Barbara Howard

Funeral Service—July 13, 1988

Wollaston Church of the Nazarene

Organ Prelude Lambert Brandes

I AM the resurrection and the life saith the Lord; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die" Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Invocation (Lord you are here. Help us KNOW You in comfort and power. Amen)

Scripture Lesson : Psalm 27 Proverbs 31:10-31

[Music EH 75 Jesus, My Strength, My Hope- ]

Homily

Matthew 25:23 "Well done, Good and Faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

What people say about other people at their funerals does not change the fact that actions do speak louder than words. But it is altogether fitting that we consider the sterling qualities that have characterized the witness of Barbara Howard.

Summary

  1. A Woman of Transparency and Integrity. In her dealings she was straightforward. I have had disagreement (not many) with her; she didn't hide them and brood over them; and her honesty won the day.
  2. At the heart of integrity is faithfulness. The life of faith, if it is genuine, is expressed in faithfulness to God by the employment of talents, and by the quality of spirit with which the talents are employed.
  3. A love that had the quality of making us all "special," a welding, blending force in our community. A deep loyalty to Bob and Robbie and Steven and her Brigham family, as well as to us all, springing out of her abiding love for Jesus Christ.

Dear family: I commend to you those memories that are yours alone; the Barbara that you knew was special to you as family in ways that no one outside could know. You have every reason to be proud of her life, and of her crystal clear witness to faith in Jesus Christ. As long as you live her shining legacy faith will be yours.

I commend to you the love and strength of the church. This church here is a caring community of faith. Your home churches can and will be a means of grace to you in the days and months to come. I commend you to the mighty care of God. We will see Barbara Howard again.

Let us all live so that we, too, can die unashamed because by God's grace we have been faithful to the trust God has given us.

Closing Prayer:

  1. Worship. You do all things well.
  2. Thanks and praise for grace. The best of us needs the precious blood of Jesus; we are not saved by works.
  3. Praise for the clear witness of a life well lived.
  4. Petition for strength for those who mourn; for grace to fill the gapleft in church and community.
  5. For assurance just now, and thanks for that assurance.

[Hymn: WS53 O Jesus, I Have Promised] Benediction

Graveside Service

Psalm 121

I will lift mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper" the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, From henceforth blessed are the dead which die in the LORD: even so saith the Spirit; for they rest from their labors.

Committal

Forasmuch as it has pleased Almighty God to receive unto Himself the spirit of our departed sister, Barbara Howard , we tenderly commit her body to the earth, in sure and certain hope of the Return of our Lord, and the Resurrection of the dead, and of the life everlasting. As we have borne the image of the earthly, so we shall bear the image of the eternal and heavenly.

Benediction

The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up the light of His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Amen. (Amazing Grace)