Day #1, 3/17/2020

Students,

I'm out in the Pavilion, on this beautiful day, in the middle of our beautiful campus, watching the Tavarez kids play ball. From where I sit it doesn't look like a crisis. But it is.

Not only here on Guam, but around the world, students from kindergartners to doctoral scholars find themselves not in class. Teachers, including yours, I've already been in a couple of conversations today) are scrambling to figure out, "What do I do now."

Our educational concerns are probably the least of the concerns out there. Businesses are losing money. workers are being laid off. Children who depend on school lunches for nutrition are going hungry. And, all around the world people in bed desperately ill, and families are grieving the loss of loved ones.  We struggle to get a grasp on the global impact of this epidemic, pandemic, or whatever kind of "demic" this is, but let's not forget that imbedded in those numbers are real, hurting people. That brings me to my first encouragement. PRAY.

Right now would you find somebody to pray with, text somebody and request prayer, or stop and pray by yourself. I hope you will pray for those of us in leadership at PIU. We've never been in a situation like this before.

I'll say more about these in days to come but here are a few more suggestions for making the most of these difficult times.

• Be productive. Catch up. Get ahead. Put in community service hours. We didn't ask for this week but it could be the opportunity you need to succeed.
• Be kind. Stress irritates us. Let's not take it out on one another.
• Stay in touch. If you are reading this on your email, you are already taking a good step. Your PIU email is the prime source of communication from instructors and administration to you. Check it.
• Again, Pray. Pray for Karyn Sorenson. As I write she is trying to figure out how to get home.

Thanks,

The Prez.

Howard Merrell

2-14 / Show up. You'll never achieve excellence if you don't.

Howard Merrell <hmerrell@piu.edu>	5:29 PM (0 minutes ago)
to Students

I'm not, and never have been a good athlete. I did enjoy trying, and I guess I still do in limited ways. That's probably why I have always been a soft-touch for stories about athletes who kept trying and achieved a goal that was important to them.

Rocky just wanted to "go the distance" with Creed. Then no one could say he was a bum. 

Rudy wanted to letter on the Notre Dame football team. To do that he had to actually get in the game for one play.

Like the tortoise that outran the hare, both achieved their goals by just dogged determination. They showed up.

At this point in the semester, the bed looks good. It feels better. Distractions are huge. Achievers show up. Be in class. Do your work.

Thanks to students who serve. 

• We have gotten good work done on Clean and Green.
• I heard good reports about our team that just returned from Chuuk.
• Thanks to all of you who serve in churches and ministries.

I'll be out in the Pavilion at 10:00 on Saturday for the encouraging fitness time.

February 23 is the Festival of Hope, https://www.facebook.com/events/603126087129796/

I hope you will attend. Check with Scott or Alex for a ride.
Celia is part of a group that is setting up a bunch of chairs. If you want to help, contact her. (It can also serve as community service.)

Thanks for being such a fine group of young adults.

The Prez,

Howard Merrell
President, Pacific Islands University

Missionary with LMUSA

671 734 1812, ext.15 / hmerrell@piu.edu

Spring 2020, #3

Hey PIU Students, this is the latest edition of the . . . President to Students  News.   Students Alumni, & Anyone else out there who is reading, As we saw in our opening chapel, The measure of excellence for Paul was doing what God led him to do. It had nothing to do with how he looked compared to others. (2 Corinthians 10:12-13) For him, the pursuit of excellence was a lifelong goal. He kept at it with a single focus. (Philippians 3:8-14) Those who settle for mediocrity won't achieve excellence. In fact, they often don't even rise to the level of being mediocre--middle of the pack. Aim at excellence. Speaking of excellence: This Saturday, several of our students will be attending the training session to be "encouragers" at the Festival of Hope with Franklin Graham, Michael W. Smith, and others. They'll be learning important skills that they can use to point others to faith in Christ. If you would like to join them, please let me or Mama Joyce know. Paul Drake has been encouraging our students toward greater physical fitness for as long as I can remember. He sent me this link to a brief PowerPoint/video, "What Happens When You Start to Exercise?" We'll meet again for our Encouraging Fitness time, 10:00 AM Saturday. Alex Tavarez reminded us to pick up instead of throw down.   Just a few days ago the world was shocked to hear of the tragic death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter and everyone else in the helicopter. Clearly, Kobe had pursued excellence on the basketball court, and from all I have read, he was continuing that pursuit of excellence after his NBA career.  In my nearly seven decades, I've seen a lot of lives that are described by "Could'a, Would'a, Should'a." I could have been a success if I would have done what it takes. I should have done that, but I didn't.  We are here to help you pursue excellence, from keeping our campus community clean, to caring for our health, to doing our very best in our classes, to getting out of bed on Sunday to worship with God's people. Let's do this! The Prez. PS: Don't forget February 6-8 is our Ministry Equipping Conference. It is about Christian Education in the Church. It is stuff you need to know. Pick up brochures in the front office.

Spring 2020, #2

Hey,

I think we had a pretty good first week. Thank you.

We don't have final numbers, yet, but it looks like there are a few more of you. Again, thanks. Students are our best recruiters.

