1969 Vashon Class Alumni Search

10/12/2024

“Here I Am! Send Me.”

The prophet Isaiah describes an incredible vision that God gave him in Isaiah 6. He saw the Lord on a throne with angelic beasts flying around crying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3 NIV)

An angelic being then came to Isaiah, took a burning coal and touched his mouth with it to show the removal of his guilt and the forgiveness of his sin. (Isaiah 6:7) That’s when Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” (Isaiah 6:8)

Isaiah responded willingly and said, “Here I am! Send me.”

When Jesus came to earth He had an effect on people similar to the one God had on Isaiah. Many people who came face to face with Jesus were forever changed. He forgave their sins, removed their guilt, and healed their bodies. And when Jesus called His disciples, they willingly followed Him. When He sent them out to minister, they promptly went.

And before ascending into heaven, Jesus said, “go into all the world and make disciples.” His desire was that as His disciples lived their lives, they would tell people about Him and teach others everything He said. (Matthew 28:18-20)

What does this mean for us?

God might call some of us to go out into different parts of the world, and He might call others to stay where they are and become teachers, leaders, pastors, mothers, fathers, creatives, business owners, farmers, and active members of their local communities.

So in what ways do you need to say “yes” to God’s call today? What daily opportunities do you have to tell people about Jesus? Regardless of what you do or who you are, each of us can say, “Here I am! Send me.”

07/11/2024

07/10/2024

Growing in Righteousness

Scripture is one of the most important aspects of our Christian spirituality.

God has chosen to speak to us through His Word. Rather than waiting around to hear the voice of God, we can turn to Scripture and hear God speaking to us.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us first and foremost that Scripture is God-breathed. This means that it is inspired by God. This makes Scripture unlike any other book. God divinely inspired human authors to write these letters.

More than that, Scripture has the power to radically change our lives if we read it and live it out. Paul tells us that Scripture is able to teach us, rebuke us, correct us, and train us in righteousness. All of these things are happening when we choose to engage in God’s Word.

When we read God’s Word, we should be attentive to what God is communicating to us. He may want to correct some of our behavior, convict us of choosing our own way instead of His, or teach us something about Himself.

All of these things are so that we can continue to live in a way that pleases God.

As we read Scripture and do what it says, we grow in living righteously. We are also equipped for the good works that God wants us to do.

Engaging with God’s Word is the primary way that God equips us for the life He planned for us.

What ways can you continue to build a habit of reading God’s Word every day? Consider how you can better live out what God’s Word says so that you can grow in righteousness and accomplish all God wants for you.

07/10/2024

This Teaching Clip made me think of how close we are to the end of time. Watch 2 Timothy 3:16-17 by WHHW:

This Verse of the Day (VOTD) teaching clip video was provided by WHHW and focuses on the Bible verse 2 Timothy 3:16-17. To learn more, please visit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8hmxmZq7HwS_-tSkNi_n9A?app=desktop

07/09/2024

Strong in Hope

Psalm 31 is a heartfelt prayer of King David, a man who experienced numerous trials and challenges throughout his life. It’s a powerful reminder that even in the darkest moments of our lives, God remains steadfast and faithful to those who seek Him.

In Psalm 31:21-22, David feels trapped. He recalls a time when he was in a city under siege, feeling cut off from God's sight, engulfed by feelings of despair and isolation. But David didn’t lose sight of God's character and faithfulness. He cried out to the Lord for mercy, and in response, God heard David's plea and extended His hand.

Have you ever felt trapped?

This passage is a reminder that God's love and mercy are never far away. When we call out to Him in earnest, He hears our cries and responds with compassion.

“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.”
Psalm 31:24 NIV

This verse is a rallying cry, an invitation to anchor our souls in the hope that comes from our relationship with God. But there are two things we have to remember about hope in the Lord.

First, hope isn’t just optimism. It’s a profound trust in His character and promises. It’s knowing that God is our ever-present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1) and that His love for us is steadfast and unchanging (Psalm 136:26). When we place our hope in God, we tap into a source of strength that transcends our circumstances.

Second, hope in the Lord is not passive, but active. It empowers us to face challenges head-on, knowing that we are not alone in our struggles. Our hope rests on the One who hears our cries and responds with love and mercy.

In times of distress, when we feel like we are cut off from God's sight, remember the wonders of His love displayed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Him, you’ll find the ultimate expression of God's unfailing love for us.

