, for your health, and for your sanity (when searching for close parking)!”

As the school continues to increase its numbers, parking may become an issue in the future, but Rethorst reported that administration is already thinking about solutions to parking in the future.

One student interviewed, who has asked to remain anonymous, stated that they feel the parking is getting continually worse. “Personally…there is

never anywhere to park and a number of unreported accidents are continuing to occur.” This student also said in their interview that while they feel comfortable walking from their car in the daylight, during the night there are gaps in the lights that make them feel unsafe. However, this student said the reason they do not call campus security for an escort is that they aren’t comfortable with a man they have never met before walking them somewhere alone at night. They would feel more comfortable if there were a female campus security officer to walk them in the dark. Snider reported that as of yet, no student has requested escort to or from their vehicle, but that they are more than welcome to request an escort if they feel unsafe. Between 9pm and 3am, the number to call is (785) 906-0218 to make this request. Any other time, the number for campus security is (785) 212-0855.

Every individual who parks on campus has an opinion on the current situation, from how readily available a convenient space is to how secure the lots are.

Whether they believe that there is currently a problem with the parking lot situation, it’s certain that Bethany College is growing and parking is starting to become sparse.

News & Features

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Kerri Henne

Sept 30, 2019

Women’s & Gender Studies Minor

hennekm@bethanylb.edu

This academic year has brought with it the opportunity for expanded learning and exploration into the field of women and gender. The new Women’s and Gender Studies minor, spearheaded by Dr. Fox, Professor Ring, and Dr. Harris, has hit the ground running this semester. The pioneer classes are already inviting attention from the student body—a clear sign that this minor is well-received and desired by the Bethany community. Students interested in pursuing this program will need to accrue 18 credit hours of departmental courses and other relevant courses, including classes in the fields of psychology, religion, history, and criminal justice, with a grade of “C” or above in all coursework.

The incredible interdisciplinary design of this program will allow for students to

experience various perspectives and participate in diverse debates about the topic of women and gender as it relates to the world and to themselves.

The Mission Statement for the program highlights the central aim of this minor to “inspire learning and service relevant to women’s and gender issues” through critical examinations of the “historical, literary, political, social, psychological, religious, and biological” facets of the topic. The goal of this minor focuses on a desire for personal growth within students that will allow them to develop both a worldlier view of their major and a more open

Photo Credit: Gavin Sutton

and community-driven perspective on life. These values are reflected in the women who initiated this program. When asked about the minor and their personal connection to its impact on Bethany College, both Dr. Fox and Professor Ring expressed a deep commitment to the program. Professor Ring stated that she chose to get involved with this project because, as a psychologist, she has “always had an interest in the study of gender, especially the idea of gender ‘norms’ and how they can place limitations on individuals.” This professional curiosity about gender, when coupled with a concern

for social justice, created the perfect platform on which this minor could be built.

September 27th was the official Women’s and Gender Studies Minor Launch Party.

All three of the founding ladies were present to answer questions and chat with students about the benefits and rewards of participating in this new minor. With cookies and conversation, students were guided towards a path of exploration, through which they can develop and mature into conscious, compassionate individuals. As Dr. Fox has frequently asserted, this minor is “awesome,” and it deserves both praise and recognition from students and faculty alike. By pushing for this minor, Dr. Fox, Professor Ring, and Dr. Harris are furthering Bethany’s Core Values and strengthening the college’s position as an institution devoted to it students and the betterment of humankind.

Sept 30, 2019

Miranda Work

workms@bethanylb.edu

I thought maybe a couple of years would be enough time for me to recover from the first IT, but I was very wrong. Bill Skarsgard is still the stuff of nightmares. I am still going to need a support group because of this movie, but let’s face it, I’ll probably end up seeing IT again.

Really, the only bad thing I have to say about this movie is how weak the plot appeared to be. When I say weak, I mean I probably needed to read the 1,138 page book in order to understand a lot of the crucial points in this movie.

Let’s be honest, I don’t have time to read Stephen King’s masterpiece along with the many other things on my to-do list, so I was disappointed that I didn’t fully understand a lot of their points in the movie. One of the points occurred at the end, which I don’t want to entirely spoil, but let’s just say they end up bullying Pennywise to death.

