Homily Dot Goodman

Let us pray - Almighty and merciful God, You bring us through suffering and death with our Lord Jesus Christ to enter with Him into eternal glory.

Grant us grace at all times to acknowledge your holy and gracious will, to remain in true faith, and to find peace and joy at the resurrection of the dead and the glory of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen

Friends, we gather here together to lay to rest our sister in Christ Jesus, Dorothy Albright Goodman. Dot’s life was intertwined with so many here at this church, those here today, and countless others within our community, relationships, and bonds that endured throughout her life.

Relationships and bonds are formed early in the church. They are made among friends that we serve with, and we often call those folks “church family.”

They are made in marriage and in the family units that God graces us with and ordains for our lives. Dot and Harold shared a life of faith and marriage in Christ Jesus that endured for 74 years.

Harold let me know that when they first met, they would alternate Sundays between Grace and then, on another Sunday, St. Paul’s. They were married here at the parsonage and faithfully served this church in almost every way one could serve.

We are bonded, reborn into Christ Jesus in the moment of our baptism, where we are made a new creation in faith, that we would live our faith in confident hope and in the assurance, as Paul writes, “we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Romans 6:5)

Dot was forever united with Jesus at the moment of her baptism, as are all who believe. As a child of the Most High God, born of spirit and water, God promised her life eternal, and at the last - right now, she is with him and all those who have gone before her into His eternal glory.

Dot was a devoted Christian all the days of her life. She worshipped here, taught Sunday schools, sang in the choir, and much more.

I met her for the first time by visiting her home, bringing her and Harold Holy Communion, and sharing the word while I was there. She always greeted me with a warm smile, it was on these visits that I got to know her a little better.

It was clear to me that she loved hearing God’s word read and receiving the sacrament and that she truly believed when she heard the words and promise of Jesus, “this is my body, and this is my blood given and shed for you.”

Dot loved the Lord and held tightly to the truth of His word. It is a truth that is summed up so beautifully by John’s Gospel: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17)

Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation; there is none other! The book of Acts records, “for there is no other name under heaven or among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12) or as Jesus plainly tells us in John’s gospel, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

While she lived here on earth, Dot believed this, abided in this, and confessed it in thought, word, and deed. Now she rests fully in the reality of this truth.

Jesus gives all who abide and trust in his word, including everyone here today, the assurance of His peace and His gift that we would not be anxious, troubled, or afraid. Instead, our hearts would be stilled and steadfast in moments of uncertainty and grief. Jesus knows that we will have times in our lives when we will suffer tremendous difficulty, grief, and pain, yet he leaves us his peace.

In John’s gospel, he records Jesus saying: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

Jesus gives us His peace through His church, that the brethren may come together to offer each other a word from the scripture, prayer, and Christian love.

Jesus gives us his peace in Word and Sacrament, that we would always be reminded of His great love. That he has saved us from sin, death, and the devil, while we sojourn on this earth until we are called to be with Him forever on the last day.

Jesus tells us not to let our hearts be troubled, because He goes to prepare a place for us, so that where He is, we also will be. Jesus makes this promise to all who believe in him for their salvation.

On February 18th, Jesus took his daughter Dot to the place He had prepared for her.

She went to be with him in a place, as the prophet Isaiah writes, where “God wipes all of the tears from the eyes of his people.” (Isaiah 25:8)

Jesus prepared a place for her to be with him, as he has for all who believe and are baptized into his death and resurrection.

Jesus prepares a place for us who believe, to be in his Father’s house, not as a guest who is there for a short visit, but as an heir and as a child of the Most High to an eternal kingdom forever.

Jesus is the way. He made a way for her as he has for us through his cross and through his glorious resurrection.

Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life. “Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Dot believed this!

In the 16th Psalm, the psalmist declares: “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; At your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11)

Dot Goodman is in the presence of grace upon grace, resting now in the eternal comforts of the Father. Forever in the light and love of Christ - Amen

Our Gospel Hymn is “When Peace Like a River” #346 in your Hymnals