Video Transcript: Sample Funeral Message

2 Corinthians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion, and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all of our troubles. So we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves, have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow into our lives, so also through Christ, our comfort overflows, if we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation, if we are comforted is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings, we suffer. Romans 8, who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is it that condemned Christ Jesus who died more than that was raised to life is that the right hand of God it is also interceding for us, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ. So trouble, or hardship, or persecution, or famine, nakedness, danger or sword? As it is written? For your sake, we face death all day long, we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us, For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor demons near the present, or the future, nor any power, neither height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Let's sing now we have song sheets let's sing a song near still near. We have so many singers in here and we're going to do an acapella and let's think these verses let's go ahead and sing these verses.

Nearer, still nearer, close to Thy heart,
Draw me, my Savior, so precious Thou art;
Fold me, O fold me close to Thy breast,
Shelter me safe in that haven of rest,
Shelter me safe in that haven of rest.

Nearer, still nearer, Lord, to be Thine;
Sin, with its follies, I gladly resign,
All of its pleasures, pomp and its pride;
Give me but Jesus, my Lord crucified,
Give me but Jesus, my Lord crucified.

Nearer, still nearer, while life shall last;
Till safe in glory my anchor is cast;
Through endless ages, ever to be,
Nearer, my Savior, still nearer to Thee,
Nearer, my Savior, still nearer to Thee.

You may be seated the Apostle Paul reflects the truth that every believer unless our Lord Jesus comes back in our life every believer reflects this experience someday. 2 Timothy 4 four four I'm already being poured out like a drink offering the time for my departure has come. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge will award to me on that day and not only to me but also to all of those who longed for his appearing. Let's thing we can remain seated now my Jesus I love the

My Jesus I love thy

My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine;
for thee all the follies of sin I resign;
my gracious Redeemer, my Savior art thou;
if ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now

I love thee because thou hast first loved me
and purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree;
I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow;
if ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now

I'll love thee in life, I will love thee in death,
and praise thee as long as thou lendest me breath,
and say when the death dew lies cold on my brow:
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I'll ever adore thee in heaven so bright;
I'll sing with the glittering crown on my brow:
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now

We're going to be singing This is my Father's world, one of Grandma's favorite songs, this is mic, we're good.

This is my father’s world

This is my father's world
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres

This is my father's world
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas
His hand the wonders wrought

This is my father's world
Oh, let me never forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong
God is the ruler yet

This is my Father's world,
the birds their carols raise,
the morning light, the lily white,
declare their maker's praise.
This is my Father's world:
he shines in all that's fair;
in the rustling grass I hear him pass;
he speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father's world.
O let me ne'er forget
that though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world:
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!

Let's now sing abide with me let's stand and sing in this one abide with me fast falls the Eventide

Abide with me, fast falls the eventide
The darkness deepens Lord, with me abide
When other helpers fail and comforts flee
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me

Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day
Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away
Change and decay in all around I see
O Thou who changest not, abide with me

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness
Where is death's sting?
Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee
In life, in death, o Lord, abide with me
Abide with me, abide with me

Born Anja coming to America named Anna or many called her an Reyenga the name Anja in Dutch comes from the biblical character Hannah and even Anna in America would be given the name Hannah comes from the Hebrew background. And Hannah, Anja, Anna, Ann means favor. Grace, a giver, not a taker. My mother, your wife, your grandmother, your great grandmother, she was a giver and encouragor not discouror. We all have stories of whether it's a story at Timber Lee campground or whether it's a story in my childhood or your childhood or somewhere of my mother being the encourager. You can do it. Just try it. She would say Oh, honey, that sounds so good. And we could even come to another idea of the next day. Oh, honey, that sounds good. So we remember a generous spirit that's resounded in an Reyenga and lives in our memories. Recently, there was a beautiful anniversary birthday celebration in August at Trinity Church and many came and in that time, many wonderful memories of Dad and Mom were shared. So today, I want to share with you how an encouraging amazing positive Hannah Anja, Anna, of the Bible, seen and saw the world. Primarily I want to look at the last few months just briefly with you. eyes saw this encouraging person and those around us who are with their songs encouraging person, face death. Doubt fear, there was pain. A weakening body, the darkness deepened. Pslm 18:4 "four, the chords of death untangled me the torrent of destruction overwhelm me. The chords of the grave coiled around me the snares of death confronted me". In for Anna, that was a real struggle. And sometimes you can get lost in that struggle. You can get lost in the pain. You can get lost in the confusion. You can lose your way for a moment in the darkness. But Ann cried out Psalm 18:6 "in my distress I call to the Lord. I cried to my God for help". And what I saw was Psalm 63:8 " my soul clings to you oh Lord, your right hand upholds me". our soul, our efforts are very person when all is falling apart, what holds on to God? What transcends it all? When you live, what guides your wanting to want and when you're when you die? What is your soul hold to Hannah had that struggling and we hear about 1 Samuel 2:6 "And she writes, she wrote a song Hannah did. The Lord brings death and makes alive he brings down to the grave and raises up" profound,if Hannah and Anna and Ann, grandma, wife, grandmother, mother, great grandmother, the Lord brings death in mix alive, he brings down to the grave and raises up. 

