Remembering Stanley Hurlston

Sunday night several staff members and friends gathered to eat at a Chinese buffet (one of Stanley’s favorites) and toast his memory with ginger beer. As stories, both humorous and moving, were shared a few themes emerged. It has been said that we are what we love; Stanley loved God and people well and those loves shaped our dear friend and co-worker. Below are a few of our memories. 

Stanley loved Jesus

Stanley’s Bible, along with several devotion books were by his bed, and those who knew him well could attest to the fact that he daily spent time in God’s word. He was eager to learn more and to grow. When we read the book The Possibility of Prayer together as a staff team, he came in with his copy underlined and full of notes and questions in the margins. He was quick to join in prayer, to sing and clap in worship. Most Sundays he sat through two Waypoint worship services and one with Miracle’s House! 

Stanley loved his neighbor

From the kids at the preschool who are going to miss visiting with Mr. Stanley, to those who served alongside him at both Waypoint and Miracle’s House, to those who he helped as a leader in AA, to the countless number of people that he served in our community, Stanley truly took seriously the call to sacrificially love those placed in his life. 

Stanley loved order

Stanley often said, “God is a God of order.” He did his job as Facilities Manager with excellence and joy, going above and beyond in maintenance and so much background work that kept the church running. He didn’t like for things to be wasted or out of place, he was meticulous, and he had an eye for spotting what needed to be fixed, and more often than not, he was the one to fix it. He did all of this because he wanted to make sure the church building was always a welcoming and comfortable place for everyone who entered.

Stanley loved to laugh

Stanley wasn’t bitter or hardened by the painful things he experienced and the darkness he had seen in the world. He was playful and funny, always saying something off the wall, and occasionally it was hard to know when he was joking or being serious! He blasted music and loved to stick around for any party. He knew how to have fun. 

There is so much more we could say, but for now it is enough to say he fought the good fight, he finished the race, he kept the faith. He is with his Savior. He will be missed. We will see him again. We praise God for his life!