Hugh's News & Commentary

Here is how it all began:

First a letter to Hunter Pearce, a student, from Beth Ward:

From: Beth Ward
Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2010 1:21 PM
Subject: Assistance with Feast of Ingathering Program
Importance: High

Good afternoon:

President Stewart would like for you to assist him on the program for the Feast of Ingathering, Friday, October 1st at 10:00 a.m. in the Swails Center.

As an IPHC student and recipient of the Founders Scholarship, he would like for you to be on the program, taking just one or two minutes to introduce yourself, tell where you are from, possibly how it came about that you enrolled at Emmanuel, and in particular to express your thanks for the Founders Scholarship and explaining how it has benefited you.

Please "reply" to let me know that you will assist President Stewart in this way. He "hand-picked" you and two other students, and would appreciate your testimony in the Feast of Ingathering program.

Please plan to dress appropriately for the program and plan to sit on the platform with Dr. and Mrs. Stewart and others who are on the program. (Left side of the platform, second row of seats.)

Thank you so much, and I look forward to receiving your reply.

Beth Ward

Beth Ward
Offices of the President and
Vice President for Academic Affairs

And now the speech:

Hunter Pearce wrote, "This is the best of what I can remember I said at the Feast of Ingathering":

“Good morning. My name is Hunter Pearce and I’m a sophomore at Emmanuel College majoring in the School of Christian Ministries. I first heard about Emmanuel College through my church back home in Raleigh, NC; I would say Garner, but you would actually know were Raleigh is. Many of the members at my church are alumni of Emmanuel so I’ve always heard about how great of a school it was and how amazing it was.

I’d wanted to go to Emmanuel, but financially, that was an impossibility; there was no way I could. So when I graduated high school I got enrolled at Wake Technical Community College, a tech college in my area. For those of you who are more familiar with North Carolina, you might know Wake Tech is one of the cheapest colleges there (financially). And I was fine going there. I mean, I was excited to be able to get some education after high school and all, but I wanted to come here.

So, about two months before I began the fall semester at Wake Tech my youth pastor called me and asked, “You still want to go to Emmanuel?” I said “Well, yeah. But you know I can’t man, I don’t have the money.”  He said “Well what if you did?” And that’s when he started telling me about the scholarships that were being offered at this school. And because of scholarships like the Founders scholarship, that the Women’s Ministries provides, and the ELI competitive leadership scholarship and the Achievers scholarship I received, I can go to this school.

And these scholarships are the ONLY way I can go to a school like Emmanuel. They have been God’s provision for me. Without them, I would not be at this school. I’d said earlier that I was majoring in the School of Christian Ministries; meaning that I believe God has called me to some type of ministry. Right now I think it’s youth ministry, but I’m not sure.

So when people like you offer support like this and offer these scholarships, you’re not just blessing me, but everyone that God is going to touch through me. What you are doing is a lot bigger than what you see. Here at this school God is preparing me for the work he wants me to do.

So again, thank you all for all of your support.”

--Hunter N. Pearce

[Editor's note: I perceive that Hunter Pearce is an emerging leader. He is confident, poised, and has great speaking ability. An investment in a guy like Hunter is one of the best investments one can make. He has a bright future and he will be all that God wants him to be. I am very proud of him, and I am so glad I could see and hear him speak at the Feast of Ingathering at Emmanuel College.]