Funeral Don Ford - Burial Service - Full Script

Burial Service

2pm

Led by Sam Williamson

Welcome

We have come here today to say farewell to Don Ford, to thank God for his life and to commit him, and ourselves into God’s loving care.

Listen now to the promises of Scripture:

draw strength and comfort from them,

that you might face this hour trusting in the love and faithfulness of God.

22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,

for his compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning.

(Lamentations 3:22–23)

38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Romans 8:38–39)

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

In your Son, Jesus Christ, you have given us a true faith and a sure hope.

Strengthen this faith and hope in us all our days,

that we may live lives

as those who believe in the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins and the resurrection to eternal life;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Eternal God,

The Lord of Life, the conqueror of death, our help in every time of trouble,

comfort us who morn. 

Give us grace, in the presence of death,

to worship you; enable us to put our whole trust in your goodness and mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Loving God,

we come to you in our need.

You have given us birth and now we face the mystery of death. 

Help us to find you in the whole of life,

 its beginning and its ending. 

Help us to discover you in our pain as well as our joy,

in our doubts as well as our believing,

that we might find comfort in your word and light for our darkness.

In the name of Jesus we ask it.

Amen

Scripture Reading – Psalm 23:1-6

Nikky Dugdale

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

3he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

Brief Address

Sam Williamson

Psalm 23 is enormously comforting for the Christian. 

 It’s a perfect choice for a funeral.

So perfect we read and thought about this same Psalm at Don’s beloved wife’s funeral, Madge.

Where I read a quote from a minister who, 

when asked what he would tell people

 if he could one day come back from heaven 

to comfort Christians in their journey, 

He responded: 

“I would tell them that Psalm 23 is true.” 

It’s was written by King David, 

who knew a thing or 2 about sheep and shepherds

 - for he was a shepherd.

But according to this Psalm, he was also a sheep!

As are, each of us,

 who believe in and follow the

 Good Shepherd Jesus.

That’s why it’s such a comforting Psalm.

We are sheep, 

who in our weakness and frailty, 

as we live in this troublesome 

home we call life,

we rely on our ‘good shepherd’ for everything!

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, 

he leads me beside quiet waters, 

3 he refreshes my soul. 

Don, 

Our friend, 

our grandfather, 

our Father, 

may have gone to be with the Lord, 

But we still have with us, the good shepherd, 

to guide us and care for us in the dark times.

He guides me along the right paths 

for his name’s sake. 

4 Even though I walk 

through the darkest valley,

I will fear no evil, 

for you are with me; 

your rod and your staff, 

they comfort me. 

Did you notice how the Psalm starts in the 3rd person: 

“He makes me lie down,

 He leads me, 

He restores my soul…” 

However, when David writes of walking through the valley of the shadow of death, 

he switches to the 2nd person: 

“for you are with me.” 

your rod and your staff, 

they comfort me.

 It is as though 

the trouble in the valley 

drives us closer to the shepherd 

and brings a deeper intimacy with him.”

What a promise to hold onto 

for us as we mourn,

To know that as we walk this valley, 

the good shepherd has drawn closer to us.

And as we reflect back on Don’s life.

The trials and difficulties he faced,

Not least the last few years, burying his wife Madge,

Moving into a home,

being unable to gather in person with his church family…

Well Every time he became weaker,

The Good shepherd Jesus stepped a little closer 

and a little closer.

To the point we are at now, 

where he has gathered him into His loving arms, 

and carried him into the fulness of his green pastures, 

to rest and be refreshed beside His quiet waters,

forever more.

6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me 

all the days of my life, 

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord 

forever.  

As we mourn - Jesus, our shepherd, draws closer to us,

until, if we repent and believe, we will join Don and Madge in eternal joy,

to dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Prayers

Prayer of Thanksgiving for Victory in Christ:

Eternal God,

You are creator, the giver of life and,

in Jesus Christ,

you have given us new life which nothing can destroy.

In the resurrection of Jesus you have shown us that the grave is not the end,

but that your love holds us through all things.

We thank and praise you for this hope,

not based on vain and wishful thinking,

but on the message of Easter

and the life-giving power of your Spirit at work in your people,

through Jesus Christ,

the life and hope of the world.

Prayer of Remembrance and Thanksgiving:

Loving God, we thank you for the gift of life.

Today we thank you for the life of Don and all that he was. 

We thank you for memories which we can keep,

a source of comfort and continuing thankfulness. 

We thank you for the aspects of his life which meant so much to us;

for his faithfulness to you and your word,

And his deep love for us.

By your grace,

help us to commit Don into your hands. 

Grant us your peace,

for we ask it in the name of Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Amen

The Act of Committal

55 “Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?” l

57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

(1 Corinthians 15:55, 57)

Nothing can separate us from God’s love, so we entrust Don into His hands through his faith in the Lord Jesus. 

We commit the body of our brother to be buried,

trusting God’s mercy and compassion.

4 ‘God 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.”

(Revelation 21:4)

A Time of Quiet

Close family may put some soil into the grave.

Time of Prayer

Martin Reynolds

Sam Williamson

O Lord,

support us all the day long in this troublesome life,

until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes,

and the busy world is hushed,

the fever of life is over and our work is done.

Then, Lord, in your mercy grant us safe lodging,

a holy rest,

and peace at the last; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

Hymn – Great is Thy Faithfulness

Closing Prayer

God of Peace,

You brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus,

the great shepherd of the sheep,

by the blood of the eternal covenant.

Show us the peace we should seek;

Show us the peace we should try to give;

Show us the peace we may keep;

Show us the peace you have given;

And make us what you want us to be;

Through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever.

Amen.

The Grace

(To be said by all)

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

and the love of God,

and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit

be with us all,

evermore.

Amen.