The funeral service conducted by Pastor Andrew Fisher

Tuesday 20th March 2012 at 11am

In Loving Memory of

Rowland Dickinson 23rd September 1929 ~ 14th March 2012

ORDER OF SERVICE

~

WELCOME

~

OPENING PRAYER

The death of someone we love and care about, is like the death of part of us. No one else will ever call out from within us quite the same responses, the same feelings or actions or ideas. Their death is an ending of one part of a story. Lord as we look back over Rowland’s life. We ask that what we have received, what we can appropriate, and continue on in our own lives, we will, and what must be laid to rest, we will lay those things down. Our love for Rowland reminds us that our sharing in one another's lives brings both support and pain. Our being parted from him reminds us of our own mortality ......And that your love is enduring. We thank you that our love for Rowland draws us together and gives us a new appreciation of one another, and of the beauty and fragility of relationships, which mirror your grace and goodness to us. Lord, time's tide may wash Rowland’s footprints from the shore, but not our love for him nor the influence of his life upon our own. Nor the ways in which they will ever be a sign for us, of those things which really matter - which are eternal. Hear this prayer for your love's sake. Amen.

PRAYERS

All: Lord, we come into your presence to remember Rowland and

to seek your comfort, for we know that nothing can separate us

from your love and that you support us in our sorrow. We are sure

that the souls of the righteous are with you and that nothing can

harm them. Although they have died they are in peace. Give us

your strength to rejoice that you have taken Rowland to be with

yourself where he shall no more be in need. May we find life and

peace and perfect joy with him in your presence; through Jesus

Christ our Lord.

Amen

~

READING FROM SCRIPTURE

Psalm 23

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.

HYMN

Praise My Soul The King Of Heaven

Praise, my soul, the King of heaven, To his feet thy tribute bring;

Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, Who like me his praise should sing?

Praise him, Praise Him, Praise him, Praise Him Praise the everlasting King.

Praise him for his grace and favour

To our fathers in distress; Praise him still the same as ever, Slow to chide, and swift to bless:

Praise him, Praise Him, Praise him, Praise Him Glorious in his faithfulness.

Father-like, he tends and spares us,

Well our feeble frame he knows; In his hands he gently bears us,

Rescues us from all our foes: Praise him, Praise Him, Praise him, Praise Him

Widely as his mercy flows.

Angels, help us to adore him; Ye behold him face to face;

Sun and moon, bow down before him, Dwellers all in time and space:

Praise him, Praise Him, Praise him, Praise Him Praise with us the God of grace.

READING FROM SCRIPTURE

1 Corinthians 13 Vs 1-13 LOVE

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a

resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fath-

om all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move moun-

tains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and sur-

render my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is pa-

tient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not

rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always

trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are

prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where

there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in

part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I

talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a

man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a

mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully,

even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But

the greatest of these is love.

A PERSONAL TRIBUTE IN MEMORY OF ROWLAND

A PERSONAL TRIBUTE IN MEMORY OF ROWLAND

POEM As We Look Back.

As we look back over time

We find ourselves wondering .....

Did we remember to thank you enough

For all you have done for us?

For all the times you were by our sides

To help and support us .....

To celebrate our successes

To understand our problems

And accept our defeats?

Or for teaching us by your example,

The value of hard work, good judgement,

Courage and integrity?

We wonder if we ever thanked you

For the sacrifices you made.

To let us have the very best?

And for the simple things

Like laughter, smiles and times we shared?

If we have forgotten to show our

Gratitude enough for all the things you did,

We're thanking you now.

And we are hoping you knew all along,

How much you meant to us.

HYMN The Lords My Shepherd

The Lord's my Shepherd, I'll not want. He makes me down to lie

In pastures green; He leadeth me The quiet waters by.

My soul He doth restore again;

And me to walk doth make Within the paths of righteousness,

Even for His own Name's sake.

Yea, though I walk in death's dark vale, Yet will I fear none ill;

For Thou art with me; and Thy rod And staff me comfort still.

My table Thou hast furnished

In presence of my foes; My head Thou dost with oil anoint,

And my cup overflows.

Goodness and mercy all my life Shall surely follow me;

And in God's house forevermore My dwelling place shall be.

THE LORDS PRAYER

All: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by 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, for ever and ever. Amen.

COMMENDATION

Let us commend Rowland to the mercy of God, Our maker and redeemer. God our

creator and redeemer, by your power Christ conquered death and entered into glo-

ry. Confident of his victory and claiming his promises, we entrust Rowland to your

mercy in the name of Jesus our Lord, who died and is alive and reigns with you,

now and forever.

Amen.

COMMITTAL

The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger and of great goodness. As a father is tender towards his children, so is the Lord tender to those that love him. For he knows of what we are made; he remembers that we are but dust. Our days are like the grass; we flourish like a flower of the field; when the wind goes over it, it is gone and its place will know it no more. But the merciful goodness of the Lord endures for ever and ever towards those that love him. and his righteousness upon their children's children. We have entrusted our brother Rowland to God’s mercy, and we now, commit his body to be cremated: earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust: in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our frail bodies that they may be conformed to his glorious body, who died, was buried, and rose again for us. To him be glory for ever.

Amen. THE BLESSING

May God give you his comfort and his peace, his light and his joy, in this world and the next; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

The family would like to invite you back to Tels Bar following the service

Donations In Rowland’s Memory will be given to MABS

Service Sheets Designed & Printed by

The English Funeral Director, Tony Smith. Tel: 650 631 719