Polar Pete Rides Again!

As you are enjoying the summer fun and the summer heat, be sure to remember the Quiz Team's good friend Polar Pete! He will be out and about this summer in his ice cream truck, and also with a new snow cone maker. The Quiz Team will next "officially" see Polar Pete at the Quiz Team Kickoff in the Fall, but we always wish him the best with his quest to bring arctic treats to the world.

Pictures from the Softball Game

Click on over for pictures from the Calvary 2/Number Crunchers game last night at Indian Ledge Field.

The next game will be Tuesday, June 5 at 6:30 PM at Long Hill Field in Trumbull.

Off-Campus Fun

A few off-hours quizzers stopped off at Yankees stadium this past weekend, and has a fun video for us of the grounds crew doing the traditional YMCA dance during the 7th inning stretch.

If you are interested in seeing some ballgame fun, remember that tonight the Calvary 2 Softball Team is playing at Indian Ledge Park at 7:30 PM.

Memorial Day Hits Home

Today is Memorial Day, when we remember those who died in the Armed Forces for our freedom. Typically, we think of those who fought in the great wars: the Revolution, the Civil War, the World Wars, etc. But this year we have an example from among our own at Calvary.

This day, Pierson, an expert marksman, patrolled to the right of Ward. He was sweating in his sand-colored military fatigues, the ones with long sleeves... "He was on my right flank, less than 10 feet away from me," Ward says. "And I remember looking over and seeing that Jordan was busy doing his job, ensuring that his Marines were following his orders."
From the fifth floor of the six-story building on their right, a sniper raises what Marines believe was a Dragunov bolt-action rifle, looks through its precision scope, and fires a round that strikes Pierson just below his right shoulder in his collarbone — a place his body armor doesn't cover. It ricochets inside him to come out the other end just below his left armpit. "I think he was dead before he hit the ground," Eric Pierson says. "It was that fast."

Please be praying for the families of those who have fallen in Iraq and Afghanistan this year, as well as those who have died in past wars. We honor their memories and their sacrifices.

Listen with your Heart

Consideration is key

A Friendly Reminder

For those of you attending the Sarris Bible Get-Togethers, your hosts have a request.

Every week after our QT get-together the plants on the side of the driveway are being run over by a car. The driveway is only one car-length wide, and should be treated that way. Please do not try to turn around or pass any car anywhere on the driveway except turning around by the garage. Please move up so you can do a turn in the garage part of the driveway. This willl keep the plants from being damaged. Thank you very much for coming, and please watch the plantings.

I hear great things from the Get-Togethers, and hope everyone is having a good time and learning a lot. If you are not sure of the best way to handle the traffic flow, don't be afraid to ask.

Our Sympathies to the Brakes

All coaches and quizzers wish to extend our sympathies to Coach Jim and his family on the passing away of Martha Brake, Jim's grandmother and matriarch of the family. If anyone wants to show their respects, the calling hours will be Thursday from 2-4 pm and 6-8 pm at Abriola Funeral Home in Trumbull (directions). The funeral will be in the Calvary Sanctuary on Friday at 10:00 am with a luncheon following.

If you want to help with the luncheon, please call Ann Boronow or the church office.

Galatians Trivia Game

This summer if you are part of the Sarris Bible Get-Togethers, you are probably looking for low-impact ways to get familiar with the books we will be studying in-depth next season. Well, if so, you may be interested in this Flash-based trivia game on the book of Galatians. The questions are not too hard, but will challenge what you have learned so far about this interesting book. Click on thru and take a look.

Herod's Tomb Located

Anyone who studied Matthew with us a few years ago - or anyone who is familiar with the Christmas story - remembers Herod. He was the king who tried to trick the Magi into giving him the location of the infant king of Israel... and then slaughtered young male jews when they failed to return. Now archeologists have found Herod's tomb.

Herod's tomb, if this proves true, contains a lovely sarcophagus, a coffin. Grave robbers long ago claimed his dried bones. Ashes to ashes; dust to dust. No remnant of Great Herod. What has been found, however, is this lovely box with floral motif- said to be very rare for its day.

