Matthew Poleon Cornelius
Notes
Transcript
Coordination Details:
Time -
Service is Monday May 4th @ 5:30 PM
Light food to follow (Irma and Kathy coordinating)
Music - songs outlined in Service Order below
Technology -
Streaming: YES
Recording: YES
Slide Show: Larry Made / Family Provided Pictures
Program: Ryan is making / Printing
Food - Post service food - Kathy / Irma is coordinating
Team:
Tech: Larry / Christopher (arrive by 5:15)
Worship: Music is recorded (no live worship)
Food: Kathy / Irma
Officiant: Ryan
Welcome and Invocation:
Good afternoon.
On behalf of the family, thank you for being here today to honor and remember the life of Matthew Poleon Cornelius. Your presence speaks to the kind of man he was—a man who loved people well and left a lasting impression on those around him.
My name is Ryan Hanson, and I serve as the pastor of this church; The Light KC.
Today, we gather with mixed emotions. There is sorrow, because we feel the weight of loss. But there is also gratitude—deep gratitude—for a life well lived, for laughter shared, and for the countless ways Matthew made this world brighter.
Invocation:
Let us pray.
Gracious God,
We come before You today with hearts that are both heavy and thankful. We thank You for the gift of Matthew’s life—for his kindness, his generosity, and the joy he brought into so many lives.
In this moment of loss, we ask for Your comfort. Draw near to this family. Bring peace where there is pain, and hope where there is grief.
Help us to remember well, to love deeply, and to find strength in one another today.
We ask this in Your mercy.
Amen.
Opening Hymns:
Hymn 1: I can only imagine (Recorded)
Hymn 2: Amazing Grace (Phil Whickem) ((Recorded))
Eulogy:
Timothy Cenac
Reflection:
I did not have the honor of knowing Matthew.
But in speaking with the family, hearing about who Michael was, and hearing stories about Matthew’s life, it is clear that by every account, Michael was simply one of the nicest people you could ever meet.
You hear that phrase sometimes—but in Matthew’s case, the people I spoke to literally meant it.
Matthew was the kind of man who would give you the clothes off his back.
If someone had a need, he didn’t hesitate—he responded.
Whether it was a friend, a family member, or even kids knocking on the door raising money for a cause, Matthew showed up with generosity and kindness.
He was helpful—not occasionally, but consistently. It was part of who he was.
And Matthew carried a joy that was steady and genuine.
I was told by the family that Michael was never angry; that they don’t remember ever seeing him fight.
He wasn’t known for conflict. He was known for being happy—for bringing a lightness and joy to the people he was with.
He loved his family deeply. He was present, engaged, and outgoing. He created an environment where people felt welcomed and valued.
And even in his later years, that joy didn’t fade. He was still dancing until the very end—still moving, still celebrating life.
That says something powerful about the kind of heart he carried.
Homily:
One of the questions we often carry into moments like this is: What do we do with a life like Matthew’s?
How do we understand it?
How do we honor it?
And where do we find hope in the face of loss?
Scripture tells us something important in 1 John 4:8:
1 John 4:8 “God is love.”
And when we see genuine love in a person’s life marked by kindness, generosity, patience, joy—we are seeing something that reflects the very heart of God.
Matthew may not have been known as a religious man, but his life bore the marks of love:
He gave freely
He cared deeply
He lived with joy
He treated all people with dignity
Those are not small things. Those are significant things.
In the Wesleyan tradition, we believe that God’s grace is always at work—sometimes in ways we see clearly, and sometimes in ways that are quieter, deeper, and known fully only to God.
We believe in a God who is not only just, but also merciful.
A God who knows the full story of a person’s life—their heart, their intentions, their love.
And so today, we entrust Matthew into the hands of that God.
A God who is rich in mercy.
A God who is perfect in love.
A God who understands Matthew more completely than any of us ever could.
And as we grieve, we also take something with us from his life.
We take the call to:
Be a little more generous
Be a little more patient
Choose joy more often
and to Show up for people in simple, meaningful ways
Because that is the legacy Matthew leaves behind.
And perhaps the greatest way we honor him… is by living a little more like he did.
But this moment isn’t only about looking back—it’s also about looking inward.
Because one day, each and every one of us will have a service like and we need to be ready.
The truth is that Christian hope is not built on the idea that we earn our way to Heaven and an eternity with God by being good enough.
Because we can’t.
Salvation is found only through belief in God and what God did for us through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.
That through Jesus Christ:
God entered our world as a baby (fully God, yet also fully Human)
That Jesus experienced every temptation that we face, and yet lived a sinless life
And because He was sinless, He was the only one who could make right our relationship with God
He took our sin and brokenness upon Himself, bearing the consequences of our sin by voluntarily sacrificing Himself on the cross
And on that cross, He overcame sin and the power that it holds over us
And 3 days later when we came back to life, He overcame death giving us all hope that we can join Him living eternally with God in Heaven
All we have to do is repent (turn away from) our sin, believe in Jesus as your LORD and Savior, and accept the free gift of salvation that Jesus offers.
In John 11:25 Jesus said, ‘
John 11:25 “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;”
And the invitation of Jesus is not distant—it’s present.
It is an invitation to:
Know God personally
Receive His grace, mercy, and forgiveness
And find a hope that reaches beyond this life
Not because we’ve earned it (because we can’t) — but because He freely offers it.
If you have not put your faith in Jesus as the only one who can help you live the life that you were created to live now and save you from your sins so you can spend eternity in heaven, please don’t let this opportunity pass you by. If today is your day, please come see me after the service; I’d love to talk with you.
Prayer of Comfort:
Please join me in prayer.
Gracious and Loving God,
We thank You for Matthew—for his kindness, his generosity, and the joy he shared so freely.
Lord, we ask that You comfort his family and friends. Wrap them in Your arms of peace. When sorrow overwhelms them, remind them of Your promises. When they feel alone, assure them of Your presence.
May Your Word be their strength, Your Spirit their guide, and Your love their refuge. Help them to cherish the joy Matthew brought into their lives and to carry his legacy of joy forward.
We entrust Matthew to Your eternal care, trusting in Your mercy and resting in Your grace.
In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.
Closing Hymn:
Hymn 3: Living on Love by Allen Jackson (Recorded)
Benediction:
As we prepare to depart, receive this blessing:
May the Lord bless you and keep you;
May the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.
Go now in comfort and in hope.
May you carry with you the kindness that Matthew showed,
The generosity he lived,
And the joy he shared so freely.
And may the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Amen.
Post Service Meal:
The family invites you to join them for food and fellowship immediately after the service in cafe.
