PIU Staff-Faculty Christmas Party

We have a great and dedicated group of people we work with here at PIU. We all worked hard all semester so it was nice to have a time to celebrate Christmas and the end of another good semester together. This year our Christmas celebration was held in the back yard of our house. Most of the food was provided by local Guam businesses for which we are very grateful. It was just a fun, relaxing time where we celebrate what God has done in the past semester. It is also the time we take our annual faculty and staff picture.I think we got almost all the staff, faculty and volunteers in the picture (left). Here are a few more pictures of the event… (Thank you to Hartmut for taking most of these pictures – the few bad ones in here I took.)

The “Set-up Team”

We set up the tables under a canopy in our backyard. Joyce and Christel Wood enjoyed a quiet moment as the party began

Samantha, Lisa and Nino planned the program

The food and fellowship were excellent

These “great minds” had to really put their heads together to win the very competitive party games.

We also gave out service awards (handmade by Mary Lou Carruthers) Celia (right) was recognized as employee of the year. It is hard to believe that Joyce and I have been at PIU for almost 19 years now.

The Scherers (left) and the Chorams (right) began their PIU service back in the 90’s in Chuuk and have since moved to the Guam campus.

The Woods also began their service at PIU in Chuuk and moved up to Guam in 1995 when Bill became the 2nd president of the school and Christel served as Academic Dean. Though they are “retired” they both continue to serve as faculty and in key administrative roles. May Vigil (right) is our longest serving PIU staffer. She became our office manager/librarian assistant before we moved into our present campus.

Children’s Day at PIU – December 2011

One of the longstanding traditions at PIU is a kids’ ministry day which, as long as I can remember, takes place at the end of the Fall semester. The day is sponsored by the Teaching Youth and Children class in the undergrad biblical studies program taught by our Academic VP Christel Wood. Children from the neighborhood around PIU and from several local churches are invited up to the campus for a day of games, snacks, teaching and ministry. The class functions as kind of a “final exam” for the class as the students plan and execute every aspect of the ministry. It is always a lot of fun to get out there with the students and kids, and great to get our neighbors on to our campus. Here are a few pictures from Children’s Day 2011.

The games are enjoyed by all, including the kids, PIU students and staff

On Guam drink breaks are especially important

And then, back to the games…

Then inside the classroom for a story time and songs. Even though the classroom air conditioner was down that day, everyone seemed to enjoy the session

Everyone listens intently to Delight Suda

3 Seminary Classes Offered at PIU this semester

Joyce and I arrived back on Guam Saturday night and I got back into the office this morning. As promised, over the next few days I will be posting pictures and stories and about our Christmas celebrations here on Guam and in California over the past 4 weeks. But first, just a word about our PIU seminary Pacific Islands Evangelical Seminary. This year I got to add seminary dean to my responsibilities here at PIU. Our seminary is still very small with only about 12 students, of which only three are full time. There are several other Micronesian students who would like to enroll in our seminary but, even though costs are low, they cannot afford the tuition. There is no federal grant money for seminary education. Thus, one of the main tasks before me is to find some scholarship money for these students. My other, and more enjoyable, task is to teach biblical studies courses. Last semester I taught New Testament Survey. Because of the small size the class was very interactive. We did 6 sessions on New Testament biblical theology which were held in various public places like coffee shops (class pictured in Java Junction in Agana) and restaurants as we tried to engage people around us in theological discussion. It was a lot of fun.

This semester we are offering three courses in the seminary. They are ….

1. THEO 602 – Theology 2: Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Church, Salvation, and Eschatology taught by Dr. M. James Sawyer.  The course is a study of the person of Christ and the doctrine of salvation; the study of salvation; the baptism, indwelling and ministries of the Holy Spirit; a study of ecclesiology; and the study of eschatology. It will be a hybrid course, mostly Online with 6 classroom sessions taught on Guam between Jan 20 and Feb 1, 2012.

2. THEO 798 Seminar in Roman Catholic Theology taught by Dr. Robert Bonifacio on Friday nights 6:30-9:00pm on the Guam campus. This course discusses the development of Roman Catholic Theology as the Catholic Church progressed from the period of the Counter Reformation to Post Vatican Council II.

