For the second time in a week, we have lost another sister. Phyllis Berry and passed away this week and her funeral is scheduled for Sunday at 1:00. I encourage everyone who can to go and support the Berry family as they mourn the lost of their loved one. I had the opportunity of meeting and knowing Phyllis. One of the things I will never forget is her and her husbands love for one another. Each of them would have done anything for each other. I pray that I will love my wife like that!
Isn't it interesting that the week of Phyllis' burial, we will be celebrating Christmas. Christmas is a time when Christians are to celebrate the birth of their Savior. Christmas, furthermore, would be pointless if it wasn't for Easter. The cross of Christ is the heart of Christianity. Without it, Christianity does not exists. Therefore, in the birth of Christ we celebrate the death of Christ.
Likewise, during the mourning over the loss of a loved one this time of year, we can rejoice because a Child was born who came to die for us so that we might live. And all who accept Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on our behalf will, in their death, live forevermore.
Keep the Berry family in prayer!
Showing posts with label funeral. Show all posts
Showing posts with label funeral. Show all posts
Friday, December 19, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Funeral for Hallie Pierce
Today, another member of our church, Hallie Pierce, has passed away. She has gone home to be with her Lord. Hallie was the first person I visited at the hospital and I have enjoyed the time that I got to spend with her. For the past week, I have either visited or called checking up on her and have see her deteriorate to her death. Her death has been stressful for her family and let us pray for her family as they mourn. They clearly loved her and were willing to do anything for her.
The one thing that Hallie wants most is for her family, friends, church family, and loved ones to be with her one day in heaven. Hallie loved Christ and want to spend the rest of eternity with both God and those that God had placed in her life. Therefore, at her funeral, we will, at the request of the family, we will be making the gospel the main theme of the services and we will even have an invitation at the end.
As a pastor, I could not be more pleased to see that in the midst of suffering and death and mourning, the family is pleading that we share the gospel with others. What a legacy! I can't think of a better way to honor Hallie. As Christians, let us want the same thing in our lives and in our death: the salvation of souls.
The one thing that Hallie wants most is for her family, friends, church family, and loved ones to be with her one day in heaven. Hallie loved Christ and want to spend the rest of eternity with both God and those that God had placed in her life. Therefore, at her funeral, we will, at the request of the family, we will be making the gospel the main theme of the services and we will even have an invitation at the end.
As a pastor, I could not be more pleased to see that in the midst of suffering and death and mourning, the family is pleading that we share the gospel with others. What a legacy! I can't think of a better way to honor Hallie. As Christians, let us want the same thing in our lives and in our death: the salvation of souls.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Funeral for Bessie Phillips
One of our members passed away this week. Her funeral will be held Saturday December 6, 2008 at Goshen Baptist Church and her burial will be at the church graveyard. Her husband had been a deacon and she served as the church clerk for decades. I encourage everyone to attend the funeral or the visitation (on Friday) and help the family during this time of morning.
As a new pastor, I do not know every member. There are many members who are shut-ins and are unable to attend church on a regular basis or at all. Recently, I have been able to visit and call many of them. Bessie was one of them.
I contacted her the Monday before Thanksgiving and we spoke for about 20 minutes on many things. I introduced myself, we talked about her health, her experience with the church for so many years, her work as a clerk, who I was, who my family was, where we were from, etc. I really enjoyed our conversation. I was eager to meet Mrs. Phillips.
The week came for my visit and at church it was brought to my attention that she was in the hospital. The next day I swung by and paid a visit. For the first time, and only time, I met Mrs. Phillips. She had been told that there was a good chance that she would get to go home the next day. Excited I sat down and we continued our conversation. She was such a blessing.
Before leaving, I prayed with Mrs. Phillips. I thanked God that he had allowed her to go home. Little did I know that within a few hours, she would go home, though not the home we had been talking about. God had called her home into His arms where she is to this day. As Christians we are to mourn the loss of a loved one but rejoice that she has returned to her heavenly home. We are not citizens of this world and Mrs. Phillips is walking the streets of gold. So though we mourn, we rejoice nonetheless.
I want to briefly reflect on the legacy that Mrs. Phillips will have in my life. I will be reading the Lord's Prayer at her funeral and the chairman of the deacons will be performing the funeral. A text that comes to mind to me is Jesus' prayer in the Garden just prior to his arrest. Why? Because it is there that we see Christ on His knees awaiting the sacrifice that would redeem many.
Likewise, I will always remember Mrs. Phillips as a woman of prayer. Why? Because whenever I asked if she would like to pray, her countenance chanced and she was eager to speak to her Lord. There was an eagerness there. Not just for health, but to be drawn into His presence. In the garden we are confronted with desperate prayer for God's Will and at the same time propitiation for sins. Mrs. Phillips has been forgiven and is in heaven with Her Lord because of the death and resurrection of Christ. And I will always remember her as a woman of prayer. What a legacy!
As a new pastor, I do not know every member. There are many members who are shut-ins and are unable to attend church on a regular basis or at all. Recently, I have been able to visit and call many of them. Bessie was one of them.
I contacted her the Monday before Thanksgiving and we spoke for about 20 minutes on many things. I introduced myself, we talked about her health, her experience with the church for so many years, her work as a clerk, who I was, who my family was, where we were from, etc. I really enjoyed our conversation. I was eager to meet Mrs. Phillips.
The week came for my visit and at church it was brought to my attention that she was in the hospital. The next day I swung by and paid a visit. For the first time, and only time, I met Mrs. Phillips. She had been told that there was a good chance that she would get to go home the next day. Excited I sat down and we continued our conversation. She was such a blessing.
Before leaving, I prayed with Mrs. Phillips. I thanked God that he had allowed her to go home. Little did I know that within a few hours, she would go home, though not the home we had been talking about. God had called her home into His arms where she is to this day. As Christians we are to mourn the loss of a loved one but rejoice that she has returned to her heavenly home. We are not citizens of this world and Mrs. Phillips is walking the streets of gold. So though we mourn, we rejoice nonetheless.
I want to briefly reflect on the legacy that Mrs. Phillips will have in my life. I will be reading the Lord's Prayer at her funeral and the chairman of the deacons will be performing the funeral. A text that comes to mind to me is Jesus' prayer in the Garden just prior to his arrest. Why? Because it is there that we see Christ on His knees awaiting the sacrifice that would redeem many.
Likewise, I will always remember Mrs. Phillips as a woman of prayer. Why? Because whenever I asked if she would like to pray, her countenance chanced and she was eager to speak to her Lord. There was an eagerness there. Not just for health, but to be drawn into His presence. In the garden we are confronted with desperate prayer for God's Will and at the same time propitiation for sins. Mrs. Phillips has been forgiven and is in heaven with Her Lord because of the death and resurrection of Christ. And I will always remember her as a woman of prayer. What a legacy!
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