Funeral Service for David Folkes MBE

Music— The Old Rugged Cross—Harry Secombe

‘I am the resurrection and the life,’ says the Lord. ‘Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.’ John 11.25,26 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is his faithfulness. Lamentations 3.22,23 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5.4 God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. John 3.16

The Gathering We meet in the name of Jesus Christ, who died and was raised to the glory of God the Father. Grace and mercy be with you. We have come here today to remember before God David; to give thanks for his life; to commend him to God our merciful redeemer and judge; to commit his body to be cremated, and to comfort one another in our grief. Amen. Almighty God, you judge us with infinite mercy and justice and love everything you have made. In your mercy turn the darkness of death into the dawn of new life, and the sorrow of parting into the joy of heaven; through our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

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The Collect

Merciful Father, hear our prayers and comfort us; renew our trust in your Son, whom you raised from the dead; strengthen our faith that all who have died in the love of Christ will share in his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Poem - God’s Garden read by Caroline God looked around his garden And found an empty place, He then looked down upon the earth And saw your tired face. He put his arms around you And lifted you to rest. God’s garden must be beautiful He always takes the best. He knew that you were suffering He knew you were in pain. He knew that you would never Get well on earth again. He saw the road was getting rough And the hills were hard to climb. So he closed your weary eyelids And whispered, ‘Peace be thine’. It broke our hearts to lose you But you didn’t go alone, For part of us went with you The day God called you home. by Anonymous

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Bible reading - Ephesians 3:14-21

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,

may have power, together

with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,

and to know this love that surpasses

knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

to him be glory

in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Tribute and Address

Reflection Music

—Lo! He comes with clouds

descending (David’s favourite hymn)

Reading — 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8a read by Christine

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, 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 ends. 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 completeness comes, what is in part 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 the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a 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.

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Prayers

God of mercy, Lord of life, you have made us in your image to reflect your truth and light: we give you thanks for David, for the grace and mercy he received from you, for all that was good in his life, for the memories we treasure today.

Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer

Your mighty power brings joy out of grief and life out of death. Look in mercy on Gill, Caroline, Christine & Alex, Eleanor, Martha, Daisy & Eddie, Jean and all who mourn. Give them patient faith in times of darkness. Strengthen them with the knowledge of your love.

Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer

God our Father, we thank you that you have made each of us in your own image, and given us gifts and talents with which to serve you. We thank you for David, the years we shared with him, the good we saw in him, the love we received from him. Now give us strength and courage to leave him in your care, confident in your promise of eternal life.

Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer Support us, O Lord, all the day long of this troublous life, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes, the busy world is hushed, the fever of life is over and our work is done. Then, Lord, in your mercy grant us a safe lodging, a holy rest, and peace at the last.

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Let us conclude our prayers as our Saviour has taught us 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, for ever and ever. Amen.

Commendation and Farewell We commend David to the mercy of God, our maker and redeemer.

Silence is kept.

God our creator and redeemer, by your power Christ conquered death and entered into glory. Confident of his victory and claiming his promises, We entrust David to your mercy in the name of Jesus our Lord, who died and is alive and reigns with you, now and for ever. Amen. We have entrusted David to God’s mercy, and we now commit his body to be cremated: earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust: in 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.

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Nunc Dimittis (The Song of Simeon) Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace: your word has been fulfilled.

My own eyes have seen the salvation: which you have prepared in the sight of every people; A light to reveal you to the nations: and the glory of your people Israel.

Luke 2.29-32 Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be 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. Music— Time to say goodbye by Katherine Jenkins Common Worship: Pastoral Services, material from which is included here, is copyright © The Archbishops' Council 2000, 2005 and published by Church House Publishing.

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The Guild of Verger’s Prayer

Almighty Father, from whom every family in heaven and earth is named, who has called us into the fellowship of your Church,

grant, we pray, that in all our churches we may fulfil the duties and enjoy the privileges of our spiritual home.

And on those who offer themselves for service as vergers in the house of God bestow the fullness of your grace,

that, united in love to you and to one another, we may show forth your glory and hasten the coming of your kingdom.

Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

An RAF Prayer

Almighty and eternal God, Lord of the universe and maker of all that is:

we praise and thank you for all those who denied themselves and laid down their lives for their friends.

Grant to those who are remembered here in our hearts that their names may be written in your book of life;

and to us who remember them give grace to walk in the same way of love and faith,

that we may come at the last with them to that eternal kingdom where you live and reign in the perfect unity of love,

one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Useful information

Contact information

Rev. Michelle Ward (Shellie) (Parish Priest)

Phone: 01386 852352 Mobile: 07780002565 Email: broadwaycofe@gmail.com You can also make contact through social media church sites Stmichaelsandsteadburghas on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed a dream. As I was walking along the beach with my Lord. Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, One belonging to me and one to my Lord. After the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that at many times along the path of my life, especially at the very lowest and saddest times, there was only one set of footprints. This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it. "Lord, you said once I decided to follow you, You'd walk with me all the way. But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life, there was only one set of footprints. I don't understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me." He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you Never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you."