wk 5 - Do I Need Clingstone Faith? Bob Brown Celebration of Life

(PowerPoint)

Robert Gene “Bob” Brown 

Oct 12, 1932-Jan 24, 2025, 92 y/o

Bob’s Favorite Childhood Song

Sunshine in my soul today

Written by Eliza Edmunds Hewitt 1887

Obit

Robert Gene "Bob" Brown, passed away Friday, January 24, 2025 in Broken Arrow at 92 years of age.

Bob was born and grew up in Okmulgee on Taft Street where he attended school. He graduated from Okmulgee High School in 1950.

Bob told me that he loved to play on teams, especially basketball--which worked because he as so tall, but he said he also loved running track. His best event was the 1/4 mile.

As a 15 y/o teen, Bob’s first job was a bike route delivering papers for the Tulsa World.

Bob went on to tell me that when he was 16 y/o he went to work for Shaw’s Glass Plant making .50 cents/hour. He was supposed to be 16 but he fudge on his age a little to get hired. Bob helped Mr. Shaw make glass inserts for watches. 

18 y/o American Window Glass 

Bob was an avid basketball player and played “semi-pro” for the Bennett Oilers.

In his twenties Bob began working in drywall and in his thirties he moved to Las Vegas, NV where he became a successful businessman and the owner of numerous businesses including Chaparral Painting and Drywall of Las Vegas, NV.

It was one of the largest commercial and residential drywall contractors, a company he owned for approximately 20 years from 1980-2000.

He then returned to Oklahoma to live his golden years in his hometown of Okmulgee.

Bob was a faithful member of Cornerstone Foursquare Okmulgee.

If I might add, here at Cornerstone we celebrated our 90th Anniversary and Bob shared with me that he was the oldest living member.

Actually, Bob will always the oldest member even in his death.

If I have my information correct, when Okmulgee Foursquare filed for a slogan name, Bob suggested Cornerstone, because he attended a Cornerstone Foursquare in Las Vagas

Church was big to Bob especially Church Camp. He said it costed him $21.00 to go to church camp-— Wow!

He actually took part of his drywall team to Whispering Oaks to finish cabins there in west Texas. He loved that place.

Bob was always had a big generous heart. He loved to give give give.  He would even apologize that he didn’t have more to give.

He was preceded in death by his father, Leroy Brown worked for Southwestern Glass Co., Foreman/Craftsman...and lived to be 97 old.

and Bob’s mother Voisee “Bossy” Archie who owned restaurants: one of them was south of the HS (Bod said that made him quite popular),

His brother Leroy “Bill” Brown, Jr. who worked at a bakery making donuts--and Bob loved donuts,

his first wife, Charlene "Checkers" Brown, whom he married in 1950, a son Robin Brown, daughters Linda Peck and Beverly Wilburn and a grandson, Pvt 1st Class Douglass Mason Peck.

Survivors include his wife of 39 years, Wilma (Lee) Brown of Broken Arrow, OK, his brother Ken Brown and wife Glenda of Texas, and numerous grand children, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews and extended family.

This funeral service today, Wednesday, January 29, 2025 at Cornerstone Foursquare Okmulgee is to celebrate Bob Brown’s life and to begin next steps for family and friends to share his life well lived and grieve with the hope of knowing Christ or coming to know Christ. It is my privilege to serve today as Pastor and to officiate this special time.

I would be a miss to not recognize the many other pastors who have led the thriving congregation here over the years with Bob and Wilma.

In the house to day is Rev. Jim and Rev. C’cie Birch who served before Marcie and I. Thank You both as you represent the many others ministers.

There will be an interment to follow at the Okmulgee Cemetery.

Casket bearers will be

Grant Huddleston, John Peck, Brad Dame, David Galbraith III, Michael Kellogg and Jeremy Kellogg with James Wright to serve as a honorary casket bearer.

FAMILY TO SHARE:

Mike Kellogg to play a special song

OPEN MIC: (A few of you may want to honor Bob today with a short two minute story. While you ponder that here are a couple of people Bob shared with me in some of our heart to heart talks)

Isaac McGrew, he was Football player in HS. Bob said that he died while in HS. This really touched Bob. Isaac was planning to go to Alaska when the graduated. 

Another person was Principal Ms. Pervine. Bob said that she was a very nice lady and was memorable. He almost got teary eyed talking about her.

Open Mic...

Bobisms Sayings...

“The divinity isn’t leaving the house!”

When asked “how he was doing?” Bob often would say, “Terrible, just terrible.” and the smile :-)

CONGREGATIONAL SONG:

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

Bible Verse & Thoughts 

John 3:16 NLT

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

In religions around the world obtaining this “eternal life” or “fountain of youth” or “Guy with the most toys” mentality is really more about survival, pleasing someone, or being accepted…

One man put it this way:

The idea is that...

If you DO, this, you will be accepted

If you SAY this, you will be accepted

If you FEEL this, you’ll be accepted or

If you THINK this you will be accepted

So, it comes down to…

Intellectualism 

Emotionalism or

Experimentalism, your experience

When it comes to Christianity, being a follower of Jesus

You cannot DO, FEEL, or THINK enough. 

  If we could—we would have already saved ourselves and our friends or brought deliverance from our hurts and habits. 

All of this is contrary to God’s divine way of life.

Think about it: Adam didn’t have our technology, he had one wife, and the most beautiful stress free place to live and to experience life.

He couldn’t do it!

He needed a Savior

In Christianity it is only after God’s grace and His mercy has been granted to us that God says— “now GO and DO, FEEL and THINK. 

We enter into a freedom with hearts that no longer condemn us because we are no longer living from under sin and its stench…

but we are living from the blood that gives life—Jesus’ Blood.

He has washed us clean.

We can be Born again!

That’s the life—that I believe Bob shared with you and so many more over the years. 

As it says in, 

Titus 3:5–6 NLT

5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Titus‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.

He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.

He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.”

I believe that our dear friend Bob Brown—did believe. 

The Questions is — Have you believed?

‭‭

Yes, religions around the world may be about survival, pleasing others, or trying to be accepted— BUT...

We don’t have a religious duty to maintain—we have a relationship with Jesus our Savior. 

That’s why Bob’s Favorite Song meant so much to him...

There is sunshine in my soul today, More glorious and bright, Than glows in any earthly sky, For Jesus is my light.

O there's sunshine, blessed sunshine, While the peaceful, happy moments roll;  When Jesus shows His smiling face, There is sunshine in my soul.

There is music in my soul today, A carol to my King; And Jesus, listening, can hear, The song I cannot sing.

(I believe that means I don’t have the words to describe this musical thought in me)

There is springtime in my soul today,  For when the Lord is near, The dove of peace sings in my heart,  The flowers of grace appear.

There is gladness in my soul today,   And hope, and praise, and love, For blessings which He gives me now,   For joys laid up above.

Source: https://www.lyricsondemand.com/hymns/there_is_sunshine_in_my_soul_today

Hebrews 7:19 NLT

19 For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

THIS BETTER HOPE IS WHY WE DON’T grieve like the world.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 NLT

13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. 15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.

Acts 2:24 NLT

24 But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.

Death could not hold Jesus down and it will not keep Bob in the Grave on that Glorious Day--nor do you have to stay in the grave.

You can receive that same HOPE that Bob and so many have come to enjoy through Faith.

Hebrews 11:6 NLT

6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

Romans 10:9–10 NLT

9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

LET’S PRAY