Eulogy for Pam

Opening scripture

English Standard Version Psalm 23

23 A PSALM OF DAVID.

1  The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2  He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

3  He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name’s sake.

4  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

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 goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.

40 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

2  Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended,

and cry to her

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned,

that her warfare is ended,

that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD’s hand

that she has received from the LORD’s hand

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.

double for all her sins.

3  A voice cries:

“In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD;

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

4  Every valley shall be lifted up,

3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

and every mountain and hill be made low;

4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.

the uneven ground shall become level,

and the rough places a plain.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5  And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,

5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

and all flesh shall see it together,

for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

6  A voice says, “Cry!”

6 A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.

And I said, “What shall I cry?”

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

All flesh is grass,

and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.

7 The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass.

7  The grass withers, the flower fades

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

when the breath of the LORD blows on it;

surely the people are grass.

8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

8  The grass withers, the flower fades,

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

but the word of our God will stand forever.

Greeting

Dearly beloved, hear this good news:

In Dying, Christ destroyed our death.

In Rising, Christ restored our life.

In Glory, Christ will come again.

As in baptism Pamela put on Christ, so too in Christ may Pamela be clothed with glory.

Here and now, dearly beloved, we are God’s children, and what we shall be has not yet been revealed; but take comfort in this: when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

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 in Christ purify themselves as Christ is pure.

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.

Abingdon Press. The United Methodist Book of Worship Pastor's Pocket Edition . The United Methodist Publishing House. Kindle Edition.

GREETING

Friends, we have gathered here to praise God and to witness to our faith as we celebrate the life of Pamela Grosjean. We come together in grief, acknowledging our human loss. May God grant us grace, that in our pain we may find comfort. That in our sorrow, we may find hope. That in this death, we may find resurrection.

Let us bow our hearts and go before the Throne.

Abingdon Press. The United Methodist Book of Worship Pastor's Pocket Edition . The United Methodist Publishing House. Kindle Edition.

O God, you who gave us birth, you are ever more ready to hear than we are to pray.

You know our needs before we ask. Give to us now your grace, that as we shrink here before the mystery of death, we may see in this moment, 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, ever and always, 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, Blessed Father, for we know that nothing in life or in death will be able to separate us from your great love in Christ Jesus, Our Lord.

Amen.

Abingdon Press. The United Methodist Book of Worship Pastor's Pocket Edition . The United Methodist Publishing House. Kindle Edition.

Introduction

From the Gospel of John, chapter 11, beginning at verse 17:

17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

English Standard Version Chapter 11

28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

Our feelings of grief and loss at a passing like this are very real. We, as Christians, love to talk endlessly about the Resurrection, and indeed there is good reason for it, but sometimes we hurry through the process, because grief is hard. Let me caution you not to hurry. In our pain, in our sorrow, in our loss, we identify with the person of Our LORD, Jesus Christ, who, upon hearing the news of the death of his friend Lazarus, wept. Jesus knew, full well, what was to come; Our Lord knew that, very shortly, He would with His own voice call Lazarus from the tomb, but still He took the time to weep.

In your grief, then, take time to weep, as Jesus did.

Our feelings of grief and loss at a passing like this are very real. We, as Christians, love to talk endlessly about the Resurrection, and indeed there is good reason for it, but sometimes we hurry through the process, because grief is hard. Let me caution you not to hurry. In our pain, in our sorrow, in our loss, we identify with the person of Our LORD, Jesus Christ, who, upon hearing the news of the death of his friend Lazarus, wept. Jesus knew, full well, what was to come; Our Lord knew that, very shortly, He would with His own voice call Lazarus from the tomb, but still He took the time to weep.

I first met Pam in October of 2013, when I was assigned by our Bishop to be the new pastor for Victory Chapel. She had a sad look in her eyes for much of the time, and I learned that she was dealing with a loss of her own: her husband, John, had passed recently. She loved him very much, and I don’t think she ever really recovered from his loss. She continued attending services at the Catholic church where John had attended, and after mass had ended she would come to Victory… I remember a span of about a year, when I was preaching through the same Lectionary the Priest was, and Pam would joke with me about hearing the same sermon twice a day. Still, she came to church. When she was well, she and Patty and Penny would sing special music for us… it was always a treat.

I remember a time when Victory chapel was struggling… we had several setbacks, and things changed very quickly in a short period of time for the worse. I worried that this might be the end of Victory… we were losing our treasurer, and if someone didn’t take that position, we were done for. But the next Sunday, Pam and Patty stepped up and took it. Church treasurer is no easy position, but Pam and Patty didn’t bat an eye… they jumped in because they knew it was what needed to happen. Pam’s health was declining then, and I remember she was in and out of the hospital frequently… but even in her difficult position, she volunteered for the job.

And then, this February, on the day of our final service at Victory, Pam was ill. She told me she was supposed to be in the hospital, but that she refused to miss church that morning. I could only marvel at her dedication and tenacity. Pam loved our little church, and there were more than a few tears shed that day by all involved. Pam was faithful to Victory Chapel all the way to the end, and she helped all of us get through some tough times.

Last month, on the 2nd of June, I saw Pam for what would be my last time. I was filling in at Jackson Grace, where she was attending, and when I looked out into the congregation, there was the whole Victory Chapel bunch, sitting in a single pew, grinning up at me. Pam was connected to her oxygen tank, and she was all smiles. It felt like being home again, because Pam and Patty and Ruth were there.

And that’s the thing that I want to focus on this afternoon. Pam was there. When you needed her, Pam was there. When the church needed a treasurer, when things got tough, when things got hard, Pam was there. Why?

Because as Christians, we worship a God who is present. We worship a God who says, in “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” We worship a God who says, in “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” In He says: “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.” And in , He says “Behold, I am making all things new.” ... “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” ... “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

We serve a God who is faithful.

David says of Him, in :

English Standard Version Psalm 36

5  Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens,

your faithfulness to the clouds.

6  Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;

your judgments are like the great deep;

man and beast you save, O LORD.

7  How precious is your steadfast love, O God!

The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

8  They feast on the abundance of your house,

and you give them drink from the river of your delights.

9  For with you is the fountain of life;

in your light do we see light.

God’s faithfulness comes with a promise. In the Scriptures I’ve read today, we’ve seen this promise many times already… Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. Whoever believes in me, even though he die, yet shall he live. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life.

LIFE, beloved! We serve a faithful God who promises us life. And yet here, we find ourselves, facing the illusion of death. Here we find our selves questioning God’s steadfast loyalty, questioning God’s love, questioning God’s faithfulness. My friends, I promise you this: Pamela Grosjean is more alive today than she has ever been. Her pain, her grief, her sadness, her disease, her heartache, her loss, everything is swallowed up in the precious Arms of Jesus. She stands now in the very presence of The One Who Is and Who Was and Who Is To Come. She gazes upon His Glorious Face and she rests before His Throne. Because, my friends, God is faithful.

But there is more to the story of Lazarus. And I would be remiss if I failed to tell it to you, beloved. We left Jesus, on His way to the tomb of Lazarus, weeping. We stopped the story there that we might pause, with Him, and remember our friend. We paused with Him there in order that we might grieve along with Our Lord. But stay yet a moment more, and hear the end of the story:

38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

Jesus Christ truly is the resurrection, and the Life. He is Our Faithful God, who never leaves us or forsakes us. Let us remember, in this time of grief, that we are not alone. Let us remember, in this time of loss, that God is Faithful.

As the Prophet has said,

7 And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations.

8 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.

Amen.

Amen.