Joyfully

I don’t know about you, but change is often hard for me. There is

something inside me that wants to move toward some wonderful place

where everything is exactly the way that I want it to be. So I don’t like

it when things change. It’s like playing “Chutes and Ladders” with

my grandkids. Every time I feel like I’m making progress, I land on

a “chute” square, and slide to a place where I didn’t want to go. The

only dependable destination in life is our relationship with God and

the destiny that God has planned. The rest of life is about a journey

(really an adventure!) of walking with Christ. Christ knows where we

are going—and more importantly Christ is transforming us along the

way through the journey itself.

— Steve Hayner —

A Service in Witness to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

And in Memory of Stephen Allen Hayner

Prelude Richard Allen Farmer

Welcome Mark Labberton

Call to Worship Deborah Flemister Mullen

Congregation reads all lines in bold type.

Come, let us raise a joyful song, A shout of triumph to the rock of our salvation.

Let us come into God’s presence with thanksgiving, Singing songs of triumph.

For Jesus has conquered death; death has been swallowed up in Life.

Still we grieve, but not as those who have no hope;

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, 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.

Let us therefore bow down in worship,

Let us kneel before the One who made us.

For you are our God and we are the flock that you shepherd.

Come, let us raise a joyful song.

A shout of triumph to the rock of our salvation.

February 23, 2015

Hymn Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee

Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-21 Laura Mendenhall

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to God be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Anthem How Great Thou Art

Please rise and sing together the final verse.

Celebrating and Remembering Steve

Chip Hayner

Emilie Wagner

Tim Dearborn

Alex Gee

Mark Labberton

“For us this is the end of all the stories...But for them it

was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in

this world had only been the cover and the title page:

Now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the

Great Story, which no one on earth has read, which goes

on forever and in which every chapter is better than the

one before.”

— C. S. Lewis, The Last Battle —

Song 10,000 Reasons

Prayer Thomas and Beth Daniel

Hymn Great is Thy Faithfulness

Benediction Mark Labberton

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to God be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Choral Benediction The Lord Bless You and Keep You

All are welcome at a reception immediately following the service in the Fellowship Hall.

A LIFE ABUNDANTJune 23, 1948 - January 31, 2015

The Rev. Dr. Stephen (Steve) A. Hayner, president emeritus of Columbia Theological Seminary, passed away at the age of 66 surrounded by family and friends in the Columbia community. Known by many throughout the world with love, affection, and gratitude, Steve was a person of many honors and degrees who refused to categorize others or himself by achievements. His goal was to always live to and for an audience of One, and his hope was to live life with wide open arms and relational integrity. His life was imbued with joy and freedom, which touched and changed many people along the way.

Born June 23, 1948, Steve graduated from Walla Walla High School in Walla Walla, WA. He then attended Whitman College also in Walla Walla, graduating summa cum laude in 1970 with a B.A. in English Literature.

In 1972, Steve continued his education at Harvard Divinity School where he received his M.T.S. in Semitic Studies, and then one year later earned a Th.M. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. While in the Boston area, he served at the well-known Park Street Church where Steve met Sharol Rhodes, whom he later married in June of 1973.

After receiving his degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 1973, Steve was ordained and installed as “university pastor” at University Presbyterian Church in Seattle, WA, where he was involved with students and faculty. What started as a group of 17 students quickly grew to over 1,200. While there, he utilized two sabbaticals to complete his Ph.D. in Hebrew and Semitic Studies at the University of St. Andrews in Fife, Scotland in 1984.

Steve then took the position of Vice President of Student Affairs at Seattle Pacific University in 1984. Throughout his time in Seattle, he was involved as an adjunct professor of Old Testament with Fuller Theological Seminary extension sites.

