Good Morning!
Prayer
Grace us with Your presence Lord as You have done all year!
Let the words of my mouth and the dedication of my heart
Be acceptable to you, O Lord, my Strength, and my Redeemer – Psalm 19:14
We started this year focused on a theme –
“Our Hope is in Him” - Psalm 25:4-5
“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God, My Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”
A lot has happened since we first gathered in here on August 24.
We’ve had celebrations and sorrows
Good memories that will last a lifetime and things we are happy to leave far behind
The pages of our lives get filled everyday with something.
Once again the yearbook is really good this year – thank you Ms. Young and the Yearbook staff!
When the year started, it was many blank pages, but the events of the year filled them along the way.
I’ve been thinking a lot about what to say to you on this last day of school. For most of you, you will be back next year. For our seniors and some other students, your time at Orange Lutheran is coming to a close.
Coming to a close, but not the end. We want you to be Lancers for Life. We hope this experience stays with you for the rest of your life.
I hope you can see that the high school experience here at Orange Lutheran is more than just the here and now. We want each of you to own your relationship with Jesus.
Whether you are here or not the thing that is important is you believe that the story of Jesus – His life, death, and resurrection – is not just something we talked about – but it is true.
Jesus is real – He did come into the world – He did live – He did die – and He did rise again on the third day. He lives today, and He will come again.
No doubt about it.
And a relationship with him changes everything
It changes how you think
It changes how you feel
It changes how you live
And it changes how your life ends
There is not a teacher or staff member here that does not want you to be with Jesus forever. Never forget that. We tried to provide an environment where you felt loved and cared for.
As Mrs. Smith shared that the other day – we don’t turn off our care after school or on weekends – we won’t turn off our care this summer.
We care because we never want you to lose hope.
A couple of years ago Mr. Grasz told a story about a former student who had come back to campus who had lost hope…
This young person had been to a hospital and a church, and then came to Orange Lutheran. This person had been kicked out of the house by each parent (separate homes) and struggled with a step-parent as well. The alumnus had lost hope and took a high number of pills in a third attempt at suicide.
Repeatedly this person indicated all they wanted was to feel loved and accepted. Rather than get help at the hospital or church, this person came to a place of refuge, where there was unconditional acceptance, help, and love.
Instrumental in helping this person get immediate professional assistance were several people: One of our security people was the first person who gained this person's confidence, then a teacher this person wanted to see because of the trust and relationship established, our success center contacted the With Hope foundation and connected this student with a support system to ensure appropriate care happened and made sure there was follow through, a trainer provided support to assess the immediate medical danger in a professional and compassionate manner, Pastor Detviler was present providing support and a connection for follow up care. The entire Success Center team was able to manage this to allow this person privacy in a time of crisis so this didn't become "just another drama."
By returning to Orange Lutheran, this person was reminded the answers don't lie in pills or astrology charts, but our Hope is secure in Christ Jesus!
Mr. Grasz added to think that the next time you sing the Alma Mater (after a football game, in Chapel, or whenever) remember the truth of the line: "May your campus be a refuge to all along the way."
We will always be here for you.
Some very special teachers and staff will be going on to different places
Mrs. Jane Besch and Mr. Steve Harder
Two of our staff members will also be leaving us
Mrs. Sara Fessenden and Mr. Nathan Masters
No matter where we end up though you will always be connected by the cross
It is in the cross we find all we need.
That empty cross gives us hope.
You and I have a God who loves us more than anything – that longs for a relationship with us. He searches for us – wanting to bring us back to Him.
There is a story about a poor woman in Brazil who had a beautiful daughter. The woman knew that one day her daughter would leave their small village and go try and make a better life in Rio de Janiero.
One day she came home and there was a note on the table that said I have gone to Rio de Janiero to make a better life. The woman knew what would happen. She took every dime she had and went to a local photo shop and spent much of her money making pictures of herself. Then she spent months and went to every club, every restaurant, every hotel in RdJ searching for her daughter. At every stop she left a picture of herself.
When she money ran out she went home.
One night her daughter was coming down the steps of a hotel and she was with a man. You see, over time she had become a prostitute. As she went down the stairs she passed a mirror. She noticed she looked like she had aged 15 years.
Then she saw something familiar. It was her mother’s picture. She grabbed it and looked at and then she turned it over.
On the backside was written these words…
I don’t care what you have become
I don’t care what you have done
Please come home.
As you leave here I want you to remember these words.
I don’t care what you have become
I don’t care what you have done
Please come home.
I have learned a lot over the years about the doctrines of the church
but as I view the New Testament I hear God saying these words…
I don’t care what you have become
I don’t care what you have done
My Son has paid for it all on the cross
Now come home.
Some of us are daily ruining our lives, some of us have scars from what we have done, we all have stuff we wish we hadn’t done – but never forget…
We serve a living God – who sent us a living Savior – and He calls all men and women to Himself – no matter what we have done – and those who come back He will no ever cast the out.
He is such a savior
He is mighty to save
And I pray that you will never let anything come between you and the one true God
Chris Tomlin has a new song, "Our God", that has the following chorus...
"Our God is greater, Our God is stronger, Our God is higher than any other, Our God is healer, awesome in power."
He is bigger than anything you will ever face. You can bank on that!
So, we will close this year, just as we opened it in August.
In the name of the Father
Son
And Holy Spirit.
May God bless us and keep us all safe during these summer months.
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