From The Torch Podcast Network, This is The Chimes Weekly. I’m Matthew Garcia, here to start off your week with major headlines and what’s coming up. It’s Monday, March 16. 

On February 28, the United States and Israel conducted airstrikes against Iran in what is now called “Operation Epic Fury.” Since then, the war has continued to escalate. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps struck three cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz last week. This attack is part of a wider Iranian closure of the strait. The Strait is a vital route for Middle Eastern oil exports. Not only does the closure cause economic difficulties for Gulf nations, but it also causes oil prices to rise internationally. In California, gas stations throughout the state have been increasing the cost-per-gallon to over $5, though price increases vary depending on district.


As the conflict in Iran continues, let us pray for civilians in Iran and all throughout the Middle East. Let us also pray for peace to come quickly.

Last week, several staff members of the Chimes Media Group attended the CCMA–California College Media Association–conference in San Francisco. The Torch won 2nd place in the “Best Podcast” category with the video podcast, Office Hours. Sophomore photographer Sakura Miller secured THREE awards: second place best news photograph, second place best magazine cover design, and third place best magazine photo. Junior Ariss Firkins placed FIRST for Best Magazine Story, while The Point finished second for Best Magazine. Cassandra Malas also finished third with Best Magazine Inside Page/Spread Design. 

It’s been getting warm recently in Southern California, with last Thursday and Friday reaching over 90 degrees! Forecasters predict the hot weather to continue. Temperatures in downtown Los Angeles may rise to 93 degrees, which is 20 degrees warmer than normal for March. While Biola is slightly further from that area, be sure to stay hydrated and stay in the shade. 

That’s all for last week’s headlines. For more information on these stories, head to chimesnewspaper.com. Now, let’s dive into what’s happening this week at Biola.

This week, from Wednesday to Friday, Biola hosts its annual Cook Missions Conference, with the theme “Children of Light.” This year, the conference, through the theme verse of Romans 8:14-21, seeks to help students understand their identities as children of God and how it relates to the Great Commission. Speakers such as Open Doors International Writer in Residence Al Janssen, Centre of Missionaries from the Majority World director Usha Reifsnider, and Biola’s Dr. Ed Stetzer will speak at the conference. Worship will be led by MBL Worship, a worship collective based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

If you’re a student, make sure to check the event page for the schedule of the main sessions and breakout events. All students are required to obtain five total conference credits. All credits over five will convert to chapel credits for this semester. The Chimes Weekly will release a special episode tomorrow and will feature an interview with student directors of this year’s Missions Conference: Gabrielle Cole and Katie Ragains. Make sure to tune in to get to know your directors. In addition, there’s an article from an interview with Caroline Diaz, the graphic designer behind this year’s Cook Missions Conference branding, who shares the creative and spiritual process behind the creation of the logo. Diaz also reflects on how time in Scripture shaped the design’s symbolism. She hopes the theme encourages students to understand their identity as God’s children before being sent out to serve. For more stories about Missions Conference, head to chimesnewspaper.com this week for interviews with speakers, event features, and other articles. 

The Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts is hosting the annual Biola Film Festival, which celebrates student filmmaking. Last week, CMA hosted various film screenings and panels. However, today is the day. The moment we’ve all been waiting for….the awards ceremony! The ceremony is at Ethel Lee Auditorium. The Red Carpet will begin at 6 p.m., while doors open at 6:30 p.m. If you haven’t yet, make sure to register on the event page and show up to support Biola CMA students. Biola Backstage, a production of the Torch Podcast Network, will release an episode this Wednesday, all about the awards ceremony, including conversations with the winners. If you want a behind-the-scenes look at the event, make sure to tune into Biola Backstage wherever you get your podcasts.

And that’s all for this week.

Thanks for listening! As always, if you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review and share it with a friend or a roommate. To read stories from The Chimes, see our show notes, or head over to our website at ChimesNewspaper.com. The Chimes Weekly is a production of The Chimes Media Group and The Torch Podcast Network.  This episode was produced by Matthew Garcia with headlines written by The Chimes, Matthew Garcia, Reagan Glidewell, and Jason Lee. This episode was engineered by Jason Lee. Our theme music is from Warner Chappell Productions. Thomas Rakhola is our Editor-in-Chief, and the managing PRODUCER is Reagan Glidewell. I’m Matthew Garcia, and we’ll see you all next week.