07/05/2024

Power, Love, and Discipline

One of the miracles of salvation is that when we have faith in Christ, God not only saves us—He also gives us the power to live according to His will for us. Your life in Christ is one that is empowered by the Holy Spirit living within you.

This is a great gift, but a big shift. It often takes time to change how we think and act. We may have bad habits that take hard work to correct, or patterns of thought that are challenging to break.

Thankfully, God promises to be with us and to empower us to make these changes in our life. When Paul is writing to his mentee Timothy, he encourages him to continue to develop the gift that God has given to him. While we are saved in an instant, it takes a lifetime to develop and work out what God is doing inside of us.

In 2 Timothy 1:7, Paul reminds Timothy that God’s Spirit does not give us fear or cowardice. Those things are tools of the devil who is trying to keep us from God. But the Spirit of God empowers us with confidence in Him. He gives us the power to live out the purposes of God in our life. This power is one that we need to continually remember as we face challenges.

The Spirit of God also empowers us to love others. It can be difficult to love people, especially those who may have hurt us. But God promises to give us His power and love so that we can be a light to everyone around us.

God’s Spirit also empowers us with self-discipline. We won’t experience spiritual change and growth if we don’t train and practice—but that takes time, dedication, and endurance. We need to be consistent in doing the things that God asks us to do, including reading God’s Word and talking to Him. Thankfully, when we belong to God, He helps us. He gives us the strength, stamina, and soundness of mind to build habits that help us become more like Him.

Today, take some time to talk with God. Ask Him to empower you by His Spirit towards power, love, and self-discipline. Consider how God is leading you to change the way you live. As you do that, remember that God doesn’t give us fear. He fills us with love because He wants us to experience a confident relationship with Him.

07/03/2024

Following the Way of Jesus

Discipleship is at the center of the Christian life. To be a disciple means to be a learner. It means following after Jesus, and patterning our life after His.

Jesus tells us that the starting point of following Him is to deny ourselves. Denying ourselves means we choose to put Jesus’ desires above our own. This means that we must come to recognize that we do not have all the answers, or know the right way to go through life.

Discipleship is not something we do once or twice. It is a lifestyle that must be lived out each and every day. We will spend our entire lives becoming more like Jesus.

The way of life Jesus modeled was to suffer on the cross. When we deny ourselves, we choose to humbly follow Jesus. And as we become more like Jesus, we will also need to take up our cross. We will also suffer for doing good, and for denying things that seem enticing in the moment, but ultimately keep us from God. When we bear our suffering, we represent Christ to those around us.

The paradox of following Jesus is that when we give up our life for His sake, we receive eternal life in return. When we hold onto our life and keep it from Jesus, we don’t get to experience the abundant life that He promises.

Take some time today to consider how you’re living a life of discipleship. Take inventory on the ways you are denying yourself and living for Christ, or living selfishly for your own pleasure and gain. Commit to following Jesus no matter how hard the path gets. And pray for strength and endurance as you follow Him.

06/06/2024

https://1drv.ms/w/s!Aqa9x8rpiRNNxSjI5c_uUGSrsTH2

06/06/2024

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06/05/2024

To All 1969 Working Team Members, your help is needed immediately to get our 55th Class Reunion on the road.

I know it's been a busy time for all of us but with the Lord in charge, we can do this. I'm trusting and believing that He has given us strength and power to see
this through.

Everything has been arranged concerning the deposits for the dance and hotel /banquet reservations.

The Volunteers for making calls and updating the mailing list are

Linda C. and Alice L.
Duties: add or removed information from existing mailing list and share updates with the volunteers in charged of the rosters.

We have a DJ for the Blue/White dance. Thank you , Walter W

Thanks be to the Lord, we have a Guest Speaker for the Banquet

Volunteers are needed at the Blue/White Dance to assist -

Working with Genies J to fill food and drink orders or serve

Working with Mary S with arranging tables and chairs in two rooms to accommodate everybody

Working with Glory S. to set up table/ wall decorations.

Working with Joyce H. to collect tickets and money at the door.

Volunteers are Needed For Meet/Greet registration roster
Duties: to greet classmates and guest, checking list for paid members and stamp the back of their hand to identify individuals who leave the room.

A Volunteer is needed to MC. The Meet/Greet and Banquet. I can help to create a lead sheet/program that you can use as a guide to follow. There will be music, games, give aways, prizes, a 50/50 raffle, and introduce the guest speaker.

