Grace Street Men,
More than 1.2 million Americans have died in defense of the freedoms we cherish today. Every soldier serving our nation is someone to whom we owe more than we can pay.
On this heels of our nation's celebration of Independence Day, it seemed right for us to hear from a marine Sgt. referred to by many as an "American hero."
The marine I am referring to is R.V. Burgin, my uncle Valton. Valton is a decorated WWII veteran, and author of "Islands of the Damned," a memoir of his experiences in the "Battle of Peleliu" during WWII.
He wrote the book, because he did not want people to forget the men who sacrificed their lives for a freedom we often take for granted. 6,500 men lost their lives there in a matter of 30 days. Ultimately the media shared this story in an HBO mini-series titled "The Pacific."
I spoke with my uncle recently, and he and his family hope to worship with us at Grace Street soon. At 96 years of age, he isn't able to speak like he used to at gatherings like this one, so I will be sharing clips from past speaking engagements, so that you can hear his story in his own voice. Then, we will take time to pray and to discuss the implications for our own lives.
As North Korea has once again rattled the world's cage with the firing of an ICBM on Independence Day, I can't imagine a topic more relevant and timely.
We start at 7:00 p.m. with a prayer and share time in the Lockwood Center - right after our meal. Then we will hear from R.V. Burgin and be finished by 8:00 p.m.
I hope you will join me there. Please pass this note along to any you know who aren't on this mailing list.
Jim Burgin
PS. Please pray for Eric, the son of Rodney and Rebecca, as he continues his journey with the marine corp. Also, please remember to say "Thank you" to our soldiers anywhere and anytime you can. Finally, as Tony Towns would remind us, let us also pray for our men and women in uniform around the world.
