January 14, 2009
Dear Brethren,
In the season of economic strains and uncertainty, you can imagine our appreciation for gift of generosity with which so many friends and alumni of HUGSR continue to bless us with. As the checks came in at the end of the year, we were so grateful to end 2008 within 6% of our goal. While it leaves us with 56% of the goal ($197,008) to raise by the end of June, we can continue with confidence in the Lord to provide.
We deeply appreciate your partnership with us in blessing the lives of many people through missionaries, preachers, youth ministers, teachers, and counselors who study here each week.
We do all that we can on this end to use these gifts wisely. Every student that recieves a scholarship grant goes through a process of application, evaluation by the Scholarship Committee and an annual evaluation. We want all recipients of these funds to be academically strong with a great promise for ministry. All but a handful also have major economic needs. Without these scholarships they simply could not afford to be in school. So, thank you for making it possible for a majority of our students to study the Word.
School began last week with a record of twenty-two new students and enrollment is good (over 180). Please keep us in your prayers. We have a very good Ministry Forum planned for March 19th from 3:00-8:30 p.m. Please come and visit the campus that day.
Have a great new year. Grace and peace,
Evertt W. Huffard, VP/Dean of Harding Graduate School of Religion