Funeral for Bern Walker(3)

Call to Worship

Thank you for coming and celebrating the life of Bernard Walker. I think it is fitting that we are out here at Southerland in the open air as Bern was happiest outside. I believe it was his spiritual place. His best stories always included being out in God creation.

Genesis 1:20–21 CSB

Then God said, “Let the water swarm with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” So God created the large sea-creatures and every living creature that moves and swarms in the water, according to their kinds. He also created every winged creature according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

Bern was born on March 2, 1928 in Calgary. He was a quiet man when you first met him but that did not last long if you got to know him. He was never married but not for a lack of girlfriends. Whether they agreed to that title or not. He was a cattle farmer right across the road. But not buy design but because he was brought here with his family. He as a child started as a city boy but learned to farm. But as men we sometimes tell the world what we do as who we are. He was so much more than that. He loved fishing both up north and here locally whether the water was wet or solid. He was avid hunter and trapper. Both for fun and for need. He was a wood worker and made some beautiful pieces that some of us still have. He loved to Golf and 60 years ago got a hole in one. He took part in Archery meets. He decided after school at Glen Morris not to leave but stay on the farm and look after Maw. He helped anyone who asked for a hand whether neighbor, family or friend. He passed his love of the outdoors to anyone including our kids. He loved his many dogs and cats (green and orange only) he had and they are a part of our memory of Bern as well. He may have described himself as just a farmer but as you can hear he was so much more to all of us.

Let us pray

As we gather to remember before you today our brother, uncle and friend. God thank you for giving him to us to know and to love, as a example of your love here on earth. Please help us in our grief so we can remember the blessings Bern gave us in his life. Comfort us and give us strength to remember the love that Bern gave each of us and the many memories and the laughter that he brought to our lives, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

I would like to call up Wayne Wilson to share some stories of Bern.

Thank you Wayne

Sermon

As we reflect on the the long life of Bern we can be still be unprepared for the time that he is no longer in our presence. In that time we will face grief and will be lost because of our own loss. It is not easy considering that he was here for 96 years influencing peoples lives that whole time. I can only imagine the total affect that he has had on this earth in that length of time. But as your family can confirm it has had a lasting effect in your lives.

We have to remember that with that time we had with him, he was able to give us his knowledge and advice. That time was in a way a preperation for this time in our lives. We can now face any situation and be pretty sure what Bern would have said to us. Those words from him will flow to us as if he was standing right infront of us.

Our relationship with Bern moves from the external to the internal. That is a gift that a long life gives to us that are still left behind. It is not a relationship lost but one that has changed. We sometimes selfishly want things to stay exactly as they were but have to cope when they don’t. It takes time and work to change the way we deal with these changes and that applies to this change as well. Bern’s passing will be diffcult but he has prepared you for now. We have to take time to grieve him and take time to learn to live our lives with out his presence but he will talk to us in hear when we need it.

John 16: 7-10

John 16:7–10 CSB

Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment: About sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me;

Jesus also left this earth but promised the Holy Spirit would come to guide us as we walk this earth. We can have that relationship with him through the Holy Spirit. Wisdom and guidence for our life now and for our eternal life. Through the Holy Spirit, the disciples were empowered to spread God’s word through out the world changing it forever. We can have relationships with people that no longer are with us. We hear their wisdom in our minds as if they were with us. The same can happen with the Holy Spirit. He is our counsler and guidence through this life and next.

The family would like to offer time to anyone to share about Bern’s life or to add today your story of Bern.

Commital

For as much as it has please our Heavenly Father in his wisdom to take Bern to himself, We commit his body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, looking for the blessed hope returning of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. He will change our body and fashion it anew, in the likeness of his own glorious resurrected body. He will do this by his almight power and love by which he brings all things to him.

Benedition

Now may the Lord Jesus Christ be with you, For he came to bind up the brokenhearted, comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve. He has promised to grant you a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair, Go in his peace. Amen.

The family invites everyone to stay and visit and join us for a time of food and fellowship.