James Lumpkin - July 15, 2024

Welcome & Gathering

Jesus said, I am the resurrection and I am life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, yet shall they live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.

Friends, we have gathered here to praise God and to witness to our faith as we celebrate the life of James Lumpkin. We come together in grief, acknowledging our human loss. May God grant us grace, that in pain we may find comfort, in sorrow….hope, in death….resurrection.

Pray

Music - Are ye Able

Pastoral Prayer

O God, who gave us birth, you are ever more ready to hear than we are to pray. You know our needs before we ask, and our ignorance in asking. Give to us now your grace, that as we shrink before the mystery of death, we may see the light of eternity. Speak to us once more your solemn message of life and of death. Help us to live as those who are prepared to die. And when our days here are accomplished, enable us to die as those who go forth to live, so that living or dying, our life may be in you, and that nothing in life or in death will be able to separate us from your great love in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Add prayer for family:

Amen.

Special Music - Softly and Tenderly

Celebration of Life

Obit

James Pitman Lumpkin was born on March 24, 1934, to John and Birdie Lumpkin in Alvord, Texas. He passed away on July 5, 2024, at the age of 90.

James moved to Conroe when he was 12 years old. It was then that he met Linnie Iola Henderson, and immediately knew that she was the one for him. James was a loving husband to Linnie for 61 years, before she passed away in 2016. He was also a loving father, grandfather, uncle, and friend. He enjoyed cooking for his family and friends, but also frequented many restaurants in town such as Kuntry Katfish for dinner a few times a week, El Tri for breakfast, and Incredible Pizza with his Tuesday night group.

Above all, James loved God and loved his church, First Methodist Conroe, at which he was a member for 78 years. He faithfully led his Sunday School class in worship and music every Sunday. The words of a friend sum James up perfectly: “James was one of the kindest souls I have ever been around. He radiated love and never met a stranger. I feel so blessed to have met and loved him. He was a very special man who was a walking example of God’s love. He spoke often of his family. He loved you deeply.”

James worked in sales his entire adult life, from Nabisco to office supplies, he was a natural born salesman. He found his niche in 1972 when he began working at Conroe Creosoting. For the next 25 years he built relationships with customers and coworkers alike, until the plant closed in 1997. It was then that he and Charline Muller opened Conroe Wood Products. He loved going to work each day. Had it not been for Linnie’s illness, he would probably still be working until this day.

James is survived by daughters Jamie Shaver and husband Kenny, Julie Lumpkin, Joni Corley and husband Matt; grandchildren Cory Shaver and wife Sally Ann, Kent Shaver and wife Kiah, Kurt Shaver and wife Nichole, Madison Whitfield, and Morgan Corley. Also surviving James are great grandchildren Corbin Shaver, Connor Shaver, Kylie Kamman, Kason Shaver, Kodi Grace Shaver, Kynlie Shaver, Brynn Kamman, Quinn Shaver, Kade Shaver, Kynnedi Shaver, Crew Shaver, and Kohen Shaver; brothers John Lumpkin and wife Tammie, Dell Ray Lumpkin and wife Bettie; sister Mary Anne Griffin; sisters-in law Mavis Lumpkin, Gloria Lumpkin, and Barbara Lumpkin. James is survived by many other loving nieces, nephews, and friends.

James was preceded in death by his father John, mother Birdie, wife Linnie, and brothers Durward, Frank, and Larry.

Madi Whitfield

Corbin Shaver

Kurt Shaver

Ashley Richter

Ben Gervais

Special Music - Why Me Lord

New Testament Reading

Matthew 7:12 NIV

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Pray.

Message of Hope

James Lumpkin

It is an honor to share today for this special man, a beloved husband, dad, friend, dedicated member of this church for 78 years, and most importantly a special child of God. I am grateful for the witnesses today from the family. We could talk for hours about the contributions that James made in this world. As I was praying about how to frame everything today, God helped me to see that James has already framed it for us…or God has framed it for James and thus for us. When I met with the family at his home, it was clear that there was some guiding principles from scripture that allowed James to see the world differently really than many people today.

The first is the golden rule.

Matthew 7:12 NIV

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

This is a biblical principle that transcends Christianity. I remember in a public elementary school we would repeat this every day. This is one of those Christian encouragements that have sort of been universally accepted. However, rarely emulated. We can take pieces of this and turn it into something more manageable. Pay attention to the passage….