3. BNEW 603 Prison Letters taught by Dr. William Wood on Monday nights from 6:30 to 9:00pm. It will be an analysis of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon emphasizing the doctrinal and practical truths in each book.

Happy New Year

Yes, Joyce and I are still here. I have been taking a break from the computer for a while as we enjoy our Christmas vacation. We will be returning to Guam on Saturday evening, leaving from Los Angeles on Friday morning, going through Honolulu. We have had a great time with our families, have had some good rest and some fun and interesting experiences. After I get back into my routine on Guam, I will post some pictures and stories from our Christmas vacation, some PIU events that happened while we were gone and from the new semester which will be starting soon. I pray that your 2012 will be a blessed year!!

Merry Christmas from Dave and Joyce

  Merry Christmas!! We are enjoying being with family in Northern California this Christmas. We are thankful that God has ultimately revealed Himself in the incarnation of Jesus Christ and we celebrate that significant event and we re-commit ourselves, with God’s enablement, to continue that event by being part of Jesus’ body in service to God’s world and God’s people. We pray that you have a wonderful holiday season wherever you are in the world.

PIU End of 2011 Newsletter

Dear Friend,
Pacific Islands University is honored to announce our December 2011 graduates:

(From Left, Top Row) Hadson Ngirikasau, Meluat Meluat, Gary Linny (Middle Row) Xyanne Sonis, Shelby Salvador, Lucy Aunu, Teisy Tatashy, (Bottom Row) Jayleen Nakamura (Not Pictured) Karl Flores, Soram Manual, Paylinn Sias, Justin Marar, MD Hossaion, Orichy Orichiro, Michael Vigil
These men and women are equipped and ready to move into the next stage of their lives, which looks different for each one. Shelby, Hadson, and Paylinn are returning to their home islands of Palau and Chuuk in order to begin teaching in the elementary and high schools thus fulfilling the great need for qualified educators. Meluat is ready to work in the Palauan church and enter the mission field. Teisy is considering applying to our Master of Arts in Religion program through our seminary, PIES. Others, still weighing their options, are well prepared to enter various marketplace positions made available through their education and degree from PIU.
They will be joining the ranks of alumni who already serve as teachers in public and private schools, church workers, hospital administrators, and business and government leaders. Your donations make it possible for PIU to offer these students, most of whom would otherwise not be able to attend an institution of higher education, the opportunity and support to complete an accredited university degree. Most of our students are only able to come here through our low tuition cost which we lower for qualified students to such a degree that we need the support of donors like you to provide the balance of finances for this ministry.
We rely on the generosity of our supporters to fulfill our operating costs. As this year draws to a close, we are facing a $20,000 deficit in our Rising Tide Annual Fund. Please prayerfully consider adding PIU to your Christmas list and help us give the gift of higher education for those who consider it out of reach.
A Blessed Christmas to you and yours from all of us here at PIU!

Advent Chapel at PIU

Last Friday we held our traditional advent chapel for the last chapel of the semester. It is always a very special chapel that everyone looks forward to. Since we do it a couple weeks before Christmas it always serves to get me into the Christmas spirit. Mike and the chapel team did a great job on it again this year. It was great to see so many of the staff, faculty and students participating. I took several pictures of it. So enjoy….

 

After some Christmas carols Josh began the reading of the Christmas story with the prophecy of Isaiah

After Scott lit the first candle, Samantha continued the story

Esme burned her finger trying to light the peace candle (she was Ok and was not the only injured candle lighter that day) Leeman then led in prayer and Kita continued the reading

Leeman successfully lit the joy candle and Jonie read about the angelic announcement to the shepherds

The band played a rockin’ rendition of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” before Charity lit the Love Candle

Meluat followed up with the story of the Magi

Kita lit the final candle before Mike came and finished the story and talked about the significance of the incarnation

The chapel had a surprise ending as Josh Ladd serenaded Jesse Hartt with a birthday rap. The chapel closed with a final carol featuring the birthday boy playing a banjo solo.