Quiz Pad friend returns from Swaziland

Pastor Sean is an old Quiz Team friend and the college roommate of Coach Matt. He and his wife recently returned from a Missions Trip to Swaziland, and has plenty of photos of God's work in that little African country.

Swaziland Select

Psst! Coach Matt is not the only one with summer sports!

We here at the Quizzer's Pad are certainly aware that it is not only the coaches who are taking part in summer sports! If you are playing on a team this summer and would like your schedule or pics from your game posted here, e-mail the coaches and we'll be sure to post the info! This goes for recitals and other more cultural summer events as well!

So, when is softball next?

This past Wednesday's softball game was rained out - proving that God is merciful to those who would oppose Him and His softball team. But Monday is your next chance to see the Calvary 2 Softball team in action! Coach Matt and his team will be playing at 6:30 PM at Indian Ledge Field in Trumbull, against "Helicopter Support". Come on out to support the team!

What is your label?

Faith in Fashion on Campus?

When I was looking at colleges, religion was largely unwelcome on college campuses. Organizations like Campus Crusade for Christ worked to give Christians a place to go, but even they were not always welcome. Some are now saying that this is changing for the better.

Across the country, on secular campuses as varied as Colgate University, the University of Wisconsin and the University of California, Berkeley, chaplains, professors and administrators say students are drawn to religion and spirituality with more fervour than at any time they can remember.

More students are enrolling in religion courses, even majoring in religion; more are living in dormitories or houses where matters of faith and spirituality are a part of daily conversation; and discussion groups are being created for students to grapple with questions like what happens after death, dozens of university officials said in interviews.

A survey on the spiritual lives of college students, the first of its kind, showed in 2004 that more than two-thirds of 112,000 freshmen surveyed said they prayed, and that almost 80 per cent believed in God. Nearly half of the freshmen said they were seeking opportunities to grow spiritually, according to the survey by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA.

As quizzers start to look toward college, the way their faith will be viewed should be an important part of their decision. Are they eager to fight for their faith? Are they looking for a college friendly to religion? Are they hoping for a Christian college? This decision will likely have as large an impact on their education.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Talk to Michelina for Scripture Portions

While I will not be purchasing any scripture portions for Galatians, Ephesians, Philipsians, Collosians, Philemon until the Fall, Coach Michelina will be making a purchase shortly to assist any quizzers who wish to use them over the summer. If you wish to purchase a scripture portion, please contact Michelina by e-mail or speak to her today at the Sarris Get-Together later today. She will be charging quizzers at-cost for the books (about $2).

New quizzers may be wondering what the scripture portions provide. These are little booklets with only the books we are studying in them. They are pocket sized, and have once-used-words in them which are useful for Quizzing. No quizzer is required to buy one!!! Any NIV Bible is just fine for quizzing. But some quizzers find it helpful to have a smaller book to keep in their back pocket and mark up as needed.

Sensitivity is key

A Reminder that Bibles are Dear

Here in American we often pay lip-service to the availability of scripture for ourselves, but we often forget what it is really like in other countries where freedom of religion does not exist. Consider this story of a former resident of Russia.

When Victoria Adamenko was 24, she saved her money, summoned her courage and bought her first Bible -- from a black-market peddler.

I was born in the United States; she was born in Russia.

So you can understand why Adamenko now keeps several Bibles at her home in Northeast Pensacola.

Adamenko, born in 1965, grew up under a government that ridiculed God and barred religion.

Still, she said, "We all felt the hunger, the thirst, for religion."

She brought her Russian Bible with her when she came to the United States in 1990. Now, she and husband Leonid Yanovskiy relish the freedom to worship, speak and travel as they wish.

While Americans may argue about our religion - with passion - but we honor the freedom of everyone to practice their religion. And we not only honor the Bible, but allow people like the Gideons to put one in every hotel room and prison cell.

Happy Mother's Day!

We here at The Quizzer's Pad wish quiz team mothers - past and present - a wonderful day. Without you to wake us up, make us study, and get us out of the house for those early-morning Quiz Meets, we wouldn't be much of a team!

