Norman Copeland

1908-2000

Funeral Service - March 9, 2000 10:00 AM

Deware Funeral Home, Quincy, Massachusetts

Music Prelude

Opening Sentences - "I am the resurrection and the life..."

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. John 11:25,26

I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though this body be destroyed, yet I shall see God; whom I shall see for myself and mine eyes shall behold, and not as a stranger.- Job

For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For if we live, we live unto the Lord, and if we die, we die unto the Lord. Whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.- St. Paul

Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord; even so, saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labors. -John (Revelation)

Opening Prayer - Pastor James Fox

Hymn No. 92 - The Solid Rock

Scripture Lesson - Psalm 90 Pastor James Fox

Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.

For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up. In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth. For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.

The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Return, O Lord, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants. O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.

And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

(Place for music)

New Testament Lesson - Pastor Tom Waltermire (from I Corinthians 15 "Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead..." )

Sermon -Psalm 84 -

There are three beatitudes in this Psalm, and the three are all really just one. The Psalmist says:

I. IT IS A BLESSING TO BE AT HOME IN GOD

The first "Blessed" is (4) "Blessed are they that dwell in thy house." This beatitude is introduced in a humble sort of way; it begins by speaking of sparrows, little birds who make their home in the great temple. Jesus said that our Father God is so kind and so great and so loving that even sparrows do not escape His notice; and God's children are worth a great deal more than sparrows. It is good even to be a little sparrow in the household of faith. But then the Psalmist enlarges on the theme a little:

II. IT IS A BLESSING TO TAKE OUR STRENGTH FROM GOD

The second "Blessed" is (5) "Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee: in whose heart are the ways of them." It continues by saying

(6) They make the world just a little better for their passing through ["Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well..." The world is a better place because Norman Copeland lived his steady, unspectacular life, but being faithful in walking with his Lord.] The sparrow - Great God of us common folk. The world will take little note of this funeral, perhaps. But in God's eyes, so- called "common folk" are uncommonly precious. We are His children. He makes us the objects of His love.
(7) They go from strength to strength (Strength made perfect in weakness) [the years are heavy! they have not been easy! but God has provided what has been needed!]
(11) They find the reality of a God who desires only their very best. David summarizes

III. O LORD OF HOSTS, BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO TRUSTS IN YOU!

The steps of God's people are ordered by the Lord. . . . No good thing will he withhold... Like the old gospel song said, this Christian faith is: The Best for the living— and best for the dying— for all since the dawn of creation.. It drives away doubt and it never wears out— The best thing to have is salvation!

Prayer - The Lord's Prayer

Hymn - Amazing Grace

Benediction - Pastor McLain IF he can come . . or Russell Metcalfe

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.

Music Postlude

AT THE GRAVE

Psalm 23 - In Unison

Committal

Forasmuch as it has pleased Almighty God to receive unto Himself the spirit of our departed brother, Norman Copeland, we tenderly commit his body to the earth, in sure and certain hope of the triumphant Return of our Lord Jesus Christ, 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

Now the God of peace, that brought from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great Shepherd of the Sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen

Unison Singing: Last verse of The Solid Rock

"When He shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then in Him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the Throne.
On Christ the Solid Rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.