Seriously. You’ll see what I mean.

Still, despite some of these plot holes, oh my word, the casting could not be more on point! I can overlook the fact that the casting directors chose James McAvoy even when he barely looks like his kid counterpart, because, I mean, come on, it’s JAMES FREAKING MCAVOY. Then

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You’ll Float 2

there was a new face to the scene, Jay Ryan, who played the lovestruck “new kid,” and boy did the new kid grow up to be a gorgeous fella. All of the other actors and the actress for Bev looked the SAME as their kid counterparts; it was wild.

Anyway, my favorite thing about this movie is the comedy, which is not normal for horror movies. Usually, if you laugh during a horror movie, that’s not a good sign. If you saw the first IT, you know how hilarious the kids were with each other, and their grown-up versions do not disappoint. There was perfect timing on the “your mom” jokes, well-executed expletives, and the best part was that the characters were saying exactly what the audience was thinking during the scary parts! It was probably one of the funniest movies I have seen all year.

Some people might say that this movie was only supported by jump scares, and they may be right. However, well-executed jump scares are what make IT: Chapter 2 so fantastic! It isn’t the same boring crap where if a character opens a door, the door slams shut on them. The jump scares, and there were plenty of them in this movie, were originally executed to make the audience jump in their seats. I jumped quite

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frequently during this film. On the other hand, you had weird scary; the kind that didn’t really make your skin crawl, but instead made you laugh (and not in a good way). These were the scares I didn’t really appreciate, and they kind of degraded the movie a little bit. There was one scene where a severed head spontaneously sprouted arms and legs and crawled around on the floor. See? It’s a little hilarious when I describe something as strange as that, and you wonder, why the heck did that need to be in the movie?

In all seriousness, IT: Chapter 2 dealt with several, very dark issues in our world that I was not expecting. Within the first thirty minutes, it dealt with homophobia, suicide, and

spousal abuse, barely giving the audience enough time to breathe in between scenes. Homophobia ended up being a central theme throughout the movie, which was a new take on horror, and needed in 2019. IT: Chapter 2 was raw, and it was such a different horror movie than I am used to seeing.

I was laughing and I was crying and I was so terrified the whole 2 hours and 50 minutes. It was a wild ride and did not disappoint.

Even if after all of this you are not convinced you want to watch the movie, there is a Stephen King (Stan Lee style) cameo about halfway through the film, and he’s a pretty swell genius who is definitely worth seeing the movie for.

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Sam Reed

reedsw@bethanylb.edu

Sept 30, 2019

The Office is Leaving Netflix

The Office is leaving Netflix in January of 2021, and it isn’t just a bummer for the people with the “World’s Best Boss” mugs or the “That’s what she said” tee shirts; it is a sign for all of us to be concerned. The Office is leaving Netflix because NBC, the actual owners of the show, are starting their own streaming service. They want their flagship property to be the main selling point of their new service.

Just this year we have seen the announcement that Disney and Apple will each be launching their own streaming services. They will be joining the long list of other popular brands such as Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube TV, HBO Go, and so on.

It was only a few years ago that people started realizing that they didn’t need cable or satellite TV. They would discontinue their $50+ a month services and replace it with a simple $8 a month Netflix subscription (this price has now risen).

This made sense; who wouldn’t take that deal?

But the days of saving money with streaming services are limited, and

The Office leaving Netflix is the biggest sign yet.

Companies are starting, and will continue to recall their properties (such as NBC with The Office). Rather than having a TV channel, we are going to begin seeing every company like NBC starting their own streaming service. Eventually, each service will likely only offer their own properties. Therefore, most American households will need to have several subscriptions in order to receive the variety they once had with cable/satellite. With the price of service rising each year, I would venture to say that the average household will spend a total of about $50+ on subscriptions each month: the exact same as when we all had cable and satellite.

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Call it a conspiracy theory or whatever--I don’t care. I’m just mad that The Office is going to some crappy NBC streaming service. This giant company was making a LOT of money by leasing their property to other services, but they saw the potential to make that last little bit and took the opportunity. They capitalized on a loyal group of passionate fans.