In 1988, Steve was called as President of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (USA), a non-denominational discipleship ministry to students on college campuses across the country. Alec Hill, current President of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (U.S.A.) said of his predecessor, “Steve brought pastoral care, healing and hope to an InterVarsity community that had undergone much trauma in the 1980s. When he left in 2001, the Fellowship was healthy and the board fully engaged. He is one of the kindest and most authentic people I’ve ever known.” Steve continued to serve as an adjunct of professor of Old Testament at a number of schools such as: Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Regent College, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

In 2001, Steve made the transition from the academic world to parish ministry. He became the Senior Associate Pastor at High Point Church and the Associate Pastor at the Fountain of Life Family Ministry Center, both in Madison, WI. Alex Gee, Founder & President of the Nehemiah Community Development Corporation, is a friend and partner from that time, “Steve was our founding board chairman… [and] served as a volunteer Associated Pastor at our cross-cultural, multi-class congregation. He helped me to create an in-house urban leadership training program for developing our folks. Steve’s brilliance is only eclipsed by his humility! I’m a better man because of my accountability to Steve and his love for me.”

In 2003, he was called as the Peachtree Professor of Evangelism and Church Growth at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA, while also serving as Scholar in Residence at Peachtree Presbyterian Church. In 2009, he was called as the Seminary’s ninth President. Deborah Flemister Mullen, Dean of Faculty and Executive Vice President of Columbia Seminary said of their partnership, “Steve was not only my closest colleague on the administrative staff, he was a beloved brother in Christ and my friend. We never thought of each other in the traditional hierarchal ways that often define relationships between presidents and deans…The seminary is a very different place because of Steve Hayner’s gifts of life, especially his commitment to God’s wide welcome of everyone to the table. That work is ongoing. We will carry on as Steve would want us to…gratefully and joyfully.” In 2011, he was awarded an honorary D.D. at Presbyterian College in South Carolina.

Throughout his life, Steve was deeply and personally involved with various organizations that serve local and international communities. He served on a number of international boards, including World Vision United States and World Vision International. Richard Sterns, President of World Vision United States,

said, “Steve’s faithful leadership was marked by the Godly wisdom described in James 3—wisdom that ‘is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.’ Countless young lives have been impacted by Steve. He modeled for all of us how to glorify Christ in all things and at all times—forever and always pointing the way to Christ.”

Steve also served on the board of directors of International Justice Mission, Nehemiah Community Development Corporation, Christian International Scholarship Foundation (now called ScholarLeaders International), Evangelical Environmental Network, Presbyterian Global Fellowship, The Navigators, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Stony Brook School.

Steve was the son of Jeannette (Hafner) and Herman “Dutch” Hayner. He is survived by his wife Sharol (Rhodes) Hayner, three grown children Emilie (and Chad) Wagner, Chip (and Kristen) Hayner, and Drew Hayner, as well as 5 grandchildren, Claire, Anna, Lainey, David and Jack. He is also survived by his brother Jim (and Pam) Hayner of Walla Walla, WA, and their sons, Adam and Scott, and his sister Judy Hayner of Los Altos, CA, and her sons, Eric and Kevin Bastoul.

Memorial gifts in honor of Steve may be given to Columbia Theological Seminary, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (U.S.A.), International Justice Mission or World Vision.

— Service Participants —

Mark Labberton, President of Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CADeborah Flemister Mullen,

Executive Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, GALaura Mendenhall, past President of Columbia Theological Seminary

Chip Hayner, son of Steve and Sharol Hayner Emilie Wagner, daughter of Steve and Sharol Hayner

Tim Dearborn, Executive Director of the Lloyd John Ogilvie Institute of PreachingAlex Gee, Pastor of Fountain of Life Family Ministry Center and Community Leader in Madison, WI

Thomas and Beth Daniel, founding Pastors of Kairos Church, Atlanta; now serving at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Austin, TX

Musicians Richard Allen Farmer, Pastor of Crossroads Presbyterian Church, Stone Mountain, GA

Michael Morgan, Organist at Columbia Theological SeminaryMicah Dalton, friend of Steve

McKittrick Simmons, friend of Steve With Thanks to Mary Hoffman, Andy Bayles and the Choir

Peachtree Memorial Guild

Sharol’s home address will be: 243 Adair Street, Decatur, GA 30030