PIU 2020 Ministry Equipping Conference, schedule

2020 PIU Ministry Equipping Conference
Christian Education in the Local Church
February 6-8, SureStay Hotel

Schedule:

There will be three Plenary Sessions (sessions where everyone who attends will be in the same session).
There are also four series of Breakout Sessions (Tracks). Each Breakout presenter will present a series of four (five) sessions, different sessions on the topic assigned to them. They are not presenting the same session four times. While participants can learn and grow by attending single breakout sessions, they will receive the most benefit from the conference if they attend all four of the sessions presented by a given presenter.  The four Breakout Tracks are on the back of this schedule.

Thursday, 6:00 – 8:30 PM

6:00, Welcome and Orientation:
Please arrive early

6:15-7:05, Plenary Session #1, SureStay Banquet Room, Dr. Christel Wood

7:05 – 7:25, Snack and Fellowship Time. If participants have not already done so they need to decide which Breakout Track they are going to attend.

7:30-8:30, All four Breakout Tracks will have their first session. Rooms for each Breakout Track will be announced at the end of snack time.

8:30, Participants are dismissed at the conclusion of their Breakout session.

Friday, 6:00 – 8:30 PM

Friday’s schedule will be the same as Thursday’s. Plenary Session #2 will be a panel discussion featuring experienced leaders who will share Christian Educations ideas that have worked for them. Breakout presenters will present session #2 of their series.

Saturday, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

10:00 –10:15, Get a drink and greet a friend before you head to Breakout sessions #3 and #4.

10:15 – 11:50, Breakout Sessions #3 and #4.

12:00 – 1:00, Lunch is served.

1:15 – 2:15, In Plenary Session #3, Rev. Howard Merrell will help us leave the conference with a positive focus on the assets the Lord has provided rather than a defeatist attitude based on our limitations.

From 2:15 – 3:00, Breakout presenters and attendees have the option of a fifth session, or attendees can take some time to discuss what they have learned with others.
Please fill out an evaluation form before you leave.

As a service to the Christian community PIU is presenting the 2020 Ministry Equipping Conference with no tuition cost. PIU is an institution that depends on donations from those who share our mission of providing excellent transformational Bible-centered education in this region. The offering we receive at the 2020 MEC will support PIU’s General Fund. Make checks payable to “Pacific Islands University,” or simply “PIU.”

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A note from PIU President Merrell:

Before I came to the lovely island of Guam, I pastored a church in a small town in Virginia. In my forty-two years at Covington Bible Church, I was impressed with the value of solid Christian Education. I am pleased to say that some of the boys, girls, women, and men who participated in our C.E opportunities are now involved in significant ministries of their own. I said, many times, that the main ministry at Covington Bible Church didn’t happen as a result of my preaching. It took place in the various classes and programs led by volunteers who love Jesus and serve for His glory. This conference is our—me and my colleagues—opportunity to pass some of this on to you.

In addition to our three plenary sessions, we have planned four Breakout Tracks, each focusing on an important aspect of Christian Education in the Local Church:

1.       Caye Sudo, Child Evangelism Fellowship, Guam:
My late Mother-in-law, was named Kay. Not only did she share the same name as our presenter, she also made extensive use of CEF material.  In part, it was because of her faithfulness in teaching flannelgraph lessons and flashcard songs that I came to know the Lord. Caye will share very practical, usable skills that can be used in a multitude of settings.

2.       Peter Knapp, Wycliffe Bible Translator and PIU Instructor:
Peter can tell you all about fricatives and glottal stops. He has devoted his life to providing God’s word to people in their heart-language. He is currently overseeing a Bible translation into Mokilese and is providing other translation teams with technical/linguistic support.
All of this is way over the heads of we regular folk. What Peter will be presenting are tools—available for free and usable by non-linguists—that can help us, on a local church level to reach across language barriers. Peter worked with a PIU student to produce Bible storybooks in Mortlockese. He’ll walk you through the same process. He’ll not only help you reach across a major barrier­­, his track will help you pray for those who do this all the time.

3.       Kathy Merrell, my wife J, PIU Music Teacher, and former director of Coffee Break Women’s Ministry at CBC:
Under Kathy’s leadership, a thriving women’s ministry was established at CBC. Not only is it still going, but former Coffee Breaker-ers have started similar ministries around the world. As a pastor I can tell you, Covington Bible was a much better church because of Coffee Break. Ladies, this is a great opportunity to learn how you can be involved in reaching and teaching other women.

4.       Howard Merrell, PIU President and Pastor Emeritus of Covington (VA) Bible Church: I mentioned in the first paragraph that most of the progress made at the church I pastored was not a direct result of my ministry. Pastors/Leaders, I am convinced that one of the best ministries we can have is to foster an environment in which members of the Body of Christ can exercise their Spiritual gifts, in the educational ministries to which God has called them. Start a wave. We’ll include the Apostle Paul, and his disciple, Titus, in our conversation. The lessons of Titus 2 apply well beyond First-Century Crete. I invite Pastors, church leaders, and other change-agents to join us for a good conversation.
“You, speak the things which are fitting for sound instruction.^” (Titus 2:1, Lexham Bible)