Whether you want to admit it or not, The Office is a big deal. It is the most streamed show on Netflix, and accounts for twice as many streams as the second place show (Friends). Nothing comes close to being as popular as The Office on Netflix.

Even if you’re not a fan of The Office, you’re not safe.

NBC owns a lot shows with cult

followings: Friends, Brooklyne Nine-Nine, The Good Place, and Parks and Recreation, just to name a few. All of these shows are streaming somewhere, and will probably be recalled to stream on their own service. Maybe I’m wrong about this--I hope I am.

Look, I’m not sure how many Schrute Bucks or Stanley Nickels it will take to keep The Office on Netflix, but I hope that something happens. I feel like it’s the day after Pretzel Day, and we have 364 more days until the next Pretzel Day. I feel like we didn’t make it in time to LaVerne’s Pie Stand. I feel like Michael when he wore a women’s suit to the salary negotiation with Darryl. I feel like Dwight when he is moan-crying and Jim finds him at Schrute Farms. I feel like Kevin when the construction crew for W.B. Jones Heating and Air take his parking spot. I feel like Jim in every episode of seasons 1-3. I feel like Andy when Nellie takes his job. I feel like Michael when Jan kept having his vasectomy reversed (snip snap snip snap). I feel like Angela when Dwight killed Sprinkles (R.I.P.). I feel like Toby or Gabe.

Well, no, this isn’t low enough to feel like Gabe. Gabe is pathetic.

But I do feel like Toby.

Sept 30, 2019

Opinions

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Hollywood’s Bleeding Gabriela Hernandez

herenandezga@bethanylb.edu

Post Malone first made his appearance back in 2016 when he headlined for the infamous Justin Bieber, and, since then, has blown up into one of the biggest stars in the music industry. Over his career, he has released three albums, including his most recent: Hollywood’s Bleeding. This album has to be one of Post Malone’s most diverse albums yet.

The album includes features from Meek Mill, Ozzy Osborne, SZA, Young Thug and many others.

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Posty’s song titled “Take What You Want” connects to older generations and their love for Ozzy Osborne. Which can be perceived as the intent of something different--reaching a broader audience than just fans of hip-hop. Another thing that sets this album apart form Posty’s previous albums is the focus on emotions.

As sung from the first track, “Yeah, Hollywood is bleeding, but we call it home.” Post Malone embarks on the idea that Hollywood is full of vampires who just suck the life out of you.

Digging deeper into this idea that Post Malone did the most to put emphasis on feelings in this album, we can look at his number one song from the album at the mo-

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ment: “Goodbyes.” “Me and Kurt feel the same, too much pleasure is pain,” Post sings while referring to Kurt Cobain, another artist who commited suicide the year before Post Malone was born.

This reference makes the audience wonder why Post Malone feels this way.

Is he fed up with Hollywood and the snakes that come with fame? Is fame not what we make it out to be? In a lot of ways, these lyrics connect Posty to the larger audience because we can separate the artist from his music and see him as just a regular person with similar emotions.

With this all being said, what does this mean for Post Malone and his audience? To me, it seems as though our generation is loving the heartfelt connection to Post Malone and also his ability to break down these emotional barriers with other songs such as “Wow” and “On The Road” featuring Meek Mill. As for nonyoung adults, this album really brought back a piece of nostalgia with Ozzy Osborne as a feature.

All emotions, and drugs aside, Post Malone has set himself up for yet another top charting album.

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Sam Reed

Opinions

Sept 30, 2019

Let Yourself Wander: Ad Astra Review

reedsw@bethanylb.edu

Ad Astra is a glimpse into the mirror that our culture has needed for a long time. We love to watch Star Trek films or other stories that portray our future as this utopian society. We love it because we feel like we are seeing what we will someday become. We delusionally believe that we might eventually abandon all of our competitive, capitalistic, primitive, and domineering natures in exchange for equity and peace. We tell ourselves that our future is full of fast spaceships and one benevolent, peaceful society. Ad Astra is not utopian; it is full of harsh, painfully realistic truths that we all need to confront about the direction of our culture. What it also has, however, is wonder.

