Burial Service-Lodema

Standing beside this open grave, hear once more the words of Scripture.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 NASB95

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Let us pray.

Our Father, we look to you again, facing this moment of our need. In our sorrow, grief and loneliness, come to where we are today. Come to us in our doubts, come to us in our grief, come to us in our loneliness.

I pray you will comfort Lodema’s family with your Spirit and with the truth that Jesus has conquered sin and Lodema will rise again to a new, physical and eternal life.

Over the next week, make yourself known to all those who seek you out and comfort all those who grieve.

Words of Committal -

And now, forasmuch as the spirit of Lodema has entered into the life immortal, we therefore commit her body to its resting place, but her spirit we commend to God in assurance that he does all things well. For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a new body from God, an eternal body, not built by human hands.

Dear friends, we have gone as far as human hands can perform, and as far as mortal feet can follow. We have entered the quiet city of those who have gone before. We have paid the last tribute of respect to our beloved Lodema Cockrum.

May the God of peace, and the Lord Jesus Christ and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all and grant you comfort and peace.

Amen.

You may now pay your last respects.