Teresa Bryant Funeral

Obituary

Teresa “Terry” Bryant of Niles passed away on Sunday, December 8, 2019 at 12:00 p.m. in her residence.  She was 62.

Terry was born in Alexandria, VA on December 5, 1957, the daughter of the late Ronnie and Eunice Welling Watkins-Palmer.

She was a 1976 graduate of Warren JFK High School. Terry was employed with home healthcare for a time but spent most of her life as a loving homemaker.

She was a member of Niles Christian Assembly and spent time enjoying church events. Terry also enjoyed reading and creating beautiful crafts. Her most precious moments were spent at family gatherings and she especially cherished her grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

She is survived by her lifelong companion, Ted Bryant; a daughter, Michelle (Ed) Kundel of Howland; a sister, Brenda Crocker of Niles; 2 brothers, Kenneth (Karen) Watkins of Howland and Junior (Faith) Palmer of Howland; 4 step-sisters, Joanna (Ron) Bowman, Angie Moore, Chris (Greg) Floyd and Irene (Keith) Leedy; and 2 grandchildren, Dorian (Makenna) Kundel and Kaden Kundel.

Terry was preceded in death by her father Ronnie (Mary Ann) Palmer and mother Eunice (Paul) Crocker; a brother Steven Watkins and a sister-in-law Patricia Watkins.

Amazing Grace

This song is one that is sung and played many times on days like today. The origins of this hymn are telling. Throughout his life John Newton suffered many different trials and snares, his mother died when he was 6, he was abanadoned by his crew in West Africa, forced to be a servant on a slave traders ship, some years later he would captain a slave ship, only to leave that profession after becoming vilolently ill. Then ordained into the Anglican church Newton became a popular preacher and hymn writer, with Amazing Grace arguably being his most famous. Newtons life was a journey to a faith that informed all that he did. In the end he faught against the slave trade along side Willam Wilberfource. Surely this is a testament to what Amazing grace really is. Terry lived in the Amazing Grace of our savior.

She had a relationship with the Great Shepherd.

Psalm 23 HCSB

A Davidic psalm. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; He leads me along the right paths for His name’s sake. Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff —they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.

We are going through a dark valley today.We all have questions, we are sad, we are wondering why. We are even a bit mad at God. It’s easy to say we want to celebrate the life of Hal, it’s easy to give lip service to the fact that we know where he is, and we do. Hal is with the Lord. Scripture makes that clear to us. IF you have a relationship with Jesus. I love what Paul says.2 Corinthians 4:16–5:8 (HCSB) — 16 Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 1 For we know that if our temporary, earthly dwelling is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands. 2 Indeed, we groan in this body, desiring to put on our dwelling from heaven, 3 since, when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 And the One who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment. 6 So, we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight, 8 and we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord. All of us are marching toward one conclusion, our outer self this flesh and blood that we are grows weak, it falls apart, breaks down, each day that we walk this earth we walk towards something, we walk towards eternity, there is one question that remains for every one of us and that question is which eternity are we marching towards. 17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.As a follower of Christ Hal had to undergo affliction. In the last months of his journey on this earth things were not easy. Time in the hospital and at Shepherd of the Valley back and forth. His body once able to do so much slowly shutting down. but in that affliction there was something more going on, something more happening, sorrow in the night but joy in the morning though out his life Hal was saving up in his eternal account. The one that really matters. Each hardship here a deposit there. Each act of service here an investment there. Growing, maturing, getting larger and more amazing and more beautiful not because Hal deserved it but because the God he served was making the deposits. 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. While earthly accounts may seem small, while the time here seems to have been short we realize something more. Hal understood that what happens here is temporary what happens there is forever. He knew like anyone of us who has a relationship with Christ knows that this world is not his home it’s just a stopping place. Eternity happens for everyone no one escapes eternity we were built for it. Hal understood what that meant and he allowed God to build with him an eternity full of light and grace and worship of the one who created us all. 2 Indeed, we groan in this body, desiring to put on our dwelling from heaven, There came a point on Hals journey just like it will come in all of our journeys where this flesh will give out and our spirit will long for the freedom that comes when we enter our eternity with the one who made us. Aches and pains

The lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing lack.

