We are believers seeking to invite all into the caring, sharing and growing ways of Christ!

 

FIRST LUTHERAN FUNERALS:


"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of all mercy and the God of all consolation. He comforts us in all our sorrows so that we can comfort others in their sorrows with the consolation we ourselves have received from God."  II Corinthians 1:3-4

The Funeral Service

Because we have been baptized into the death and resurrection of Christ, we share abundant hope in the “communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.”   Funerals at First Lutheran Church are planned in conjunction with the funeral director, family and relatives of the deceased, and the officiating First Lutheran pastor.

 

Some Suggested Hymns from Evangelical Lutheran Worship

376 Thine is the Glory                      365 Jesus Christ is Risen Today

627 O Day Full of Grace                    855 Crown Him with Many Crowns

504 A Mighty Fortress                       597 My Hope is Built on Nothing Less

632 O God our Help                          618 Guide Me Ever, Great Redeemer

838 Beautiful Savior                          785 When Peace Like a River

778 The Lord’s My Shepherd              619 I Know That My Redeemer Lives

765 Lord of All Hopefulness               856 How Great Thou Art

779 Amazing Grace                           502 The King of Love

759 My Faith Looks Up                      881 Let All Things Now Living

733 Great is Thy Faithfulness             805 Lead On, O King Eternal

638 Blessed Assurance                      793 Be Thou My Vision

770 Give Me Jesus                            614 There is a Balm

613 Thy Holy Wings                         774 Leaning on the Ev’lasting Arms

773 Precious Lord                             790 Day by Day

732 Borning Cry                               452 Awake, O Sleeper

787 On Eagles’ Wings

 

SOME SUGGESTED SCRIPTURE READINGS

Psalm 23 – The Lord is my Shepherd.

Psalm 30 – Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

Psalm 42:1-7 – As a deer longs for flowing streams, my soul longs for God.

Psalm 46 – God is our refuge and strength

Psalm 90 – Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.

Psalm 118:5 – Out of my distress, I called on the Lord.

Psalm 121 – I lift up my eyes to the hills; from where will my help come?

Psalm 145:8 – The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

Job 19:23-27a – For I know that my Redeemer lives.

Isaiah 25:6-9 – On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will make a feast.

Isaiah 61:1-3 – He has sent me to bring good news; to comfort those who mourn.

Lamentations 3:22-26, 31-33 – The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.

Romans 5:1-11 – Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace.

Romans 5:17-21 – Just as sin exercised dominion in death, so grace might also exercise dominion through justification.

Romans 8:31ff. – If God is for us, who is against us? No separation . . .

I Corinthians 15:12-26 – The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

II Corinthians 5:21 – He made Him to be sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

II Timothy 4:6-8 – I have fought the good fight! I have finished the race!

I Peter 1:3-9 – By his great mercy, he has given us a new birth.

I John 3:1-2 – Beloved, we are God’s children now.

Revelation 7:9-17 – Salvation belongs to our God.

Revelation 21:2-7 – God will wipe away every tear. Death no more.

Matthew 11:25-30 – Come to me, all you that are weary.

Matthew 16:13-19 – Who are you? You are the Christ!

Matthew 25:1-13 – The wise and foolish bridesmaids.

Mark 4:35-41 – Do you not care that we are perishing?

Luke 12:35-40 – Be ready, the Son of Man is coming unexpectantly.

Luke 15 – The lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son

John 3:16-17 – For God so loved the world

John 6:37-40 – Anyone who comes to me I will never drive away.

John 11:21-27 – I am the resurrection and the life.

John 14:1-6 – In my Father’s house are many dwelling places.

All members of First Lutheran Church are involved in the church’s funeral ministry.  The members of the congregation are divided into 5 alphabetical groups, according to the first letter of members’ last names:  A – D are in one group;  E – J a second group;  K – N a third group;  O – SE  a fourth group;  Sf – Z in the fifth group.  These groups rotate /  take turns serving at funeral fellowship times.  Each group serves, on average, twice a year. 

The women of First Lutheran Church will furnish cake, pickles, and coffee for all funerals.  Other food may be served, but at the family’s expense.  The servers in the alphabetical group do all the work needed to set up, order and serve the food, and clean up after the fellowship time.

When someone dies, members in an alphabetical group are asked to do one of three tasks: 

1.  work at the funeral fellowship time,  or  

2.  provide a cake for the funeral fellowship time,  or         

3.  give $5.00 to help with kitchen expenses