A SERVICE OF DEATH AND RESURRECTION for McCrae “Mickey” John Hower

GATHERING

Dying, Christ destroyed our death.

Rising, Christ restored our life.

Christ will come again in glory.

As in baptism MIckey put on Christ,

    so in Christ may Mick be clothed with glory.

Here and now, dear friends, we are God's children.

What we shall be has not yet been revealed; 

   but we know that when he appears, we shall be like him,

    for we shall see him as he is.

Those who have this hope purify themselves

    as Christ is pure.

THE WORD OF GRACE

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.

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

I died, and behold I am alive for evermore,

    and I hold the keys of hell and death.

Because I live, you shall live also.

GREETING

Friends, we have gathered here to praise God

    and to witness to our faith as we celebrate the life of Mcrae “Mickey” John Hower .

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.

PRAYER *

Let us pray.

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. Amen.

PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE

OLD TESTAMENT LESSON

Isaiah 40:1–8, 28-31 (NLT)

1 “Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God. 2 “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. Tell her that her sad days are gone and her sins are pardoned. Yes, the Lord has punished her twice over for all her sins.” 3 Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! 4 Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places. 5 Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken!” 6 A voice said, “Shout!” I asked, “What should I shout?” “Shout that people are like the grass. Their beauty fades as quickly as the flowers in a field. 7 The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the Lord. And so it is with people. 8 The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever”…

28 Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. 29 He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. 30 Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. 31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

NEW TESTAMENT LESSON

Revelation 21:1–7 (NLT)

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” 5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” 6 And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. 7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.

GOSPEL LESSON*

Selections from John 11 (NLT)

1 A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. 2 This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. 3 So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.” 4 But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this”…

20 When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.” 23 Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 “Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.” 25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God”…

32 When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. 34 “Where have you put him?” he asked them. They told him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Then Jesus wept…

38 Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. 39 “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.” 40 Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” 41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” 43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”

SERMON

What a powerful message we receive from this Gospel reading in John.

Did you catch what it said there two-thirds of the way through the reading?

It said, “When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within Him, and He was deeply troubled.

Jesus wasn’t angry at Martha or Mary for questioning him…

He wasn’t angry at the people there for crying and wailing…

After all, it says that Jesus himself was weeping…

The anger that welled up in Jesus came from his own grief…

He had lost a dear friend…someone whom he loved as a brother or a cousin…someone close to him…

He was witnessing the pain it was causing Lazarus’ sisters Martha and Mary…whom he also loved…

He was witnessing the pain it was causing Lazarus’ family and friends…

And, again, he was experiencing the pain that it was causing him…

AND HE GOT ANGRY…

Anger is a part of the grieving process.

It’s natural for us to go through these different stages of grief…

To be in denial of the death of a loved one…

To get angry that they died…

angry with the person,

angry with others,

angry with God.

To find ourselves bargaining with God to have things return back to the way they were.

To find ourselves utterly and totally depressed

And, hopefully, we eventually get to a place of acceptance and peace…

Jesus was angry and he began to weep.

His friend’s death was sudden and not expected.

It wasn’t a part of Jesus’ plan.

Rather, Lazarus suddenly fell ill and, as a result, died.

Yes, Jesus knew that Lazarus would live again, but that still didn’t erase the feeling of finality that we all experience in death.

What a powerful message for us this today because, though we wish we weren’t

We find ourselves in a similar situation as Jesus was in.

Someone dear to you, someone you loved and you knew intimately…

Someone who loved you back and who supported you and filled your souls with joy…

Someone who you were invested in and who was invested back in you...

Has passed on from this life and...

Here…we…are…

Grieving the loss of Mickey…our beloved Mick…

Grieving what once was…

Kinship, friendship, loving relationship…

Here we are grieving what once was but is seemingly no longer.

Sadly, I never got to know MIck, though I understand he…

Was a man with a sense of humor who loved nicknames…

and loved his family and friends immensely.

You, on the other hand, did know him

and loved him fiercely with your hearts.

So, in celebrating the life of

McCrae "Mickey" John Hower,

we honor a man whose presence brought joy

and warmth to those around him.

Born on December 13, 1953,

Mickey's journey came to a close on August 9, 2024.

From a young age,

he was the embodiment

of adventure and independence.

As a teenager, he drove a tractor for a local farmer,

showcasing his strong work ethic and love for the outdoors.

Mickey's passion for cars and unique vehicles

reflected his vibrant personality.

His sharp mind was evident

In his love for mechanics

and his impressive mathematical skills—

effortlessly performing metric conversions and ratios.

I also heard that Mick’s favorite number was 13…

Consequently my favorite number because I was born on the 13th.

So, a kindred spirit there…lucky number 13!

A member of the Blue Mountain Rod and Gun Club,

Mickey was known for his accuracy in the monthly Block Shoots.

His enthusiasm for outdoor activities was matched by his love for cooking.

In the kitchen, he was an experimenter,

crafting meals that were never the same.

Known for making large batches,

he spread joy through his culinary creations!

But beware, he was know for often adding a delightful? tinge of spice.

Unapologetically unconventional,

Mickey embodied a rebellious spirit,

challenging norms and expectations.

Despite moments of impatience,

his loyalty and willingness to help others defined him as a cherished friend.

His rebellious nature never overshadowed the genuine care he had for those around him.

Mickey's love for his family,

especially his daughter Carly,

was immense.

He had a special nickname for everyone,

including his sister Cheryl,

affectionately called "Charlie."

and of course he always referred to Carly as “kiddo.”

