The Funeral Service
Opening
I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.
For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, because we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal
Invocation
O Eternal God, our Father, from whom we come and to whom we go, grant us the favor of Your divine presence at this time in our earthly pilgrimage; assure us by Your Holy Spirit that the one we serve, even Jesus, has conquered death and is alive forevermore; enable us to view our temporal lives in the light of the eternal; and so may our spirits grow calm and our vision clear. Through Christ we pray. Amen.
Introduction
1. Our Tribute - Commemorate
A. To pay tribute: We have come to honor a life well lived, a life that has touched many and served even more, high tribute to have served Jesus Christ
B. Obituary:
D. Poem - What Must it Be Like?
What must it be like to step on shore, and find it - heaven;
To take hold of a hand, and find it - God’s
To breathe new air, and find it - celestial;
To feel invigorated, and find it - immortality;
To rise from the care, the loneliness, and the turmoil of earth
Into an unbroken calm;
and find it - glory?
Psalm 121
I lift my eyes up to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed He who watches over you will not slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you - the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
2. To comfort: Though we are assured that Sylvia is with Jesus, she leaves a vacancy that no one can replace, a gap in our lives,
A. Meditation: John 14:1-6
1. Peace is promised: Jesus promises to the faithful that they will have peace, peace that surpasses all understanding, many times in life human understanding fails us, we can not see as God sees, trust in Jesus He gives us perfect peace, peace in the midst of our deepest pain, peace in the midst of our grief, Jesus brings peace that is a new security, knowledge that he is watching over us and protecting us, Sylvia had this peace
2. Place is prepared: God created the earth in six days, Jesus has been preparing our place for two thousand years, heaven is a fantastic place, house with many rooms, place of splendor - glory of Jesus with shine and light everything, not even a shadow exists there, place that is happy - Jesus is the center of heaven and the praises ring to him, the joy shall never end. place of inhabitants - heaven is not empty it is filled with people, saints of old and clouds of witnesses who were faithful ages ago, friends and loved ones will be reunited, place where Jesus is - one of the most important and comforting thoughts of heaven is the fact that Jesus is there, today Sylvia is with Jesus
3. Pathway provided: Everyone wants to go to heaven, we can go there but must be God’s way, we can not get there by any other means, Jesus is the way, God provided Jesus to know the way, show the way and go the way, all we have to do is follow Him and he will lead us home, this world this place is not our home we are just passing through, travelers on our way to a greater home, Sylvia has gone home, we can be with her again if we know the way home, Jesus can and will show you the way if you let him
B. Prayer
Let us pray
O Lord, our Lord, we come into your presence this day to mourn the passing of Syliva Hill Barker, Mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister and sister in Christ. We also come to celebrate a life well lived, a life that served you and followed your leading. We come to be comforted in our sorrow and pray that your spirit would cover us with peace that passes understanding. We know that just as you walked with Sylvia throughout her entire life; you are walking with her now in her new home her true heavenly home. Grant us now strength and courage to face the new challenges and demands that await us. Be with all of the family and give them a new sense of your comfort and peace, be with the friends and give them a extra source of your love and understanding. Be with our community as our sister in Christ has moved on to her higher calling and allow us to never forget the contributions and efforts that Sylvia made on your behalf in this world. In the name of our Lord, Jesus the Christ. Amen