Volunteer needed for Banquet registration roster-
Duties: Greet classmates, check roster for payments, give out class packet and wrist band to identify individuals who leave the room.

Administrative volunteer Help is needed to-
Finish up the announcement letter which Shirley and I are presently working on, which will be posted on media later today, preparation for tickets distribution, registration letters, class booklets, paid Meet&Greet and Banquet rosters, monitor donated items for gift bags. Most of the updates for listing needs to be done by next week for the class mailing.

Give me a call to schedule some time to work and meet on the admin info, it doesn't have to be on the weekend. My schedule will be centered around yours.

Thank you all in advance.

TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK!!!

SO LETS GO TEAM!!!

06/03/2024

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO “DRINK DAMNATION” ON OURSELVES?
Suppose that someone does drink “unworthily.” Suppose that someone carelessly eats the communion bread without repenting for abusive behavior towards other members of the body. What will happen? Will they be damned—lost eternally in hell, without any hope of forgiveness?
If we keep reading, the question answers itself. Paul writes,
29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment [krima; “damnation” KJV] on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged [i.e., examined] ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged [krinō] by the Lord, we are disciplined [paideuō] so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
Yes, this is a serious warning. No, we should not brazenly approach the Lord’s Table when we are sinning against others in the body. But the krima(“judgment” ESV, “damnation” KJV) that someone eats or drinks on himself is not automatic damnation to hell. It’s the judgment of the Lord’s paideia (discipline), which has our final salvation as its aim.
When the KJV was translated in 1611, the first sense of “damnation” was “condemnation” (OED). It could also be used of public disapproval or sentencing to hell, but notice that normally additional modifiers are needed, like “damnation of hell,” “eternal damnation,” and so on. Other texts in the KJV that use “damned” or “damnation” that are equally misunderstood include Romans 13:2 and 14:23. Language changes, which is why, as the Protestant Reformers understood, we need new translations to avoid unnecessary barriers to understanding God’s word.
The krima (“judgment” ESV, “damnation” KJV) that someone eats or drinks on himself is not automatic damnation to hell. It’s the judgment of the Lord’s paideia (discipline), which has our final salvation as its aim.
Reading 1 Corinthians 11 in light of Hebrews 12 is enlightening. In fact, I turn to Hebrews 12 more than any other passage in Scripture when counseling believers who lack assurance and struggle with anxiety over their spiritual “performance.” Hebrews 12 explains how believers should think about and respond to the Lord’s paideia (discipline):
“the Lord disciplines [paideuō] the one he loves” … God is treating you as sons. … he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
If we brazenly eat the body (the bread) while despising the body (church), God will discipline us. That discipline may be very painful. In Corinth, God allowed some to become physically ill: “That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died” (1 Cor. 11:30). But the purpose of this judgment is not our final damnation; it’s our final salvation! Paul plainly says, “when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world” (1 Cor. 11:32). To cite Wesley again, “ye eat and drink” (not ‘damnation:’ a vile mistranslating of the word, but) judgment, temporal judgment.”
Christians should examine their hearts before they come to the Lord’s Table and repent of any sin in their lives, especially towards other members of the church, so that they can avoid unpleasant discipline. But if they go to the Table and are disciplined by God, it is because God is trying to bring them to their senses. He does not want his disciplined sons and daughters to give up, he wants them to repent, stand up straight, be healed, and keep pressing on in their lifelong pursuit of holiness. Since God’s discipline means that he is a loving Father who is serious about our holiness, Hebrews 12 continues,
Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
Sadly, many believers have had the last part of Hebrews 12 pounded into them (“strive for holiness without which no one will see the Lord”) before they have ever understood the first part (God is a father who lovingly corrects, not casts out, his children when they stumble on the highway of holiness).
In light of this, hasten to the Lord’s Table! Come with joy! Receive the gift of God in the bread and wine! Join the church in its happy anticipation of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb! And if you are disciplined, remember that it comes from the hand of a loving Father who, like kind earthly fathers, disciplines his children (even the stubborn ones) for their good.

06/01/2024

Good Evening, for those of us who can attend Joyce's mom services. They will be held at
The House
303 N. Elizabeth Ave
Ferguson, Mo 63135
Date: Sat, June 8th

Wake - 10am
Funeral - 11am

Burial - Laura Hill;
Repast at the church following burial

Any Flowers sent to
William Harris Funeral Home
1645 Redman Ave.
St. Louis, Mo. 63138