Lancaster Region

We’ve all got family histories, some more intriguing than others. But turning our ancestors’ tales from simple word-of-mouth recollections into a novel that’s descriptive, detailed, and filled with tension is daunting. Especially when your long lost relatives are no longer alive and there is little factual information upon which to draw. On the other hand, sometimes the writer prefers to remain faithful to the actual story rather than embellishing it to follow a dramatic arc. Author Kyra Robinov describes the challenge of both recreating the survival story of her grandmother Luba in her fictional Red Winter and finding the drama in her father’s story, which spanned the 20th century and the globe, in her non-fiction memoir/biography, HiStory.

Americans typically think of the 1950s as a decade where women left the World War II labor market and resumed the roles of wife and mother. But labor market forces, trends in education, and pent-up consumer demand propelled many wives and mothers back into paid employment. Why did this happen? How did it affect employers and families? And what were the implications of this trend for the women's movement?

The culture of conflict around us can be wildly unsafe or suffocatingly controlled. How do we find a balance and handle conflict in healthy ways, whether in our communities, families, congregations, or other relationships? Based on the mediation and restorative justice work of Lancaster-based Advoz, this experiential session on "conflict, communication, and culture" provides a framework, language and skills to handle conflict and harm in healthy, restorative ways.

Tales from the cockpit is a lighthearted look back at some of the funny things that happened to the instructor while flying all over the world for almost 40 years. Lou will share stories of things that happened both on and off the plane, all showing what can happen when you least expect it.

During Jerry’s 48-year career in the aerospace industry, there were more than 30 occasions when his jaw dropped. It’s those “ah-ha” moments that he would like to share with you. They are not things buried in long complex equations, but rather things that happened in ground simulators or with real flying machines. Things that happened in the air or on the ground and with real people - engineers, test pilots, etc. All of these stories are not based on rumors, but will be things in which the instructor had a personal involvement. He will try his best to make these stories equally puzzling to the non-engineer.

Sherwood Lingenfelter, a Ph.D. author and retired professor, will interview a different interesting individual each week. You will learn about lives and work of: 1) Peter Teague, President Emeritus, Lancaster Bible College (October 29) 2) John Maietta, Retired Army Officer, Pathways Institute Faculty Member (November 5) 3) Jack Crowley, President, Water Street Mission (November 12) 4) Connie Bender, CEO, Show Ease Inc., Ephrata, PA (November 19)

Many of us plan our vacations, at least in part, with some spiritual or patriotic motivations. It might be visiting and appreciating the grandeur of a National Park, what some have called “Nature’s Cathedrals.” It might be visiting a heritage or historical tourism park, like Colonial Williamsburg. Or it might be visiting a memorial, museum or commemorative site like the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. This course will look at eco-tourism and relations with Native American tribal groups who hold certain sites as sacred.

Against the background of ideological ideas that have divided the nation for centuries, the election of Donald Trump in 2016 brought these divisions to a head. In the election of 2020, the country was faced with the question of whether the United States was to remain a predominately white majority or become a multicultural society. The lecture will trace the evolution of these choices and how such as immigration policy, voting rights, among other views of the future of the country, led to the belief among many that the election was fraudulent.

Luke Brubaker will share his knowledge of agriculture economics based on his personal experience as a founder of Brubaker Farms in Mount Joy, PA. Brubaker Farms is a dairy and poultry farm which is environmentally compliant and economically sustainable. Learn more about Luke’s story during this informal presentation and Q&A. What was it like to meet with the U.S. president? What did Luke experience traveling around the world to support farmers in Morocco, Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, Bolivia, etc.? What steps can farms take to become carbon neutral?

Many of us plan our vacations, at least in part, with some spiritual or patriotic motivations. It might be visiting and appreciating the grandeur of a National Park, what some have called “Nature’s Cathedrals.” It might be visiting a heritage or historical tourism park, like Colonial Williamsburg. Or it might be visiting a memorial, museum or commemorative site like the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. This course will look at eco-tourism and relations with Native American tribal groups who hold certain sites as sacred.