Starring Brad Pitt, this film is based several decades in the future.

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There are colonies on the Moon and on Mars. These are not heavily populated colonies, but there are plenty of people that have been born and lived their lives on other worlds. In this story, earth has become obsessed with finding evidence of other intelligent life in the universe. A mission led by Clifford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones) set out for Neptune to try and be able to get a clearer view of the cosmos; the operation, however, had gone silent. Nearly 30 years later, shock waves of antimatter are resonating from where Clifford McBride was headed, and threaten all life on Earth.

Now Roy McBride (Brad Pitt), Clifford’s son, has been asked to try and make contact with his father to try and save mankind. So that’s the synopsis.

But what I found in this movie was so much more than I expected.

First of all, I need to tell you: this movie is not for everyone. It is a

slow burn movie. There are plenty of suspenseful moments along the way to the climactic finish, but not as many as some people would hope. If you are looking for an action packed science fiction film, this might not be the one for you.

That said, I absolutely adored this movie. I felt like a young kid walking through the Hutchinson Cosmosphere again, or laying on my Grandma’s front lawn looking at the stars. When I was a child, I would find myself utterly overwhelmed with wonder and awe when I thought about the cosmos. That didn’t necessarily stop as I grew older, but I just don’t have time these days to sit around and think about space. But for the duration of this movie, I was that little kid again. I was that boy laying in the grass, gazing towards the stars and trying to contemplate just how grand--how entirely colossal and immense and unimaginable our universe really is. Most science fiction movies minimize this reality by introducing loopholes like “light speed.” The reason this movie is a slow burn is because the majority of the movie is spent traveling.

They are certainly able to move much faster around the solar system than we can today, but it isn’t instantaneous by any means.

Space travel in Ad Astra is hard to watch at times. The astronauts are constantly being subjected to psychological evaluation.

Some of them choose to take drugs to cope with extended periods in space (they call themselves “long

haulers”). There are resource wars on the moon and territory wars on Mars. The astronaut’s heart rates are constantly monitored to make sure they aren’t about to have a nervous breakdown. All of this is to say that this movie exposed space travel for what it truly is: unnatural. It felt wrong to see humans subjected to these conditions. It was unnerving to consider people growing up on Mars living their entire lives in the uncomfortable concrete bunkers shown in the movie. It was all eerily unnatural.

I won’t spoil the end. You’ll have to watch the movie to find out what is really happening at Neptune. What I will say is that, if you watch this movie, let yourself be amazed. I cannot stress this enough: this movie was beautiful--absolutely awe-strikingly beautiful. Every frame is a painting ready to be hung in a gallery. This movie moves the whole “cinema is literature” conversation forward. It is intentional. It is thorough. It is realistic and painful and heartfelt AND IT HAS BRAD PITT.

If this movie sounds like something you might enjoy, and you choose to go see it, my best piece of advice is to let yourself be overcome with the wonder of space. Let yourself feel like a small, insignificant part of something greater than our brains can ever hope to understand. It is OK to feel small in our cosmos, because we are. Abandandon an egocentric view of the world, and let yourself feel humble. We should feel humble, and this movie helps us get there.

Let yourself wander.

Arts & Entertainment

Sept 30, 2019

Messenger 15

Eurydice Kerri Henne

hennekm@bethanylb.edu

The theatre department is back at it with another highly anticipated Fall production! This October 25th and 26th, various students and community members will come together to put on a rendition of Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice. This new take on the Greek classic shifts its focus from the musician Orpheus to his lady-love. When asked about the production, director Greg LeGault explained that, while the play is still in the rehearsal and set building stage, he is already thrilled with his cast and excited to see all of their effort and hard work finally come to fruition. If the reader will recall, last year the theatre department attempted

this very same production, but several unforeseen and unavoidable setbacks forced them to postpone the play until this year. With an almost identical cast, including Caleb Hildebrand as Orpheus, Carla Aguilar, Bailey Morris, and Sydney Walker as A Chorus of Stones, and Natalie Nelson as A Nasty Interesting Man and The Lord of the Underworld, the department is primed to produce a wonderfully done and beautifully acted piece. This time, however, the play will be supporting a brand new leading lady: Maya Herrera.

