Jim Helstrom Memorial Service

Harold James Helstrom Memorial Service

January 8, 2022

Memorial Service (Begins at 11:00 am)

Location: New Life Family Church Sanctuary

North Georgia Honor Guard- Open service by carrying/escorting urn to front of sanctuary

- Any further ceremonial activities/words

Scripture Reading: Pastor Parmely

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 (NLT) And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. 15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.

Prayer – Pastor Parmely

Song: I Will Rise (Chris Tomlin)

Obituary: Pastor Parmely – We are here to celebrate the life of:

Obituary from newspaper/website:

Mr.Harold James Helstrom age 80 from Skeenah Gap Rd. Suches, GA., passed away peacefully on Thursday Dec 2, 2021 at his home following an extended illness. Mr. Helstrom was born on June 12, 1941 in Putnam, CT., the son of the late Henry Frederick Helstrom and the late Jennie Harriet Wernicke Helstrom. Harold was a veteran of the US Navy and served during the Cold War (Bay Of Pigs) and the Vietnam War. He was one of the Navy Frogman who retrieved the Space Capsule and Astronaut John Glenn. Mr. Helstrom was a part of New Life Family Church. He was a loving and caring father, brother, grandfather, and great grandfather. He was preceded in death by his wife, Norine Southwick Helstrom in May 2019. Christine Gervais, a daughter, passed away just this past Nov. 2021. Brother Jim also had a grandson, James, who passed away in July of 2010.

Surviving Brother Jim is three sons and daughters in law, Retired US Marine Corps Master Sergeant, Aaron Helstrom and his wife Brenda of Woodland Park, CO.; Eric and Mercy Helstrom of Suches, GA. (with whom he was living at his death) and Michael and Ginny Helstrom also of Suches, GA.. Jim has one sister, Retired US Air Force Col. Joyce Ann Helstrom. A son in law, Kevin Gervais of Woodstock, GA. Nine (8) Grandchildren, Jacob, Elijah, Mercy Mae, Lillia, Danielle, and John Helstrom. Andrea Gervais Stader and Stephanie Mesa-Savage, Five Great Grandchildren, Josey, Morgan and Audrey Stader, Zoey and Nico Mesa Savage. Many other relatives and friends also survived.

Just to remind you, in lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to Charis Bible College 1st year student tuition assistance in honor of the life he lived helping and loving others.

Song: Harold Woody

Eulogy written by Aaron Helstrom and read by Pastor Parmely

Brother Jim was witness to miracles in the lives of his children,

Such as when Eric suffered a ruptured appendix, but doctors couldn’t operate because of a rare bleeding disorder. God healed Eric of the bleeding disorder and protected him from the poison of a ruptured appendix.

Aaron was blown up in Iraq. But restored to life.

Seeing Christine miraculously brought back from death multiple times in her decades long battle with cancer.

Michael walking away from a car accident that totaled his vehicle.

Brother Jim saw the hand of God on his family. He was blessed to see such miracles.

Family Song: Eric and children

Scripture Comfort/Encouragement: Pastor Parmely

I’ll fly away.

Jim Helstrom’s death reminds US that we too will face death.

We have no guarantee we will live to be 80 years old like Jim.

So we need to be ready to face death all the time — at any moment.

But heaven is NOT an automatic destination. Not everyone who dies flies away to be with Jesus. Not everyone who dies experiences eternal life.

1 John 5:11–12 (NLT) And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.

This scripture tells us plainly that eternal life is ONLY found through faith in Jesus.

John 3:16–21 (NLT) “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. 18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”

Only those who “believe” in Jesus have eternal life.

According to the Complete Biblical Library:

The Greek word translated “believe” in John 3:16 & 18 means “to receive” the message of Jesus; to believe in Him as the Son of God; and, through the Spirit’s work, to submit to His saving will

The message of Jesus, the message with which He began His ministry was “Repent!”

Have you “received” that message by obeying it?

Have you, through the Holy Spirit, submitted to God’s saving will?

God’s saving will is revealed in:

2 Peter 3:9 (NASB95) The Lord is not slow about His promise [of judgement], as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

The choice is clear: repent or surely perish.

Repentance means we recognize that the judgment that we DESERVED fell on Jesus.

He did not deserve the beating He received, the humiliation He experienced, the cross He carried and then died upon.

WE deserved ALL of that. We deserve hell.

But the Father sent His Son to redeem us and pay the penalty OUR sins deserve.

So we ask Jesus to forgive our sins and help us to turn and walk a different direction.

But to receive that forgiveness of sin and escape God’s righteous and JUST judgment we must “believe” in Jesus.

“But pastor we live in the Bible Belt EVERYONE believes in Jesus.”

It is true that the Bible Belt has A LOT of cultural Christianity — not TRUE Christianity — Cultural Christianity.

Cultural Christians are those who grow up around church, who have parents or grandparents who serve or served God — somehow such people believe they are Christians by proximity.

They think they are close enough to God through others that they get “grandfathered in.”

Don’t believe it!

We, each one, must have our own personal relationship with Jesus. God has NO grandchildren.

And also don’t buy into the belief that being a good person will allow you to earn eternal life.

Only by believing on Jesus can we be saved from a devil’s hell.

The Apostle Peter said in Acts 4:12 (NASB95) “… there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

So what will you do today?

Will you walk away from this service unprepared for death?

Hebrews 2:1–3 (NLT) So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, … . 3 what makes us think we can escape [God’s judgment] if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak?

Have you ignored the message of salvation through repentance and surrender to Jesus?

Please don’t leave here in that condition. Turn to Jesus today — right now.

Altar: (Call for salvation) Pastor Parmely

As the pianist and worship leader come, I want to give you a chance to believe in Jesus.

“to receive” the message of Jesus; to believe in Him as the Son of God; and, through the Spirit’s work, to submit to His saving will

Prayer for people to come to Jesus.

Congregational Song:How Great Thou Art

Song: When I Get Where I’m Going (by Brad Paisley)

Slide show plays while song plays.

Closing Prayer: Pastor Parmely

Service lasts 1 hour or less.

Graveside Service (Begins about 12:30 pm)

Location: Meadow View Cemetery

North Georgia Honor Guard- Carry/Escort urn to cemetery plot

- Any further ceremonial activities/words

Scripture Encouragement:Pastor Parmely

1 Corinthians 15:50–58 (NLT) What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. 51But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. 54 Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

Committal: Pastor Parmely

It is not by choice that we gather in this city of the dead, hallowed by the sacred memory of its inhabitants. The monuments are only symbols of the affection of surviving friends. The absence of the souls of these inhabitants is but a monument to a loving and life-giving God. As we offer the body of our deceased we are reminded that there is life immortal that shall indeed survive the grave. We now commit this one to the arms of a God who gives life that never ends.

Closing Prayer: Pastor Parmely

Meal (Begins about 1:30 pm)

Location: New Life Family Church Connect

John – will prepare and cook 2 lasagnas