“In everything”

“Do to others” …not some others. Not just friends or family, but the greek word for others is intentionally general and inclusive.

James did just that and then some.

Always cooking something for someone. Dropping food off for neighbors, friends, and family. This was a small way that he could tell someone he was thinking about them. Although, I hear one time when making pumpkin bread he delivered to his daughter only to realize when he got home, he forgot the pumpkin.

When James left this world…he was at the grocery store, ready to do it for one more person.

Giving rides to people to church. He had a way of seeing everyone, people on the margins. People that might be overlooked, and making them feel like a friend, an equal, someone to be cherished.

The second passage was bookmarked in all of his bibles, Psalm 103…

Psalm 103:1–5 NIV

Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Psalm 103 is a psalm of praise. James was a man of faith. He modeled what scholars would call the cruciform life. Michael Gorman describes it this way:

. . . conformity to the cross, to Christ crucified. Cruciformity is the ethical dimension of the theology of the cross found throughout the NT and the Christian tradition. Paradoxically, because the living Christ remains the crucified one, cruciformity is Spirit-enabled conformity to the indwelling crucified and resurrected Christ. It is the ministry of the living Christ, who reshapes all relationships and responsibilities to express the self-giving, life-giving love of God that was displayed on the cross. Although cruciformity often includes suffering, at its heart [it]—like the cross—is about faithfulness and love.

How does one live the way that James lived. It is not a button you push. It is not an effort based reality. Human protection and selfish tendecies do not allow for one to simply choose this. But it is Christ at work in one’s life. It is the joining to him. So even in difficult roads, like when Linnie got sick, he was by her side everyday for 7 years. The Psalmist is positioning himself in the love of God. Loved people love people. James, like the Psalmist, began his understanding of identity there.

His life was one that was marked by sacrifice and service because of his proximity to Jesus.

And because of his proximity to Jesus in this life. Jesus’ proximity to James is now with out any barrier which leads us to the last passage that James marked in all of his bibles, …

introduce this….Revelation 21

Revelation 21 NIV

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick. The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass. I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

This was the focus, telos, goal that brought James forward. And although as the family joked, Linnie is probably going to get on him for showing up so late to the party. That is where he is. We give thanks for this reality.

Special Music - How Great Thou Art

Benediction

Numbers 6:24–26 NIV

“ ‘ “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ’

Instructions for the graveside….

Graveside

A SERVICE OF COMMITTAL – James Lumpkin

July 15, 2024

Greeting

Listen, I will tell you a mystery!

We will not all die, but we will all be changed.

For this perishable body must put on imperishability,

and this mortal body must put on immortality.

Then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:

"Death has been swallowed up in victory."

"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"

But thanks be to God,

who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

(1 CORINTHIANS 15:51, 53, 54 b-55, 57)

The following prayer is offered:

Let us pray.

O God, you have ordered this wonderful world

and know all things in earth and in heaven.

Give us such faith that by day and by night,

at all times and in all places,

we may without fear commit ourselves

and those dear to us

to your never-failing love,

in this life and in the life to come. Amen.

Jesus said: "Very truly, I tell you,

unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,

it remains just a single grain;

but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

Those who love their life lose it,

and those who hate their life in this world

will keep it for eternal life.

Whoever serves me must follow me,

and where I am, there will my servant be also.

Whoever serves me, the Father will honor." (JOHN 12:24-26)

Commital

Standing at the head of the coffin and facing it (preferably casting earth upon it as it is lowered into the grave) the pastor says:

Almighty God,

into your hands we commend your son James,

in sure and certain hope of resurrection to eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

One or more of the following or other prayers is offered:

Eternal God, you have shared with us the life of James Lumpkin

Before he was ours, he is yours.

For all that James has given us to make us what we are,

for that of his which lives and grows in each of us,

and for his life that in your love will never end,

we give you thanks.

As now we offer James back into your arms,

comfort us in our loneliness,

strengthen us in our weakness,

and give us courage to face the future unafraid.

Draw those of us who remain in this life closer to one another,

make us faithful to serve one another,

and give us to know that peace and joy which is eternal life;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The pastor dismisses the people with the following or another blessing:

Now to the One who is able to keep you from falling,

and to make you stand without blemish

in the presence of God's glory with rejoicing,

to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord,

be glory, majesty, power, and authority,

before all time and now and forever. Amen. (JUDE 24-25, ALT.)