This is what gives all of us hope. It is the thing that we need to look to and understand.

A shepherd protects. a shepherd cares for, a shepherd guides the sheep into safe places. Sheep are dependent on the shepherd for so may things. This is so important when we look at our lives. We have a shepherd that makes sure we have all we need. Even when things don’t make sense, even when we are afraid, or confused or angry. We have a shepherd that makes sure we have all we need.

Even though I go through the darkest valley I fear no danger, for YOU are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me.

We are going through a dark valley today.We all have questions, we are sad, we are wondering why. We are even a bit mad at God. It’s easy to say we want to celebrate the life of Teresa, it’s easy to give lip service to the fact that we know where she is, and we do. Teresa is with the Lord. Scripture makes that clear to us. IF you have a relationship with Jesus.

I love what Paul says

. (HCSB) — 16 Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 1 For we know that if our temporary, earthly dwelling is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands. 2 Indeed, we groan in this body, desiring to put on our dwelling from heaven, 3 since, when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 And the One who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment. 6 So, we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight, 8 and we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord.

All of us are marching toward one conclusion, our outer self this flesh and blood that we are grows weak, it falls apart, breaks down, each day that we walk this earth we walk towards something, we walk towards eternity, there is one question that remains for every one of us and that question is which eternity are we marching towards.

17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory

. 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

. While earthly accounts may seem small, while the time here seems to have been short we realize something more. Hal understood that what happens here is temporary what happens there is forever. He knew like anyone of us who has a relationship with Christ knows that this world is not his home it’s just a stopping place. Eternity happens for everyone no one escapes eternity we were built for it. Hal understood what that meant and he allowed God to build with him an eternity full of light and grace and worship of the one who created us all. 2 Indeed, we groan in this body, desiring to put on our dwelling from heaven, There came a point on Hals journey just like it will come in all of our journeys where this flesh will give out and our spirit will long for the freedom that comes when we enter our eternity with the one who made us. Aches and pains

While earthly accounts may seem small, while the time here seems to have been short we realize something more. Teresa understood that what happens here is temporary what happens there is forever. She knew like anyone of us who has a relationship with Christ knows that this world is not her home it’s just a stopping place. Eternity happens for everyone no one escapes eternity we were built for it. Terry understood what that meant and allowed God to build an eternity full of light and grace and worship of the one who created us all.

2 Indeed, we groan in this body, desiring to put on our dwelling from heaven,

There came a point on Teresas journey just like it will come in all of our journeys where this flesh will give out and our spirit will long for the freedom that comes when we enter our eternity with the one who made us.

Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.

David understood what it meant to have an eternal perspective.

Paul says it this way. 6 So, we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight, 8 and we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord.

The assurance that Paul as here is amazing. He tells us that we are always confident. For the one who has placed his or her faith in Christ there is no confusion, no fear in death. Death is not an end for the Christ follower, as cliche as it sounds death is the beginning of our real life the life that we are designed for. Death for the believer, death for Teresa was a change of address to the place that she was always designed to have. A place in the presence of the one who created the very universe in which she lived. Who put each person together. Who numbered the hairs on her head. Who saw Teresas beginning and knew of her ending. And who welcomed Her home to the place where she belonged all along.

Open the floor for people to remember Teresa

It is well with my soul

Teresa was a person that knew the power of prayer. She knew her God answered prayer and so every chance she got she would remind us… she would bring requests and she requested prayer for everyone she cared about and even those she dind’t know. She also knew that the answers to prayer took time and were not always the ones that we want. It is well wiht my soul tells us that no matter what happens no matter what the answer to prayer is we can know that it is well with my soul. that we are in the palm of His hand.

Committal

Jesus said: "Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor."

Almighty God, into your hands we commend your daughter Teresa, in sure and certain hope of resurrection to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

This body we commit to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. Yes, says the Spirit, they will rest from their labors for their deeds follow them.

.Closing PrayerInvite everyone back to the church for a meal

Closing Prayer

Invite everyone back to the church for a meal