Funeral Service

On behalf of Anton, Chris, Hans, Peter, Maria, Tony, Andrius and Robbie, the 14 grandchildren and 9 great grand children, I would like to welcome you here today as we celebrate the life of their Dad Anton.

You know when you meet someone and they just make that impact on you. They are not like everyone else in that they have something that just makes you know they have life sorted.

On Friday evening I met such a man. He was in a bed in Olivedale clinic surrounded by his family, and as I took dad’s hand, I knew he had life sorted. As I spoke to him the Lord gave me a scripture, I would like to read that to you now:

1 Cor 5:1 (expand)

John 5:24.

Today we celebrate that dad had life sorted because he believed in Jesus Christ and he was on his way to the place that was prepared for him. And so today we celebrate. We are sad but we know that no better life could have been granted dad. No better way to pass over to eternity could have been given him. He had life sorted.

SONG

The gift that God gave this legend, is the God above all. We praise him now as we stand to sing Lord I lift Your Name on High

PRAYER

Father God, you alone are the God whose name we lift on high. Father as we come now to say thank you for the legend you gave us in our Dad, Grand Dad, Great Grand Dad and Friend, we thank you that Anna and Anton are celebrating together this day the life that you blessed them with. We celebrate with them father that Anton was a man of your name, He was a man who through you became the legend that you moulded him into readying him for that hour on Saturday morning. Father hold those who will miss him. Keep them and may their sadness be brief and their mourning founded simply on the fact that Anton and Dad will be missed, but Father we pray that we can smile with the fact that whgen it came to your will around this man, your word was fulfilled and your will in his life was done, just as it was with Jesus when Christ looked heavenward at his final hour and said father I have obeyed your every word, It is Done. For the family please grant them the peace that for Anton’s life it was done and done to completion.

Father, Your Word teaches us to “rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” Today as we come together as friends and family to weep and to grieve our loss, today is also a day to rejoice knowing that through Christ, dad has gone to be with You. We ask O Lord that You fill this house with the fragrance of faith, and Your Holy Spirit abide with us today providing peace and comfort beyond our realm of understanding to all those who mourn.

We commit this time to You. Have Your way in this place. We ask in the lovely name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, Amen.

ANTON

MESSAGE

Family and friends, thank you for coming today. As we find ourselves sitting here this afternoon reflecting on dad, granddad and great grandad’s life, our minds may race with a wide range of thoughts. Perhaps of how he touched your life, or something he said to you, or just remembering his laughter.

When I took your dads hand in the hospital I just knew that he was at absolute peace. Yes his tent on earth was being taken apart, but his home in heaven was ready. The kind of man I have heard about would not want anyone to be without the kind of peace he was blessed with.

A man with an incredible general knowledge, a man who kept his important papers in his “safe” in the couch, a man who just before he would have a wise comment or joke would not only have a smile on his lips but a smile in his eyes. A man who could not see very well but would listen intently to everything that was going on around him. .A man who had an incredible memory, b ut most importantly a man who simple loved people.

That same love of people is the very reason why I think I sensed that peace. He had done what God needed him to. He had accomplished all that was set out for him and as a result at the time when many would be terrified, he was at peace.

The process can best be described as looking through a window out into the garden. For many years we are able to enjoy our life and gain glimpses of what may be on the other side through the specled glass in our window. The day however comes when we need to leave the room of life and step through the doorway into our eternal garden.