Missionary Report: The New Testment in 4 New Languages

Quiz Team friend and former sponsor is doing very well in her transition to working at Wycliffe Bible Translators as a youth outreach specialist/recruiter. Her training sessions have just come to an end, and she is getting ready to move in order start her new position. Click on over for more information.

Remember, they can't quiz if they don't have a Bible in their own language!

Spelling is important

Calvary Softball's Season Begins!

Coach Matt and the Calvary 2 Softball Team got their season off to a start with a heartbreaker loss 11-6 to the A2 Radiator Bombers out at Long Hill Field in Trumbull, CT. It was a hard-fought battle, but the team quickly warmed up from pre-season jitters to deep-season expertise including several superior plays. Click on the picture for the full set of shots from the evening. The next game is again on a Wednesday (May 16 at Indian Ledge Park), so attendees may be restricted to those NOT going to the Sarris Bible Get-Togethers. The one after that, however, will be on a Monday, so ALL Quizzers have a chance to see Coach Matt display his skills.

Pre-Mother's Day Car Wash

Are you looking for a way to make Mother's Day special for not only your mother, but for all the mothers in our community? Consider coming out on May 12 from 10 AM to 3 PM for the Pre-Mother's Day Car Wash going on at church. Our church will be washing cars for anyone who comes, so that the mothers in our community can go about their special day on Sunday, May 13 with clean and sparkling vehicles.

Oh, and if you had forgotten that this upcoming weekend is Mother's Day it is not too late to make the day special for your mother or the female mentor in your life.

Calvary Softball Resumes on Wednesday!

For those of you who may not be aware, Coach Matt is not only a former quizzer, but is also a current player on the Calvary 2 Softball Team! (Calvary EFC has two softball teams playing the Trumbull Men's After-Work League.) Their first game is Wednesday at Long Hill Field at 6:30 PM. If you are not going to the Get-Together, come on out and cheer for the team! There are bleachers, or you can bring your own lawn chair.

And don't wory. If you miss tomorrow night, there is a whole season ahead of us.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Sarris Summer Bible Gatherings!

Hear ye! Hear ye! There are no more practices for the season, BUT there is a chance to get together, have some fun, and prepare for next year. The Sarrises are hosting gatherings for the rest of the Wednesdays in May. The plan is to read through one of the books for next year each week, have a snack, do a fun activity, and enjoy each others' company. Time will be from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM.

• May 9th: Galatians
• May 16th: Ephesians
• May 23th: Philippians
• May 30th: Collosians, Philemon

Please bring your own Bibles! FYI, the coaches typically do not attend these get-togethers. If you need directions to the Sarris house click here

I'll have a large cheese with a finish-the-verse

If you wanted proof that Quiz Teamers learn useful life skills, here you go. Two quiz teamers who are now ready to go into the high-paying career of pizza chef!

Fallout Flashback II

Going over the top

We Salute You, Polar Pete

Did you catch the Trumbull Times Article on the Quiz Team's favorite ice cream man, Polar Pete? If not, click thru for the full story. The same man who brings the frozen treats to every year's quiz team kickoff spent some time in Panama ministering to the needs of local villagers, as part of the United States Army. We salute you, Polar Pete!

So Districts is over, now what?

District Quiz is the last Quiz Meet of the season. So what now?

• Quiz Practices are over until the Fall
• The next season we will be quizzing on Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.
• If you wish to purchase a scripture portion ahead of next year, you can purchase them from Acme Quiz or WBQA.

We're looking forward to another great season starting in September! In the meantime, keep checking back here at the Quizzer's Pad where there will be news every day!

Coach Matt's Districts Pics!

They say there are as many ways to tell the same story as there are witnesses. Well, now you can test that old adage by clicking over to Coach Matt's pictures from Districts as you compare them to Coach Mark's pics and any of the others you may have taken. Click on the image below to see the whole set or click here to check on the Flickr Quizzing Group instead.

If you have pictures you'd like to see posted to Flickr, drop me an e-mail and we can discuss either getting you a free Flickr account or having you e-mail the pics to me, so that I can post them.