“Short/Hedger” Family History

April16, 2013

“Short/Hedger” Family History
(Written to James as a response to his question on this...)

I thought I would write some of this for you while it was on my mind.

I think it's really great that you took the time and interest to look into some history about your grand pappy!  However, the response you received does not quite tell the whole story.  So, let me add my thoughts. 

Because of Bro Hedger's influence and impact on the Western District the concept of giving to Missions was taken up by those men of the Western district who had political influence on the national level.  I went to the same church Bro Theobald did in San Jose, CA. from 1964-1976 - I knew him personally.  Even though I received the gift of the Holy Ghost in Tulsa, OK, I was baptized by Pastor Voar Shoemake (First Pentecostal Church of San Jose, CA) in 1964.  Bro. Shoemake later became Foreign Missions Director of the UPC.  These men, along with Bro. Price and others had a lot of respect for Bro. Hedger and promoted his burden and ideas for Missions on a national level.

This is part of the on-going history of the Oneness Apostolic movement.  The fact is that you (James Short) have become a missionary.  This not because you are a grandson of Bro. Lorain Hedger; but, you are an extension of his burden of 50 years ago.

It might also be interesting for you to note some additional history.  Your grand pappy (Hedger) and Grandpa (Short) were both out of The First Apostolic Church (Tulsa, OK) from the 1940's.  This is where my family went to church when I was born.  Your Grandpa Short taught classes to young men there in the 40's.  Many of these men later became prominent leaders, preachers and missions.  Your grand pappy and Grandmother Hedger were converted and baptized in Jesus' name at his church by Elder C.P. Williams.   Your grand pappy received the gift of the Holy Ghost there on Jan. 10, 1949.  This is where Apostolic College began (also in the 40's).  L. Hedger taught "Old Testament Tabernacle" there in the early 50's.  I remember being on the porch where my family lived looking across the street at the Apostolic College campus when I was three years old.  My brother (Wayne Short) and sister (Belinda Short - who later became a missionary) went to this college.  All three of my siblings attended the First Apostolic Church school of course I was too young at the time.  I believe Sis. C.P. (Mary) William's burden and prayer for missions has impacted our whole family.  This is the same church your pastor (Bishop Gary L. Howard) was born and raised in.  It was also there (First Apostilic Church Tulsa - FACT) that I was the youth pastor when you were born in 1981.  This was after I married your mother (Rebecca B. Hedger in 1976) and after being youth leader in my father-in-law's church, (Pastor L. Hedger).   It was during this time (late 70's to early 80's) that we attended First Apostolic Church and I began "Youth for Truth" in Tulsa, "Spirit and Truth Publishing".  I also began writing "The Bible Study Guide" (1981) the year you were born.  Later, after we became members of the congregation founded and pastored by Pastor G. Howard in Tulsa, the youth group needed a name.  In a leadership meeting (mid 80's) we agreed to confer to them the "Youth for Truth" name.   It was during this same period of time that I was appointed administrative assistant to Pastor Howard and voted by the congregation to be a lifetime board member and secretary of New Life Pentecostal Church, Inc.   You, of course, received the gift of the Holy Ghost in this congregation when you were seven years old, became a part of "Youth for Truth" when you were twelve and began to assist the youth leader (Tim Pixler) before you graduated from New Life Christian School.  You graduated from NLCS and our local ExCELL (bible college training program through Texas Bible College) the same year.

Later, when NLPC began developing the "daughter work" concept the "home church" began to use "The Lighthouse Church" name (still NLPC, Inc. of which, almost 30 years later, I am still a board member).  In the early spring of 2010 Pastor Howard met with me with a Holy Ghost mandate and we agreed to start writing curriculum and restore the Apostolic College, which had been dormant for quite a time.  You were in the first classes.  In my class, “How to Study the Bible”, that we introduced “The Bible Study Guide”, when you received burden to be a missionary to the Philippines.   We had shown the material to Bishop Wheeler and he had asked me to instruct Bro. Bugay in its use with students in Manila Philippines at the Apostolic Missions to Asia College.  Pastor Howard approved of this and asked me to also use it in our first class in Apostolic College.  It was during these classes, fall of 2010, that you received you burden to become a missionary to the Philippines.

Your grandma Short (Alma Lucille Short) was visiting her older sister (Ona) while your grandpa (Henry Thurman Short) was in the army.  She was taught by her sister, received a revelation of the Truth, was baptized in Jesus’ name and received the gift of the Holy Ghost in Amarillo, TX in the early 40’s.  When my dad returned from Japan after his service in WW2 he quickly explored and experienced the same revelation, conversion and experience.  The previous cowboy, raised on ranches in Texas, married a farmer’s daughter in Hog Town – Desdemona, located in Eastland County east of Abilene in West Texas) and they became an Apostolic Family.  It was only a few years later when mom and dad moved to Tulsa and attended First Apostolic Church where I was born on Nov. 8, 1955.  Apostolic Pentecost is the only thing I have ever known.  It’s truly amazing how God has put all of our lives together.  I pray that God will be pleased with what we all do with the heritage He has given us!

 

Written by memory for all my boys, their families and all my grandchildren will love!

Stanley Clifton Short