His life was a tapestry of loving relationships that extended beyond bloodlines,

embracing all who crossed his path.

Though baptized and confirmed,

Mickey's life was characterized more by his actions and the love he shared than by religious observance.

Known simply as Mickey or Mick,

his name became synonymous with warmth, generosity, and a zest for life.

One thing I am sure of is that Mick loved his family and he loved his friends…

And he didn’t just love his friends and family…no….

he was very much loved by all of you too.

As you all can attest to, Mickey was a caring and compassionate man.

He knew what it meant to love and sacrifice for his family…for his friends.

He knew what it meant to show love to people who were outside of his family…

And friends, while I can’t speak to any individual’s religious beliefs,

I can say without uncertainty

that God knows Mack’s beautiful and loving heart!

I can also tell he loved life!

I mean, his love of auto-mechanics, motorcycles, cool and unique cars, and shooting stuff…

He loved the simple life and new how to have fun!

Ah but he didn’t just love his guns and the simple pleasures of shooting them,

but he knew the mechanics of his guns inside and out…

showing his active, intelligent and intuitive mind.

And MIckey knew that the lines of family were not merely defined by one’s bloodline.

That much I could gather by talking to Cheryl and Carly.

In short, as much as you loved sharing in his life,

Mick loved sharing in your lives as well.

He loved life and, no doubt, he was ready to experience more of it…

I can only imagine he had more life she had hoped to live and yet her/his life came to an all to early end.

So many hopes and expectations…gone…

Yes, friends, we are grieving the loss of Mickey today.

So, acknowledging our grief, what a powerful message for us this evening

because we believe in a God who is not only with us in our grief,

but we believe in a God who has experienced grief…

Who knew the pain of losing a father…

Who knew the pain of losing his best friend…

Who knew the pain of living life in the day-to-day struggle of coping with loss and despair…

Who knew the pain of losing his own life…

and the grief that one goes through in their own journey toward death.

Understand this, when I say that God is with you all in this time of grief, I’m not blowing smoke…

For our God IS WITH US and, more importantly,

our God knows what grief is all about…

what it means to be in denial,

to be angry,

to bargain with God in the darkness of the garden,

to be depressed and in despair...

What’s more, our Lord knows how to lead us to a place of acceptance…

to a place of JOY and to a place of the PEACE that passes all understanding.

What is important to remember is that, while we no longer can see MIckey face-to-face…while we can no longer share in conversation with him/her…

All that he meant to us,

the legacy of love he built up in her/his life and shared with you,

can be lived into and embraced.

The best way to honor the people we love, is by showing the love we had for them to each other, and to others…

That our love for those we no longer see grows to include those around us and those beyond our reach.

Humanly speaking, our legacy of love is always complicated…none of us are perfect…but it is LOVE nonetheless and, if we open ourselves up to Christ, we will be perfected in LOVE.

My friends, Jesus Christ did not come to establish a new religion, but to establish God’s Kingdom…and to establish LOVE as the law…

If we build our lives around LOVE, and if we live our lives in LOVE…

We will honor those who came before us and inspire all who follow us…

We will truly find ourselves at peace and filled with purpose.

Let us honor Mick in such a way…

And to do so TRULY honors God…for God is LOVE…

Let us honor Mickey, live each moment in LOVE, and look forward with HOPE and JOY

For I, like the author of the book of Revelation, firmly believe that:

God is making all things new.

That God will one day wipe the tears from our eyes.

That one day there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.

That one day we will be in the fullness of God’s presence with the ones we love…

That we will see each other and God face-to-face…

And that we will all know that we are God’s children,

LOVED, embraced, and included in God’s Kingdom. Amen.

REMEMBERING MICK

It is at this time that I would like to invite any family members first, followed by friends, to come up and share a brief memory or two of Mick and wha he meant to you.

COMMENDATION

 PRAYERS *

God of us all, your love never ends.

When all else fails, you still are God.

We pray to you for one another in our need,

   and for all, anywhere, who mourn with us this day.

To those who doubt, give light;

   to those who are weak, strength;

   to all who have sinned, mercy;

   to all who sorrow, your peace.

Keep true in us

   the love with which we hold one another.

In all our ways we trust you.

And to you,

   with your Church on earth and in heaven,

   we offer honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

O God, all that you have given us is yours.

As first you gave Mick to us,

   now we give Mick back to you.

Here the pastor, with others, standing near the coffin or urn, may lay hands on it, continuing:

Receive Mickey into the arms of your mercy.

Raise Mick  up with all your people.

Receive us also, and raise us into a new life.

Help us so to love and serve you in this world

   that we may enter into your joy in the world to come.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING *

God of love, we thank you

   for all with which you have blessed us

    even to this day:

for the gift of joy in days of health and strength

   and for the gifts of your abiding presence and promise

    in days of pain and grief.

We praise you for home and friends,

   and for our baptism and place in your Church

   with all who have faithfully lived and died.

Above all else we thank you for Jesus,

   who knew our griefs,

   who died our death and rose for our sake,

   and who lives and prays for us.

And as he taught us, so now we pray.

THE LORD'S PRAYER *

Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done in earth,

as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

13 And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil: F

or thine is the kingdom,

and the power,

and the glory, for ever. Amen.

DISMISSAL WITH BLESSING *

 The peace of God which passes all understanding

   keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God,

    and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

And the blessing of God Almighty,

   the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

 be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

A Service of Committal follows at the final resting place.