By: Mathieu Yuill on September 1, 2023
In his book, The History of Oxford, Paul Sullivan presents a collection of narratives that question the perception of Oxford as a stronghold of tradition and prestige. Through his stories Sullivan exposes a city filled with peculiarities and paradoxes mirroring the experiences of those who traverse its streets. As I prepared to visit Oxford, not…
By: John Fehlen on September 1, 2023
I have friends that have been known to laugh and mock me for reading “touristy” guide books, such as ones by Rick Steves, Lonely Planet, and, a PNW regional favorite travel guide: the late Gerry Frank (whom I personally met at my local grocery store!). The primary reason for their jeering: The Internet. And they…
By: Jana Dluehosh on August 31, 2023
What did come first? I would love to know! Is it nature, is it nurture, is it have a mentor like an older sibling or is it mirroring our parents? When I read through The Secret History of Oxford by Paul Sullivan I was drawn by the people, or as he states the “the Good,…
By: Dinka Utomo on August 31, 2023
The endeavor to secure a proper education represents a challenging and profoundly meaningful journey. Over time, humanity has encountered many obstacles and impediments in its pursuit of access to quality education. In this context, reflecting on this struggle reveals the pivotal role of education as a foundation for personal development, empowerment, and societal advancement on…
By: Todd E Henley on August 31, 2023
I’ve been looking forward to the Oxford Advance for a few months but what sold me was the famous quote by Dr. Jason Clark, “Oxford is the oldest, whitest, most elite place in the world…Let Oxford be Oxford.”1 As a black man growing up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, one of the oldest, diverse, and founded by…
By: Adam Harris on August 31, 2023
Here we go. Time to dust off the old blog cobwebs. I can almost hear the gears trying to crank back up in my head writing this post after the summer break! I have to say I never knew Oxford contained so many colleges within it, 44 to be exact. While reading through Paul Sullivan’s…
By: Cathy Glei on August 29, 2023
The Secret History of Oxford by Paul Sullivan delves into the lesser-known aspects of Oxford University’s rich and storied past. Unveiling hidden narratives, the book explores intriguing stories that have shaped the university’s history. Historical narratives and timelines are intriguing to me for so many reasons, one of the reasons being that historical narratives expose…
By: Kim Sanford on August 29, 2023
As I read Secret History of Oxford I am struck by a number of things, some interesting yet unsurprising but others quite unexpected. In any case, in a few weeks we are headed to a town that is obviously steeped in history like few other places on Earth. We’re talking about history that few of…
By: Jenny Dooley on August 28, 2023
I never knew Oxford was on my bucket list until discovering it as a location for our Advance. It has been 43-years since I last traveled to the United Kingdom. Decades have passed with longings to visit destinations I missed during my summer backpacking adventure through Europe in 1980. I knew nothing about Oxford as…
By: Esther Edwards on August 28, 2023
As I read through the pages of Paul Sullivan’s “The Secret History of Oxford”, my finite mind was overwhelmed at the incredible stunning architecture, historical significance, and continuing educational investment of a place that I have only heard about in movies. As the author gave behind-the-scenes stories, I felt as if I had embarked into…
By: Travis Vaughn on August 28, 2023
Many years ago, a dear friend sent me a quote attributed to William Gladstone, Britain’s late 19th century Prime Minister. I was trying to decide whether to stay with my current employer or chart a new path. As I recall, my friend sent me the quote via text: “He is a wise man who wastes…
By: Pam Lau on August 28, 2023
Context Is Everything The first time I heard about Cecil Rhodes and his longer history was during a visit to Oxford, England in September 2017 with a group of CCCU leaders for the Oxford Onclave. Standing before us was the Dean of Corpus Christi, who detailed the problems her college officials were facing as students…
By: Tim Clark on August 28, 2023
Years ago, my wife and I had a couple of hours to kill between meetings in a large city, so we decided to visit a famous nearby shopping mall. This mall was massive, and we entered it through a huge store called The Burlington Coat Factory. Then we started to meander down the main central…
By: Jennifer Vernam on August 28, 2023
To help prepare us for our upcoming advance we received an email from Cliff that provided us with an overview of the intentions behind the “I AM HERE” day.[1] This message suggested that to appreciate our time in this revered town, we might consider the concept of Terroir, or a sense of “somewhereness.” It stated:…
By: Russell Chun on August 28, 2023
Summary No Hawaiians at Oxford, Oxford Marmalade, and the Alfred Jewel. Oxford Tuition. Dictators & Ministers Actress and Tolkien Summary, Modern-Day Inklings No Hawaiians…Sadly, there were no Royal Hawaiians that attended Oxford. However, my google search reminded me of how the visit to England killed King Kamehameha II and Queen Kamamalu. “We review the…
By: Todd E Henley on April 30, 2023
As I read Cascades by Greg Satell, the above 2 pictures kept coming to mind. The first one was taken January 12, 2022, and the second one was taken March 15, 2022. As Executive Director of Restore Counseling Center I meet twice a month with my Board Chairman to pray, dream, strategize, and discuss any…
By: Cathy Glei on April 29, 2023
Credibility = proven competence + integrity + relationships As I read Cascades by Greg Satell, my mind was drawn to the emphasis on relationships and community, especially as the author contrasted the historical mental model of strong governance as the catalyst for change. [1] The need to create interconnectivity and interdependence is essential. The author…
By: Kally Elliott on April 29, 2023
In 2021 the Presbyterian Church (USA) released statistic showing the steady decline of the denomination. Over the last twenty years, membership has decreased but the pandemic exacerbated the decline. The 2021 statistics show current active membership stands at just over 1.1 million, a 51,000-member drop from 2020. Total number of churches in 2021 stood at…
By: Jana Dluehosh on April 28, 2023
Let me tell you a story about a B.H.A.G. What is a B.H.A.G. you may ask? Why it’s a Big, Hairy, Audacious, Goal. The term was originally coined by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras in their book Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies, first published in 1994. Collins says, “The power of the BHAG is…
By: Scott Dickie on April 27, 2023
In His book, Cascades: How to Create A Movement That Drives Transformational Change (1), Greg Satell is instructing his readers on six key principles that drive transformational change. While there were many areas of application to dig into, I found myself ruminating on several primary issues related to my own context: Do We Try to…
