(*Please find a printable version of the bulletin attached at the bottom of this blog post)

A Celebration of Life

Alan M. Rennie   1929-2020

Friday, October 9, 2020 1:30pm

St. Augustine of Canterbury Anglican Church In person and online Edmonton, Alberta

No matter what tradition you are from, please make these prayers your own and join in wherever you feel able. Community responses are in bold type.   Thank you to all who are joining in this gathering today.  

The Liturgy

From the Anglican Book of Alternative Services An act of thanksgiving to God in remembrance of Alan’s life.    

Gathering

  Resurrection Sentences I am the Resurrection and I am Life, says the Lord. Whoever has faith in me shall have life, even though he die. And everyone who has life, and is committed to me in faith, shall not die for ever.                                                                                                              John 11:25-26  

Let not your hearts be troubled; Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; If it were not so, would I have told you That I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, That where I am you may be also.                                                                  John 14:1-3            

I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.                                                                                                        Romans 8: 38-39  

Psalm 23 (traditional language) The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Amen.   Officiant          The Lord be with you. People             And also with you. Officiant          Let us pray. God of all consolation,                 in your unending love and mercy you turn the darkness of death into the dawn of new life. Show compassion to your people in their sorrow. Be our refuge and our strength to lift us from the darkness of grief to the peace and light of your presence. Your son, our Lord Jesus Christ, by dying for us, conquered death and by rising again, restored life. May we go forward eagerly to meet him, and after our life on earth be reunited with our brothers and sisters where every tear will be wiped away. We ask this through Jesus Christ, the Lord.  

People             Amen.                

Time of Remembrance

  Video Presentation  

Shared by Family  

Poem, “The Dash”, by Linda Ellis.                               (read by Gregory Koller)  

We sing:  “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken”                                                    (CP#388; v1,2,4)   Glorious things of thee are spoken,   Zion, city of our God; He whose word cannot be broken   Formed thee for His own abode; On the Rock of Ages founded,   What can shake thy sure repose? With salvation’s walls surrounded,   Thou may’st smile at all thy foes.   See! the streams of living waters,   Springing from eternal love, Well supply thy sons and daughters,   And all fear of want remove; Who can faint, when such a river   Ever flows their thirst to’assuage? Grace which, like the Lord, the giver,   Never fails from age to age.   Savior, if of Zion’s city   I, through grace, a member am, Let the world deride or pity—   I will glory in Thy name. Fading is the world’s best pleasure,   All its boasted pomp and show; Solid joys and lasting treasure   None but Zion’s children know.

Discerning the Voice of God

Old Testament Reading:      Ecclesiastes 3:1-15              (Read by Andrew Koller)  

Epistle Reading:        1 Corinthians 13:1-13                      (Read by Alexandre Harcott)  

Gospel Reading:        Matthew 5:1-12a                              (Read by Janine Koller)  

Reflection                               Rev. Jonathan Crane  

We sing: “I Feel The Winds Of God Today”                                                (RB#282)   I feel the winds of God today; today my sail I lift, though heavy oft with drenching spray and torn with many a rift; if hope but light the water’s crest, and Christ my bark will use, I’ll seek the seas at his behest, and brave another cruise.   It is the wind of God that dries my vain regretful tears, until with braver thoughts shall rise the purer, brighter years; if cast on shores of selfish ease or pleasure I should be, Lord, let me feel your freshening breeze, and I’ll put back to sea.   If ever I forget your love and how that love was shown, lift high the blood-red flag above; it bears thy name alone. Great pilot of my onward way, you wilt not let me drift; I feel the winds of God today, today my sail I lift.

Affirmation of Faith

  The Apostle’s Creed We pray together I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Prayers

(Read by Lauren Harcott)  

Concluded with the Lord’s Prayer

Officiant          And now, as our Saviour Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray,              All                                Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil.              For thine is the kingdom,          The power, and the glory, Forever and ever.  Amen

The Commendation

  Give rest, O Christ, to your servants with your saints, Where sorrow and pain are no more, Neither sighing, but life everlasting.   “You only are immortal, the creator and maker of all; And we are mortal, formed of the earth, And to earth shall we return. For so did you ordain when you created me, saying, You are dust, and to dust you shall return.” All of us go down to the dust; Yet even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Give rest, O Christ, to your servants with your saints, Where sorrow and pain are no more, Neither sighing, but life everlasting.

Committal

  Officiant          Into your hands, O merciful Saviour, We commend your servant Alan. Acknowledge, we pray, a sheep of your own fold, A lamb of your own flock, A sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, Into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, And into the glorious company of the saints in light. People             Amen.

 

Blessing & Dismissal

  Officiant          The eternal God is your dwelling place,                                    
And underneath are the everlasting arms.
People             Blessed is the Lord,                                    
Our strength and our salvation.

Officiant          The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favour and grant you peace. And the blessing of God Almighty + the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be among you and remain with you always.  Amen    

We Sing: “And Did Those Feet in Ancient Time”                                                                 (RB#157)   And did those feet in ancient time, Walk upon England's mountains green: And was the holy Lamb of God, On England's pleasant pastures seen!   And did the Countenance Divine, Shine forth upon our clouded hills? And was Jerusalem builded here, Among these dark Satanic Mills?   Bring me my Bow of burning gold: Bring me my Arrows of desire: Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold: Bring me my Chariot of fire!   I will not cease from mental fight, Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand: Till we have built Jerusalem, In England's green & pleasant Land.  

Officiant          Go forth in the name of Christ.
People             Thanks be to God.           

 

Bless you in holy remembering.                  

Officiant - The Rev. Jonathan Crane, Rector  

Musician - Megan Crane, MMus  

Tech support - Jordan Yeo

A special thank you to St. Augustine’s Altar Guild for preparing the sanctuary for today’s service.    

St. Augustine of Canterbury Anglican Church

6110 Fulton Rd. Edmonton, AB, T6A 3T3 Office Phone: (780) 466-5532

www.staugustinesedmonton.com

www.facebook.com/staugustinesedmonton