When asked about Herrera, LeGault proclaimed his faith in her as an actor to properly convey the heart and soul of Eurydice to the audience.

From the moment she auditioned, it was clear to LeGault that Herrera possessed both a strong dedication to acting and an amazing understanding for the depth and intricacies of

Photo Credit: Lydia Nicholson From Left to Right: Maya Herrera, Caleb Hildebrand

Photo Credit: Lydia Nicholson From Left to Right: Bailey Morris, Sydney Walker, Carla Aguilar, Eric Johnson, Maya Herrera

the character. Together with the returning cast and new member Eric Johnson, who plays Eurydice’s father, Herrera is sure to create an unforgettable performance that will leave the audience speechless—especially when these outstanding performances are coupled with the poignant and sometimes comedic presentation of intense themes of love, loss, and grief that Ruhl has built into her retelling. As one of America’s premiere playwrights, and a champion for the increase of women within the playwriting sphere, Ruhl’s interpretation of Eurydice is an exemplar of the interesting and innovative work

she has been doing. By rewriting the Greek tragedy and placing Eurydice at the center, Ruhl designs a “wonderful, poetic, and surreal” retelling that captures an entirely new angle and perspective. LeGault states that he is ecstatic to be able to put on one of her plays; it has been in the works for a while and it will be worth the wait.

Join the theatre department on October 25th and 26th at 7:30 pm in Burnett to experience the culmination of months and months of effort. The production is free to students, faculty, and staff, with a $5 general admission fee, so you have no reason to stay away!

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Arts & Entertainment

Sept. 30, 2019

Hyllningsfest Do’s & Don’ts

Abigail Rishel-Barnett

rishelbarnettak@bethanylb.edu

What happens every other year in celebration of the LBK’s founding? Hyllningsfest!

While the locals are celebrating the 150th anniversary of Lindsborg’s existence, college kids can get dazed and confused by all of the goingson, so here are just a few of the do’s and don’t of Hyllningsfest weekend.

October 18th and 19th are going to be extremely hectic around the LBK, so do not move your car. I repeat, do not move your car if at all possible. There

Photo Credit: Kerri Henne

will be thousands of visitors downtown, on campus, and around every corner.

You’re better off just walking everywhere!

Besides, downtown is just a few short blocks from campus, and there will be free entertainment of all sorts there for you to enjoy! Hyllningsfest is the celebration of Lindsborg’s founding and its Swedish heritage. It’s the perfect time to learn a little more about Lindsborg and what it’s all about.

While not everyone in Lindsborg is Swedish, everyone enjoys watching or partaking in the Swedish dancing. There will be several performances and many opportunities for you to learn a little Swedish jig throughout the days!

There are only two don’ts for Hyllningsfest.

Number one being

Downloaded From: svenskhyllningsfest.org

“do not move your car,” and number two being do not stay in your dorm room. You should get out, enjoy the free festivities, and have a little fun.

There is Kubb, the traditional Swedish yard game, to learn, arts and crafts vendors to visit, and music to enjoy! There are two concerts this year. Friday night the group “Everyday Lights” is performing in Swensson Park, and Saturday night the Smoky Valley Men’s Chorus is performing at 6:30 p.m. at Bethany Lutheran Church. How many Bethany Alumni can you spot in the Smoky Valley Men’s Chorus?

On Saturday, there is

the Grande Parade at 10 a.m. where many groups, sports teams, marching bands, etc. will parade down Main Street!

You may even be partaking in the parade with your sports team or sorority! Of course, we cannot forget about the Homecoming Football game on Saturday afternoon! All Bethany Swedes will be in attendance, so you do not want to miss this game! GO SWEDES! This Hyllningsfest weekend, get out of your dorm room, go downtown and enjoy the festivities. The locals would be thrilled to see you participating.

