Abraham answered God’s call to leave his home in Ur some 4,000 years ago, give or take. From the best that we can tell from the biblical account, there was not much reason for him to leave Ur. There is no indication of war or famine. As recognized by the great “faith chapter” of Hebrews 11, he left his home in answer to what can best be described as vague promises. Childless Abram would become Abraham and father a great nation. As Hebrews tells us, “[Abraham] obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” Abraham is profiled along with others in Hebrews 11. “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.”

The February FPU Board of Trustees meeting marked two years since we were briefed on plans to deal with the looming coronavirus should it be necessary. As we now hope to be leaving the darkness of pandemic behind us, we share a new crisis in Eastern Europe. We continue to deal with the challenges wrought by the pandemic. Everyone has had an individual journey. We must recognize that while we all share the last two years, we have also each lived an individualized path through these years.

We work at sorting out how to build and feed healthy communities, how work is re-shaped and how to re-engage people in constructive relationship. Many have put in extraordinary effort to keep things working. And I have nothing but praise for all those who adapted as guidelines have shifted at a dizzying pace keeping our mission firmly in sight. Our university survives. This is partly due to public assistance offered to many institutions around the country. This will run out. And we are left with new challenges to rebuild the enrollment necessary to support us into the future. The board devoted significant attention to recruitment, enrollment and budget at our recent meeting.

We step forward in faith and confidence. What we do here is ministry. How we do it continues to develop. And we have every reason to look, as did Abraham, into the distance and see the fruit of God’s promises waiting for us.

In this connection, we all know that Dr. Joe will leave us this summer for a well-earned retirement. Or, at least, he and Yvette will answer God’s next call for them. For the board, we are now fully engaged in the search to appoint a new president. A search committee that includes participation from faculty, administration, staff and students is working to identify the next person to lead our ministry. The full board will make the final appointment. Pray with us and for us. And pray for that person that will, for a time, steward us forward. Let us step with the faith of Abraham confident that God will, whether here or beyond, grant us that perfect rest.

Stay abreast of progress in the presidential search at this dedicated webpage: fresno.edu/president-search