The Women’s Ministries Department of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC) brought a generous offering of $50,117 to Emmanuel’s 75th Annual Vision 4 Education (formerly known as the Feast of Ingathering) on Friday, October 6, 2023.
Vision 4 Education represents years of commitment and hard work by the Women’s Ministries team to help provide scholarships for students to pursue a Christ-centered education at Emmanuel.
Emmanuel University President, Rev. Greg Hearn opened the ceremony by welcoming the ladies to campus and expressing his appreciation for their faithfulness.
Women’s Ministries Department Director, Whitney Davis shared why the event began in the 1940s and is still going strong today.
“For decades we’ve been here because we want to partner with you on what the Lord is doing…preparing young people to do his work on this earth,” she said. “We believe in you, we believe in the leadership of this school, we believe you are the revival generation which is why we don’t quit what we’re doing. We’re honored to be here.”
Joining Davis at the event were Tammy Porter (Appalachian Conference), Janice Marshburn (North Carolina Conference), Lynn Hood (South Carolina Conference), and Jan Evatt (Spirit Life Conference).
Emmanuel senior, Marissa Harman shared at the event how Emmanuel has filled a void in her heart and has helped her heal from the pain of her past.
“When I was asked today what Emmanuel has meant to me, the first thing that came to mind was family,” she said. “Emmanuel has helped me find a family. Coming here in 2020, I was broken and had a lot of hurt and bitterness that I had carried here with me. As I got connected with pastors, mentors, and friends, they helped me get into the right environments for spiritual growth.”
Opportunities through Emmanuel Impact, Singers, and Resound, gave Marissa a place where she felt she belonged.
“I had let the difficulties in my life define who I was,” she said. “I thought of myself as the girl with no parents, or the girl with so many problems, but coming to Emmanuel has helped me heal and get to a place of helping others who have struggled with similar situations.”
In February of 2022, Marissa remembers running to God and letting him take control over every aspect of her life.
“I can truly say that Emmanuel is a place where God is with Us,” she said. “He has shown his face upon me more than ever in the past three years. Emmanuel is not just a place where we come and get an education and move on with our lives past this point. Emmanuel is where we come to encounter God and build lasting relationships as well.”
President Hearn closed the event by sharing his hope for Emmanuel.
“I’ve noticed in our students this year an openness to hear God’s word, and they give me hope,” he said. “Hope for revival in this nation, and that it can start here. As you have given today, you have contributed to our ability to get the message of hope out in the world and to instill it in these students. So, thank you for being a part of our mission. Thank you for contributing to what we’re doing so that this world once again can find its hope in Jesus.”
