A Funeral Service
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A Thanksgiving Eucharist in remembrance of The Reverend Caroline Heath Pearce October 17, 1944 – September 15, 2020 St John’s Anglican Church Halifax Street, Adelaide Thursday, 1st October, 2020 For the congregation The service in outline is as follows: We gather in the presence of God, and remember the person who has died. We listen and respond to the word of God, and proclaim the death and resurrection of Christ. We give thanks for the life now ended, and pray for those in need. We leave the deceased in God’s care, and we continue life’s journey. 2 PLACING OF SYMBOLS The Rev’d Dianne Schaeffer lights Caroline’s candle from the Easter Candle and places it on the coffin. Light immortal, you brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. May we, with Caroline and all the baptised, know the full light of your risen presence. Amen. The Rev’d Deirdre Ragless sprinkles the coffin with water. In the waters of baptism we died with Christ, and began to walk in newness of life. May we, with Caroline and all the baptised, be brought to the fulfilment of your eternal kingdom. Amen. William Pearce places Caroline’s Bible on the coffin. In life Caroline was nourished by the Word of God. May Christ greet us, with Caroline, saying: Come, blessed of my Father! Amen. Alison Pearce places a cross of Caroline’s on the coffin. Lord Jesus Christ, you bore our sins on the cross. May this cross be a sign to us of your love for Caroline and the forgiveness of her sins. Amen. Kazzia Kelly places a set of four stoles, which she made for Caroline’s ordination, on the coffin. Lord Jesus Christ, you called your burdened people to come to you and rest; to share your yoke and to learn from you. May these stoles be a sign to us of your faithful journey with Caroline in her ministry as a priest in your church. Amen. Mary Anne Sabine places the Guide ‘Gone Home’ symbol on the coffin. 3 GATHERING IN GOD’S NAME The minister greets the congregation. Grace and peace from the Lord be with you. And also with you. We have come together to thank God for the life of Caroline Heath Pearce, to mourn and honour her, to lay to rest her mortal body, and to support one another in grief. We face the certainty of our own death and judgement. Yet Christians believe that those who die in Christ share eternal life with him. Therefore in faith and hope we turn to God, who created and sustains us all. The cantors sing Jesus Christ is waiting, waiting in the streets: No one is his neighbour, all alone he eats. Listen, Lord Jesus, I am lonely too. Make me, friend or stranger, fit to wait on you. Jesus Christ is raging, raging in the streets, Where injustice spirals and real hope retreats. Listen, Lord Jesus, I am angry too. In the Kingdom's causes let me rage with you. Jesus Christ is healing, healing in the streets; Curing those who suffer, touching those he greets. Listen, Lord Jesus, I have pity too. Let my care be active, healing just like you. 4 Jesus Christ is dancing, dancing in the streets, Where each sign of hatred he, with love, defeats. Listen, Lord Jesus, I should triumph too. On suspicion's graveyard let me dance with you. Jesus Christ is calling, calling in the streets. 'Who will join my journey? I will guide their feet'. Listen, Lord Jesus, let my fears be few. Walk one step before me; I will follow you. TiS 665. Copyright ©1988 John Bell & Graham Maule The Iona Community ‘I am the resurrection and the life,’ says the Lord. ‘Those who believe in me, even though they die, yet will they live.’ John 11.25 Let us pray. Loving God, you alone are the source of life. May your life-giving Spirit flow through us, and fill us with compassion, one for another. In our sorrow give us the calm of your peace. Kindle our hope, and let our grief give way to joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Dorothy Newbold, The Rev’d Tracey Gracey, Rachel Pearce and Alison Pearce share reflections on Caroline’s life. A time for quiet reflection, with a hymn sung by Caroline’s grandson, Theo. THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD From Psalm 90 Lord, you have been our refuge: from one generation to another. Before the mountains were brought forth, or the earth and the world were born: from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 5 You turn us back to dust: and say ,‘Go back, you children of earth.’ For a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday when it is past: or like a watch in the night. You cut them off like a dream: and like the new grass of the morning. In the morning it springs up and flourishes: in the evening it is dried up and withered. When you are angry, all our days pass away: we bring our years to an end like a sigh. The span of our life is seventy years, or, if we have strength, perhaps eighty: yet the pride of our toil is but trouble and sorrow, for it passes away quickly and we are gone. Who knows the power of your wrath?: who knows your indignation like those who fear you? Teach us rightly to number our days: so that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. A reading from Paul’s Letter to the Philippians: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. For the word of the Lord, Thanks be to God. Philippians 4:4-7 We stand for the Gospel – The Reverend Dianne Schaeffer Alleluia! Alleluia! Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Alleluia! 6 The Lord be with you. And also with you. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew. Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.’ Matthew 5:1-12 For the Gospel of the Lord, Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ. The Sermon – The Reverend Sonya Paterson. From the Song of the Church (Te Deum Laudamus). You, Lord Christ, are the King of glory: the eternal Son of the Father. When you took our flesh to set us free: you humbly chose the Virgin’s womb. You overcame the sting of death: and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God’s right hand in glory: We believe that you will come to be our judge. 7 Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood: and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting. The Prayers – Archbishop Geoffrey Smith. THE GREETING OF PEACE We stand as we are able. We are the body of Christ. His Spirit is with us. The peace of the Lord be always be with you. And also with you. Staying in our places, we exchange signs of peace with people nearby. THE GREAT THANKSGIVING The Lord be with you And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of heaven and earth, giver of life, and conqueror of death. By his death on the cross, your Son Jesus Christ offered the one true sacrifice for sin, breaking the power of evil and putting death to flight. With all your saints we give you thanks and praise. Through his resurrection from the dead you have given us new birth into a living hope, 8 into an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. With all your saints we give you thanks and praise. The joy of resurrection fills the universe, and so we join with angels and archangels, with Caroline and all your faithful people, evermore praising you and singing, Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.