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| A young Gary Smith |
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| Celebration of a life |
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| Lorie Courier leads the choir in song |
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| Ron Fuhrman offers the eulogy |
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| The Fellowship Team was amazing! |
Gathering...
Dying, Christ destroyed our death. Rising, Christ restored our life. Christ will come again in glory. As in baptism Jerry put on Christ, so in Christ may Gary be clothed with glory. Here and now, dear friends, we are God’s children. What we shall be has not yet been revealed; but we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Those who have this hope purify themselves as Christ is pure.
Greetings...
Friends, we have gathered here to praise God and to witness to our faith as we celebrate the life of Gary Smith. We come together in grief, acknowledging our human loss. May God grant us grace, that in pain we may find comfort, in sorrow hope, in death resurrection.
Hymn… “It is Well With My Soul,” #377
Prayer...
Eternal God, we praise You for the great company of all those who have finished their course in faith and now rest from their labor. We praise You for those dear to us whom we name in our hearts before You. Especially we praise You for Gary, whom You have graciously received into Your presence. To all of these, grant Your peace. Let perpetual light shine upon them; and help us so to believe where we have not seen, that Your presence may lead us through our years and bring us at last with them into the joy of Your home not made with human hands but eternal in the heavens; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
First Lesson… Revelation 21:1-7
St. Paul’s UMC chorus…“How Great Thou Art”
Psalm 23 (KJV)...
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Epistle Lesson… Romans 8:38-39
Eulogy… Ron Fuhrman
Commendation...
O God, all that You have given us is Yours. As first You gave Gary to us, now we give Gary back to You. Receive Gary into the arms of Your mercy. Raise Gary up with all Your people. Receive us also, and raise us into a new life. Help us so to love and serve You in this world so that we may enter into Your joy in the world to come. Amen.
Celebration of life video tribute... See this link
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