I heard that the Laser-tag event was a lot of fun. It seems like Joshua Combs enjoyed it.

Some items of interest:

• The start to our "encouraging fitness" was small. Those who participated did a 30-minute walk with some picking-up-trash thrown in along the way.
  You can do some research, but it looks like a reasonable target is 30 minutes of aerobic exercise--walking, jogging, biking, etc. 3 times a week.
  Get a partner, encourage one another. Goals are up to you. We'll meet again Saturday at 10:00, for encouragement, planning, and exercise.
• Ministry Equipping Conference is February 6-8. This is an event you should plug into. Get a brochure in the front office.
• Church. Get a ride and go.
• C&G Monday at 10:00.

Live for Jesus, friends.

1/11/2020

Hey PIU Students, this is the latest edition of the . . . President to Students  News.   Students Alumni, & Others who are listening in, I hope you had a good break. While Kathy and I were very busy, we had a good holiday time. Now it is time to get going again. Let's do our best to make the first semester of the "20"s a great one. Here is a bit of a table of contents: A sincere thanks. A warm welcome. Dealing with some false information--a reprint. Making the most of our resources. Two great opportunities next month. Church Other stuff, good stuff, stuff you should read. Sincere Thanks: I mentioned that Kathy and I were very busy. We weren't the only busy ones. A lot of work was done over the break. Much of the work we did caused a mess. As the return of students drew closer, we weren't anywhere near being ready. Thanks to some students who were here during break, or who got back early, for stepping up and getting some good work done. One of our veteran teachers said she had never seen the classrooms look so good. To all who stepped up to help.  THANK YOU. Over break, Alex Tavarez and some friends put in a lot of work upgrading--really completely rebuilding our Wi- Fi network. We'll be having a special time, later, to thank Alex's friends. For now, THANK YOU. WELCOME: Whether you are a student returning from last semester, from a while back, or one of our new students, WELCOME. We are glad you are here. Students, thank you for helping spread the welcome. FALSE INFO. I recently sent a note about some false information that is circulating. Here it is again: There is no doubt that we are living in troubling times. The increasing tension and hostility between the USA and Iran should cause us to pray more. Many of you have loved ones in the military. We pray for them. Pray for leaders. Pray for the people of Iran. Unfortunately, some people have chosen this tense time to spread false information. If you receive an email claiming to be about the US military draft, ignore it. Do not respond to it. If you have questions talk to Alex, Celia, Kathy, Joshua, Delight, or me. The United States does not currently have an active military draft. It would take an action by the US Congress to activate the draft.  Pastor Tom Van Engen, who is well past 18, was in the last batch of Americans to be subject to the draft. It is true that it is mandatory for US citizens to register with the Selective Service (information here). That does not mean that the military draft is ongoing. Since just after Pastor Tom's entrance into the US Army (Thank you, Pastor Tom) the US military has been entirely voluntary (Thanks to all who serve). There is no relationship between filling out a FAFSA form, and being drafted. Again, there is no draft. Please do not pay attention to these rumors and/or lies. Yes, this is a time to pray. We should not fear that which is false. Do not respond to, or pass on this kind of false information. The trouble with Iran is not the only, or even the greatest, threat in the world, today. There are problems around the world, including here in Micronesia. This is the anniversary of the death of 5 young men who were addressing what was and is the world's major problem. It is my prayer that PIU will not cower in fear of falsehood, but will go forth with the truth. Let's live for Jesus and walk in the light of truth. You are welcome to stop by my office to pray for our world. MAKING THE MOST OF WHAT WE HAVE: Here in the islands, it is clear that we need to take care of the world the Lord has entrusted to us. When it comes to these matters, it is easy to just think in terms of government programs and ignore our personal responsibility. Over Christmas break, we installed 4 new toilets in dorm bathrooms. They use less water than the old ones. We also dealt with several leaks. I'll be dealing with one more today. Please do your part by: making sure you turn water, lights, aircons, etc. off when not in use. report leaks, malfunctioning toilets, and electrical problems. Leave the showerheads on. We save water by using them. If they are plugged up, report it. Put trash in containers. Aluminum should go in the containers marked for that.  Pick up trash. Put tools, dishes, pots, pans, and equipment away. One way that PIU continues to function is by cutting down on unneeded expenses. When you help PIU save, it helps you. Next month there are 2 great opportunities: February 6-8 is our Ministry Equipping Conference. It is about Christian Education in the Church. It is stuff you need to know. Pick up brochures in the front office. The Festival of Hope is a Guam-wide, multi-church effort to share the Gospel in Guam. https://www.facebook.com/Gu%C3%A5han-Festival-of-Hope-With-Franklin-Graham-110997613582668/ The big event is February 23. CHURCH, it's not a place you go, it is who God's people are. However, an important part of being the church is going to church. Want a ride? Ask.   Thoughts on church attendance: #1) It is clear, from the actions of the new Jesus followers on the Day of Pentecost, that fellowshipping with God’s people is the natural reaction of a believer. It’s un-natural for a Christian to avoid church. Academic Wisdom: Staying up late and staying in bed, feels good for a time. Failing a class and losing the opportunity of a lifetime lasts for all of life. DON'T WASTE YOUR OPPORTUNITY!           Live for Jesus. HM

12/8/2019

Hey,

I only have a few minutes before getting ready for church. I look forward to seeing many of you, there.