I remember 1979 And on New Year's Day 1979, Her father passed away. And Reyenga passed away in December 31. And I remember being asked to play saxophone for my grandfather, her father's funeral in 1979. And my mother asked me, will you play abide with me with that on the accordion? It was really interesting. I was asked to play this with that in the balcony just in the background. And from that moment on the song abide with me, requested by my mother at her father's funeral had a special place in my heart. Abide with me fast falls even tide the darkness deepens Lord with me abide. Is it prophetic for how to be translated to glory when other helpers fail in comfortly help of the helpless, all abide with me. And when you're in that work of death, that struggle, I fear no fool with the at hand to bless. The night before she passed away, granted, I went out to dinner and then I went over there, and we prayed and I read Psalm 23. And it was interesting. She started reciting at the place where it talks about fear, I do not fear. And then she said, Lord, hold my hand. I fear no fall with thee at hand to bless. Bills have no weight and tears, no bitterness, where is death sting? Where grave, thy victory. I triumph still. If that will bind with me. Here's an acknowledgement and everyone here. Let's hear this. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. So,1 Corinthians 15:54, When the perishable has been closed, with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, than the same that is written will come true death has been swallowed up in victory. Where death is your victory. Where of death is your sting? The sting of death is sin, the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God. He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, dear brothers, sisters, stand firm, let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know, their labor in the Lord is not in vain. And Sally, and John prayed with mom just a couple hours before she passed away. They saw in her her labor was not in vain. When rich throughout the whole fall as the executor what a faithful man, a guy that you probably doesn't like, but even talk about this. Trying to get her to drink water, and she labored to do it, because she was already had the vision about the heavenly kingdom. That labor was done in vain. She celebrated her Savior as I was seeing her say, Lord, take my hand she looked up, Lord, hold my hand. She became calm. And that is my last memory of my mother. Celebrate that faithfulness and marriage 70 years, can you believe it? 70 years 70 years.

A legacy. A family. The church Christmas Day was a beautiful day for grandma. She was alert. She was talking Grandpa and I went to visit after we had a little Christmas celebration. We went to see her, then she was in her chair. And we came and and they were having a Christmas carols sing. Right then. And so we moved the chair over there and, and grandpa sat right next to grandma. And, and holding each other's hand a little bit. And they were to the last song, which was silent night. If all of you can think just for a very brief moment, what's a memory maybe? What's the last memory? Or what's a memory you would have with grandma? It's fascinating how you think about that. The last time you went to Culvers the last time you took a ride the last time you were with someone and sometimes death just come so sudden, and you wonder I didn't get to have that last time I wanted it happen before I got there

My father had his last time because he did not see mom again. Grandma again his wife again. And their last moment was singing silent night together my mother like Hannah, for 1 Peter 5:6 "Humble yourself therefore under God's mighty hand that he will lift you up". Hold the bow like cross the for my closing eyes. shine through the gloom and point me to the skies. Heavens, mornings breaks and Earth veins shadows flee in life and death. Oh Lord, abide with me

Ann is with God, there is no greater thing. No great no more wondrous opportunity to then to be with the Lord. So we have our memories. Our memories of a life well lived of a mother who is the giver not a taker. A generous person who remained faithful for 70 years in marriage to a man who loved her, so maybe for us our last moment can kind of be that moment where we to share that last Carol she sang the last song she sang on this earth Silent Night let's turn to our song sheet and sing this together.

Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
sleep in heavenly peace,
sleep in heavenly peace.

Lets stand now Son of God is our God

Silent night, holy night!
Son of God, love’s pure light
radiant beams from thy holy face
with the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

Let us pray. Lord, as we today do something very difficult the work of bringing a body to the grave. The work would be so daunting and overwhelming. If it were not for the hope of the Gospel, the resurrection of the dead, the life from the lasting. So as we commit this body soon to the grave. We commit ourselves to the faith that guided and led and Reyenga and that we aspire that that faith guides us we have a you will be with my father Henry Reyenga in the coming days, months years that he gets along well and thrive as he keeps the faith and for all of us Lord. One of the things that my dad often prays when he prays, he says, Lord, forgive us, our sins and our misgivings.

We come to you Lord, needing a savior for our sin or misgiving being savior for the hope of life everlasting being savior you're in that very moment when we are salves, unless you come back for faith our own immortality and that our soul would find rest and rest only in thee So Lord, we pray that you will be with us, as we commit soon the body to the grave in Jesus name, Amen. I can say this, that in my whole life, I've hardly met such a generous person. And she will inspire me to my own last breath

Well, Henry was certainly correct when he said what a musical group this was. I am blessed to attend many funerals, and not many funerals. sound as good as this one. So thank you. I've been asked to give a few instructions this morning. You are all invited to a luncheon that is ready for you at Trinity Reformed Church and with the way the weather is in the cemetery is you are all invited to go directly there. Some of the family members will be going to the cemetery. And if you need any directions to either the cemetery or the church, please see one of us after the service. With that in mind, we will be taking the family out of the chapel here first. And you are all welcome to follow us out and head to your cars or talk to each other. So we'll be taking you out in just a minute. So thank you all very much. Pallbearers! Yes And I talked to most of you pallbearers, but we'll meet right out in the lobby area. So thank you