Service of Witness to the Resurrection For Marcia Ann Neuhart January 9, 1958 – November 26, 2022

Prelude The Love of God Carolyn Hamlin

Welcome

In the name of our Lord, I welcome those of you online and those gathered in person. We are here this afternoon to worship and give thanks to God for Marcia’s life, and to remind ourselves of the hope that is in Christ, who died and rose again.

The hymns we sing today are songs Marsha treasured as part of her worship and devotion to God. Please note that two hymn selections are found in the blue hymnal and one hymn is printed on an insert in your bulletin. If you are able, we invite you to stand and sing with us.

Scriptural Affirmations:

Listen to these words of hope and encouragement:

Psalm 124:8 “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

Psalm 46:1-2 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;”

Psalm 90:1-2 “Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”

John 11:25-26 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Please join me in the Call to Worship

Leader: Look! God’s dwelling is here with humankind. God dwells with us, and we are God’s people.

People: God will wipe away every tear from our eyes. Death will be no more.

There will be no more mourning, crying, or pain anymore.

Leader: The One on the throne proclaims, “Look, I’m making all things new!”

People: Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning, and the end.

All: Let us worship God!

Adapted from Revelation 21:3-6

Prayer of Invocation

Father in heaven, from whom all the families of the earth derive their name, pour your Holy Spirit upon us. Remind us that we are yours. Refresh us where we are discourage, and bless us as we worship and give thanks for Marsha’s precious life and time among us. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, amen.

*Hymn Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee Blue Hymnal #464

Old Testament Reading

Psalm 8

Margene Neuhart, sister-in-law

*Hymn Leaning on the Everlasting Arms See insert

New Testament Reading

Colossians 3:1-17

Jessica Neuhart, niece

Remembrances

Sue Bader, friend

Nancy Bowser, friend

Rebecca Neuhart, niece

Pastoral Meditation

Colossians 3:12-17 “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Today’s New Testament reading from Colossians reminds us that Holiness or transformation, or how a person’s life is changed from darkness to light, is a process, something we never completely attain in this life. Jerry Bridges

Spiritual transformation into Christlikeness is a wonderful process, whereby the Holy Spirit changes the inner world of a person in such a way that the person takes on the character of the inner being of Jesus.

Dallas Willard; Jan Johnson

St. Paul shows how mental and attitudinal conformity to Christ produces behavioral transformation.

Douglas J. Moo

But I want you to see how Paul shares both bad news and good news with the church. Colossians 3:5 describes how life without God is rather dismal. The list of vices and sinful habits are divided between sins of the flesh—or visible sins, and sins of the spirit that are internal and invisible.

Rest assured, I am not going to embark on some kind of sin management tirade.

First, the bad news: to put to death whatever is earthly because the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient.

To make matters worse, we were dead and unable to save ourselves.

Any effort to change our behavior without inner transformation is precisely what we see in the current shallowness of Western Christianity.

Dallas Willard; Jan Johnson

But Paul also shares good news with the church in Colossians 3:10 “and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.”

This is the miracle of grace and redemption.

God, who is rich in mercy sent his son to die as a sacrifice for our sin and for the sins of the world.

Col 3:11 “In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!”

God wants his people to become like Christ, for Christlikeness is the will of God for the people of God. John Stott

In all the years I knew Marsha, I saw someone who was in the process of being changed. By the grace of God she exhibited the presence and power of Christ in her life. He helped her to clothe herself with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

I had a dual role in my relationship with Marsha. First, she related to me as her pastor. Eventually, Marsha joined our staff and worked part time at the Front Desk and I got to know her at a different level.

I saw Christ shining through how she related to us, the visitors coming into the building, and the rest of the congregation.

I will always remember the day when Marsha and several of her friends (Sherry Minton, Stephanie Keene, Carole Jaggers, Sally Lim, Sue Bader, Sharon Wilson Woods, and others that we are forgetting, took Judith and me to lunch at what used to be called the Irish Pub on Sherman. I was months into my tenure as senior pastor— at that luncheon, we laughed shared stories and got to know each other. We felt welcomed and appreciated as the new clergy family at First Pres.

Several months later we reciprocated and invited Marsha and the entire group of ladies to our home for lunch after worship and we had a wonderful time watching them eat jerk chicken and other Jamaican foods.

Why am I telling you this story. I want you to understand that the process of spiritual Transformation into the image of Christ is the work of the Spirit in us through the fellowship of the Church.

Marsha’s life was transformed by the power of the Spirit and the power of her commitment to First Pres.

Her involvement in small groups, serving as a deacon (and the reception in Martha’s honor is hosted by the Deacons of our church) , and her love of God’s word helped her take off the old nature that was in rebellion to God and put on the new nature which is created after the image of God.

Whether you call it union with Christ, abiding in Christ, this is the key to Marsha’s life of faith, love and obedience.

We thank God for Marsha’s life.

Prayers of the People

With all the saints, let us pray to our Lord Jesus Christ who said, “I am the resurrection and the life.”

Lord, you consoled Martha and Mary in their distress; draw near to us who mourn for Marsha., and dry the tears of those who weep.

Hear us, Lord.

You wept at the grave of Lazarus, your friend; comfort us in our sorrow.

Hear us, Lord.

You raised the dead to life; give to N. eternal life.

Hear us, Lord.

You promised paradise to the repentant thief; bring Marsha to the joys of heaven.

Hear us, Lord.

Marsha was washed in baptism and anointed with the Holy Spirit; give her fellowship with all your saints.

Hear us, Lord.

Marsha was nourished at your table on earth; welcome her at your table in the heavenly kingdom.

Hear us, Lord.

Comfort us in our sorrows at the death of Marsha.; let our faith be our consolation, and eternal life our hope. Amen.

*Hymn My Hope is Built on Nothing Less Blue Hymnal #379

Remind people about reception:

Marcia’s family invites you to a reception in her honor in the dining room on the second floor of the church. As you exit the chapel, please turn right, take another right under the bridge to the Front desk. Once inside you can turn left and take the elevator, or turn right and take the steps to the second floor dining room.

Commendation

You only are immortal, the creator and maker of all. We are mortal, formed of the earth, and to earth shall we return. This you ordained when you created us, saying, “You are dust, and to dust you shall return.” All of us go down to the dust; yet even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Give rest, O Christ, to your servant with all your saints, where there is neither pain nor sorrow nor sighing, but life everlasting. Amen.

Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your daughter Marsha.

Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold

A lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming.

Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting Peace, and into the gracious company of the saints in light. Amen

Benediction

Go in Peace, And may the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, make you complete in everything good so that you may do God’s will, working among us that which is pleasing in God’s sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever!

Amen.

Postlude I Will Arise and Go to Jesus Don Hustad

*Please join us in singing songs and please stand if you are able.

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Service Participants

Senior Pastor: Rev. Dr. Raymond Hylton

Organist: Dr. Rebecca Chu

Ushers: Andrew and Wendy Griffin

Video Production: Jim Teague

Marcia’s family invites you to a reception in her honor in the dining room on the second floor of the church immediately following the service.

The family thanks the FPCE Deacons for hosting the reception.