Pins, Patterns, Peace
Sermon
Life Everlasting
The Essential Book of Funeral Resources
Object:
For an 81-year-old woman whose strong faith guided her decision to refuse dialysis
Pins, Patterns, Peace
Ecclesiastes 3:1-4; John 16:22
Old Testament scripture tells us that there is a time for every matter under heaven. It is said and has been verified that there is a time to be born and a time to die. A time to weep and a time to laugh. A time to rend and a time to sew. Lifting these words from out of Ecclesiastes, we can honestly say that these were some of the significant times that defined Margaret's life. Using a unique pattern, God created and, on July 4, 1919, breathed into Margaret, the gift of life.
The years passed and now Margaret has died. She has walked through the valley of the shadow of death. Yet, we all know and celebrate the good news that she feared no evil in that walk. As she walked in life with Christ, so also she walked through the valley of death's shadow with Christ. She faced her recent illness with utmost courage. With firm faith, she embarked upon the journey to the house not made with hands in the heavens. However, better than preparing herself, she prepared each of you for this day. Such preparation and openness about her approaching death is perhaps the deepest love and finest gift she could have given you. She didn't teach us how to die. Not at all. She showed us by significant illustration how best to fully live, even in the midst of deteriorating health.
There was in Margaret's life, as in all our lives, pain and tears. But with the time to weep, there was always the time to laugh. A time of joy and happiness. We will always remember Margaret's pleasant smile, her contagious gift of laughter, her exuberance of life. Hers was a life lived fully lifting the spirits and brightening the days of who we who knew her. Margaret's time with us was spent as a bookkeeper, a wife, a mother, an aunt, a grandmother, a homemaker, and a friend. She was an Eastern Star member for sixty-plus years. "Quite complete," we can say.
However, of all the times, of all her involvement and interests, perhaps the one that we must visit this afternoon is her time with pins and patterns. Margaret loved to make clothing. She cut cloth, pinned patterns, sewed stitches, and she touched your lives with her clothing. The fabric of her faith and the garment of her love even now enwraps you. Just as she knew the uniqueness of different needles and stitches, hems and threads, she saw each of you as unique. She gave special attention to each person in her life. She knew everyone's name. Seeing them we might say, "Special, as tailor-made."
Friends, gathering today is, without denial, a time of weeping. We say good-bye to one who was special, to one we deeply loved. Yet, as Jesus knew and taught, and as Margaret knew and taught, we will see each other again. "You have sorrow now," said Jesus, "but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:22 RSV).
As we look to my right, what we see is a collage of Margaret's life given to her by God. A bulletin board of pictures, pinned at random to its surface. Pins and patterns. Yet, for each of you, it all becomes a fabric of memories, stitched together by the thread of Margaret's love and life. As you view it, reflect upon it, recall, and remember. For each of you, this is the finest garment sewn by this one you loved. It's forever. The prints will not fade. The fabric will never wear out. This garment comes complete with the union label. The label of faith Margaret attached to her life and yours. The label of the union we have and share with God in the oneness of our faith and the community of Christ's church.
Let me conclude by saying that life may seem for you in these moments of your sorrow and grief, like a confusing mix of pins and patterns scattered across the tailor's table. But the tailor is present in our mind. The tailor is God. God's hand, in time, using the thread of love will remove the pins of pain and sew the separate pattern pieces together as one. Mending will occur, healing will be experienced, and Christ's peace, a lasting peace, will prevail in your lives once again. Thanks be to God for Margaret. Thanks be to God for the Christ who promises new life for we who believe. Thanks be for the community of faith which consoles and supports us in hours of need. May the strength of God sustain you, the peace of Christ console you, and the presence of the Holy Spirit mend your hearts, minds, and spirits. Amen.
Pins, Patterns, Peace
Ecclesiastes 3:1-4; John 16:22
Old Testament scripture tells us that there is a time for every matter under heaven. It is said and has been verified that there is a time to be born and a time to die. A time to weep and a time to laugh. A time to rend and a time to sew. Lifting these words from out of Ecclesiastes, we can honestly say that these were some of the significant times that defined Margaret's life. Using a unique pattern, God created and, on July 4, 1919, breathed into Margaret, the gift of life.
The years passed and now Margaret has died. She has walked through the valley of the shadow of death. Yet, we all know and celebrate the good news that she feared no evil in that walk. As she walked in life with Christ, so also she walked through the valley of death's shadow with Christ. She faced her recent illness with utmost courage. With firm faith, she embarked upon the journey to the house not made with hands in the heavens. However, better than preparing herself, she prepared each of you for this day. Such preparation and openness about her approaching death is perhaps the deepest love and finest gift she could have given you. She didn't teach us how to die. Not at all. She showed us by significant illustration how best to fully live, even in the midst of deteriorating health.
There was in Margaret's life, as in all our lives, pain and tears. But with the time to weep, there was always the time to laugh. A time of joy and happiness. We will always remember Margaret's pleasant smile, her contagious gift of laughter, her exuberance of life. Hers was a life lived fully lifting the spirits and brightening the days of who we who knew her. Margaret's time with us was spent as a bookkeeper, a wife, a mother, an aunt, a grandmother, a homemaker, and a friend. She was an Eastern Star member for sixty-plus years. "Quite complete," we can say.
However, of all the times, of all her involvement and interests, perhaps the one that we must visit this afternoon is her time with pins and patterns. Margaret loved to make clothing. She cut cloth, pinned patterns, sewed stitches, and she touched your lives with her clothing. The fabric of her faith and the garment of her love even now enwraps you. Just as she knew the uniqueness of different needles and stitches, hems and threads, she saw each of you as unique. She gave special attention to each person in her life. She knew everyone's name. Seeing them we might say, "Special, as tailor-made."
Friends, gathering today is, without denial, a time of weeping. We say good-bye to one who was special, to one we deeply loved. Yet, as Jesus knew and taught, and as Margaret knew and taught, we will see each other again. "You have sorrow now," said Jesus, "but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:22 RSV).
As we look to my right, what we see is a collage of Margaret's life given to her by God. A bulletin board of pictures, pinned at random to its surface. Pins and patterns. Yet, for each of you, it all becomes a fabric of memories, stitched together by the thread of Margaret's love and life. As you view it, reflect upon it, recall, and remember. For each of you, this is the finest garment sewn by this one you loved. It's forever. The prints will not fade. The fabric will never wear out. This garment comes complete with the union label. The label of faith Margaret attached to her life and yours. The label of the union we have and share with God in the oneness of our faith and the community of Christ's church.
Let me conclude by saying that life may seem for you in these moments of your sorrow and grief, like a confusing mix of pins and patterns scattered across the tailor's table. But the tailor is present in our mind. The tailor is God. God's hand, in time, using the thread of love will remove the pins of pain and sew the separate pattern pieces together as one. Mending will occur, healing will be experienced, and Christ's peace, a lasting peace, will prevail in your lives once again. Thanks be to God for Margaret. Thanks be to God for the Christ who promises new life for we who believe. Thanks be for the community of faith which consoles and supports us in hours of need. May the strength of God sustain you, the peace of Christ console you, and the presence of the Holy Spirit mend your hearts, minds, and spirits. Amen.
