Pat Vorse's Celebration of Life Service

Slideshow & Food (playing as people arrive)

Welcome: Opening words and prayer (Ben)

Welcome everyone to this celebration of the life of Pat Vorse...

Prayer...

We all know that Pat was a very special woman and we were all blessed to have her in our lives, I want us to hear from others about how she impacted their lives.

In fact, if you are here this afternoon and can think of at least one way Pat made an impact in your life, I want to ask you to raise your hand.

As you will see, there are many here and others who could not be with us today whose lives were greatly blessed by this dear woman of faith.

Read Grandma Kelly’s prayer for her daughter...

Her son Mark, who is now with her in glory, wrote the following letter while stationed at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii, nominating her to be “Outstanding Woman of the Year” in Castle Rock in 1977.

“Aloha, Castle Rock Junior Women. As a candidate for Outstanding Woman of the Year, I hereby submit my mother’s name.

She deserves this title, not only because she is my mother, but because she has contributed much to the Castle Rock community.

As a mother, she has seen four of her sons graduate from Castle Rock High. To sum her up as a mother, I’ll have to say that she is a SUPER MOM!

My mother not only plays the role of mother, but she is also the cook at the Castle Rock Grade School Cafeteria. She is a very active member of the Southern Baptist Church of Castle Rock. She is very active as a Sunday School teacher and is active in the Vacation Bible School Program. That ain’t all folks!

She is presently working nights in a community restaurant called “Moms Kitchen.” She is also know for her outstanding sewing abilities. A sample of this remains in two wedding dresses worn in local weddings.

Although I have only outlined the major contributions she has made to the community, you can see she is a super lady. She is very deserving and is due recognition.

She is truly and outstanding woman in every sense of the word.

Sincerely yours, Mark Vorse.”

Family Memory Sharing

We are going to now ask for a few of her family members to come a share a few words about Pat.

David

Chandell’s song

Troy

Melody

Nathan

Alex’s song

Logan

Any other family members?

Mike - brief slideshow and music

Congregational Songs (April)

Pat asked for a few songs to be sung at her service, so we are going to do that right now. Please join us in singing.

To God Be the Glory

How Great Thou Art

Open microphone

The family would like to welcome any of her friends to share a few brief words about Pat.

Slideshow with music (Melody)

Closing Words:

Pat’s testimony...

This afternoon we’ve attempted to honor the life of a woman who greatly blessed so many here. She did this as a mom, sister, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother, a church member, a community member, a employee, and numerous other ways.

I mentioned during the graveside service that, like the woman from Proverbs 31, Pat had a faith and walk that is to be emulated.

The truth is, we are all given a limited time on this earth and then each of us move on from this life into the next life. And we all hope that the people who love us are left with wonderful memories. But, we are wise if we also want to leave people with an example to follow.

This might be an example of hard work, an example of diligence in the face of seemingly overwhelming obstacles, an example of love and compassion to people in need. In fact, the list could go on and on of the example we can leave for the next generation.

Pat left such an example. As mentioned during the graveside service, that example took many forms. But the one I want to close with this morning is the example of her faith in Christ Jesus and how she lived that out.

In a time when many people claim to have faith and yet we don’t see the evidence of that faith, Pat’s faith was evident to all who knew her. It wasn’t necessarily an “in-your-face” kind of faith, but it was a faith that knew that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him. It was a faith that was quick to show the love of Christ instead of just preach about it. Her’s was a faith that recognized that she couldn’t do everything, but the things she did for the Lord she did with excellence. It was a faith that loved her people, even when others might judge or reject them. In short, it was truly a Christian faith, lived out for all of us to see.

This is the example we should all learn from. This is a way we can take Pat’s legacy and pass it on to the next generation. Pat would be greatly honored by this.

In closing, you may be here today and have more questions about what it means to have a faith like Ms. Pat’s. I would love to have an opportunity to talk with you more about following the Lord Jesus Christ. There are many others here this afternoon who could talk with you about following the Lord Jesus Christ. My encouragement is this: don’t let today go by without asking one of us what it means to know and love Jesus.

Prayer

Food/Dessert