Sept. 30, 2019

Serenity Storey

storeysl@bethanylb.edu

Men’s Soccer

At the time this article is being written, the men’s soccer team sits at a winning record of 3 – 4. Their next match is against Ottawa University on October 2 at 7:30 p.m. A few days later, on October 5, the team will take on Kansas Wesleyan for their next conference game of the season. Sophomore Kevin Sithole is the leading goal scorer, with 3 goals and 1 assist. Senior Zen Baaties follows with 2 goals and 3 assists, close behind Baaties

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Spring Sports Update is Junior Lisandro Nunez with 2 goals and 2 assists. Several members of the team were also accredited with being big contributors to their wins so far, these members including transfer student Sam Benstead in midfield, freshman Nathan Grayley in defense, and sophomore Roland Kiss and senior Juan Saldivar as goalkeepers. Congratulations to the team on their wins thus far, and we hope to see them continue to succeed as their season progresses! Special thanks to Coach Shane Taylor for providing the information to include in this update.

Cross Country

The cross-country teams have been doing well so far. Coach Aaron Yoder shared that the team is currently full swing in their fall track season training.

On Saturday, September 21st, at the Bethel College Invitational, senior Curtis Ivanoff had the fastest time for the men, placing 17th.

For the women, freshman Hannah Price had the fastest time, placing 12th.

The Swedes are working hard to prepare for their next meet Saturday, October 5 at Fort Hays. It looks like their season is off to a great start!

Volleyball

Photo Credit: Gavin Sutton

The volleyball team is currently doing well, sitting at a winning record of 14 – 4. Their tenth consecutive win came on Saturday, September 28 over Cottey College. Their next match is at home on Tuesday, October 1 against Manhattan Christian College.

According to the last updated stats from

Photo Credit: Josh Booth

September 25th, current leaders include Senior Ivona Vojvodic, with 28 aces and 560 assists, Junior Paola Sanabria-Lopez with 189 kills, Junior Haley Reifsteck with 193 digs, and Senior Serenity Storey with 43 blocks. Congratulations to the team on their wins so far, and we wish them luck in their future matches!

Women’s Soccer

The women’s soccer team currently sits at a 2 – 5 record. Their last match was at Bartlesville, Oklahoma on Tuesday, September 24th. They played against

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Oklahoma Wesleyan University and lost 4-0, but senior keeper Destinee Wells had an impressive 12 saves in the contest.

Their next match is on Wednesday, October 2nd against Ottawa University.

Hopefully with this game, the Swedes can break their losing streak. Good luck to the team in their match, and we hope to see how they improve over their season!

Sept. 30, 2019

Sports Update (Cont’d)

Golf

The golf teams are currently doing well, having both placed first in the 2019 Bethany Swede Fall Invite on September 9th and 10th.

The men’s team also came in first place in the Evangel Fall Invitational in Springfield, Missouri, on September 16th and 17th. During this same match, the women’s team came in second. Their next matches will be on September 30th and October 1st at the Salina Country Club. So far, it looks like the golf team is moving into a great season with many more victories in their future!

Photo Credit: Jim Turner Bethany Swedes emerge from the smoke, ready to grasp victory

Football

The football team is currently sitting at a 1 – 3 record. The team’s last game was the 5th Annual Mom’s Weekend on September 28th. They played against Southwestern College at 7 p.m. and lost 34-10, an improvement when compared to their Kansas Wesleyan game where they lost 51-0.

Their next game is Saturday, October 5th against Avila University at 1 p.m. We wish the team good luck, and we are excited to see how they

will improve throughout their season!

Softball

The softball team has been undergoing some changes as they welcome in their new head coach, Gregory Cary.

Cary held the position of head coach at Brooklyn College in Brooklyn, New York, and at Monroe College in Rochelle, New York. He has also held the position of assistant coach of the State University of New York Oneonta, New

York, as well as at Alderson Broaddus University in Philippi, West Virginia. The team has already participated in a few tournaments during the month of September.

Their last tournament was the McPherson Tournament, held on September 28th. We are glad to welcome Coach Gregory Cary, and we wish him and the team good luck throughout their fall season!