An encouragement:

     Finish Strong!

A couple of Prayer Requests:

• Pray for Alex. He is visiting Chuuk.
• Pray for one another. Pray that fellow students will work hard and that no one will do anything foolish.
• Peter Knapp and I are working on a proposal to the "Backboard Project." BP repairs, paints, and beautifies outdoor basketball courts. I'm sure they get hundreds of requests. Pray that ours will catch their attention.

Speaking of catching your attention: Tuesday at 9:00 will be free icecream at the Pavilion. Its the reward for getting FAFSA done and an encouragement during finals week.

Hey, Girls and guys, Live for Jesus!

The Prez.

10/18/19, Stewardship: Doing what is right with what is entrusted to us.

Hey PIU Students, this is the latest edition of the . . . President to Students (Pr to Ss) News.   Students Alumni, & Others who are listening in, The young lady in the picture is my youngest granddaughter, Ava. The dog is Lucy. They live in South Carolina. I should get to see all of my grandkids and both dogs, the other dog, Booker, lives in Texas. I just talked to my oldest grandchild, Christopher. I'll meet him and his sister, Carrington, for dinner on Monday evening in Louisiana. I'll get to see all my grandchildren, and speak at my home church while I'm on this big trip I'm taking. I leave in the morning. While I will get to see loved ones on my trip, it's not a vacation. Pray as I am involved in meetings, etc. related to PIU. I often hear that "PIU is a family." I agree. It is one of our virtues. I guess I'm kind of like the grandfather of the family, so I'm expecting all of you to take care of things while I'm gone. Victor Billy, Scott, and Mama Cel. will take charge of Clean and Green. C&G is one of the ways we exercise good stewardship. The principle of stewardship is closely linked to the concept of *grace: everything comes from God as a gift and is to be administered faithfully on his behalf. There is thus both stewardship of the earth and stewardship of the gospel; stewardship of personal resources of time, money and talents, and stewardship of the resources of church and society. Along with questions of mission strategy and support there are issues of personal and corporate lifestyle, just wages and fair prices, *poverty and wealth, all related to explicit or implicit theologies of the *kingdom of God, *work and *nature. Hillyer, P. N. (2016). Stewardship. In M. Davie, T. Grass, S. R. Holmes, J. McDowell, & T. A. Noble (Eds.), New Dictionary of Theology: Historical and Systematic (Second Edition, p. 869). London; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press; InterVarsity Press. I highlighted a couple of words that capture much of the essence of stewardship. Technically, when I use, or take care of something, that doesn't belong to me, I am a steward. Our Board is called the "PIU Board of Trustees." It could be the Board of Stewards. PIU doesn't belong to them, but they are responsible to care for it. In the New Testament the word "stewardship" comes from a Greek word that means to manage a house. In a wealthy home the slave who managed a house didn't own it, but he was to take care of it. He had to make sure it was administered faithfully. All of us are stewards. “. . . it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2, ESV) “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2, ESV) Stewardship of our bodies: High on the list of that which has been entrusted to us are our bodies. Those of us who follow the Lord know that our bodies are not ours (1 Corinthians 6:19), yet we have the responsibility to care for them. A friend of mine, a missionary, will say when he is going to do exercise, "I'm going to do some temple maintenance." Round is a shape, but it's probably not the shape the Lord wants us to be in. Stewardship of opportunity: Ephesians 5:16 says that we should make the most of the time; the NIV translates it "opportunity." Right now I'm trying to be a good steward of the opportunity the Lord has entrusted to me. Through you PIU students I have the opportunity to influence Micronesia and the world, for the rest of this century. What is the best exercise of stewardship? Doing my reading for class, or playing video games? Studying, or watching 5 hours of TV? Buying snacks and ice cream I don't need (see above) or buying my textbook for class? We may say we'll do what we need to do later, but too often later is too late. Stewardship of my surroundings: I'll go back to that family concept. Simple things like picking up trash or controlling aircon use can make a great difference. We are to manage our house faithfully. I'll be back just before Thanksgiving. I look forward to celebrating this holiday with you. Stewardship has a direct link to Thanksgiving. We are living our lives right now so that in the future we will either have more for which to give thanks, or more to regret. You figure it out.   C&G starts at 10:00 am. Excellence is the word: Vince Lombardi was one of the most successful NFL coaches of all time.  The pursuit of excellence is rewarding. We enjoy success. We can make the point, however, that it is better to not pursue excellence, because if we fail to achieve it, we feel the pain. Personally I think it is worth the risk, but rather than argue about that, let me simply point out that ultimately excellence is not a personal matter. Remember we pursue excellence for God's glory. Do good work.           Live for Jesus! "exert every effort" for excellence because through our excellence we show forth the excellencies of our great God (2 Peter 1:3&5 & 1 Peter 2:9). Don't forget to let others know about DDOMF. HM   By His Grace,     The Prez.