Christian Memorial Service for Terry Kathleen Kosanke
August 19, 1949 - December 8, 2025
Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
REVELATION 2:10
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
Tucson, Arizona
January 17, 2026
The order for our service today is based on the Christian Funeral service in the blue Christian Worship hymnal (pages 274-277). Please join in speaking the congregational parts and singing the hymns as indicated.
REMEMBRANCEOFBAPTISM
Minister: In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit. Congregation: Amen.
In Holy Baptism, Terry was clothed with the robe of Christ’s righteousness that covered all her sin. St. Paul affirms, “In Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”
The apostle also writes, “All of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death. We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.”
Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed!
GOD’SCOMFORT
We have come together to seek God’s comfort in our sorrow and to rejoice in the promise of the resurrection. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ who said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”
The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Death has been swallowed up in victory! Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
When Christ, who is our life, appears, then we also will appear with him in glory.
PRAYER
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus, you wept at the grave of your friend Lazarus, and you consoled Mary and Martha in their distress. Draw near to us who mourn the loss of Terry and dry the tears of all who weep. Calm our troubled hearts; dispel our doubts and fears. We thank you forbringing Terry tofaithandgiving her the gift of eternal life. Strengthen us with your Word and sacraments, and keep us in the saving faith until we are united with you and all the saints where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
TERRYKOSANKE’STIMEOFGRACE (see page 11)
permission:
READING Joshua 1:6-9
6“Be strong and courageous, because you will divide this land among these people, this land which I swore to their fathers that I would give to this people. 7Just be strong and very courageous. Be careful to act according to the entire Law which my servant Moses commanded for you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may succeed wherever you go. 8This Book of the Law must never depart from your mouth, and you are to meditate on it day and night, so that you will act faithfully according to everything written in it, because then you will prosper in everything you do, and you will succeed. 9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified and do not be overwhelmed, because the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
READING Matthew 6:25-34
25For this reason I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
27Which of you can add a single moment to his lifespan by worrying? 28Why do you worry about clothing? Consider how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin, 29but I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will he not clothe you even more, you of little faith?
31So do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear?” 32For the unbelievers chase after all these things. Certainly your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
SERMON Revelation2:10
Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
APOSTLES’CREED
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. Thethird day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seatedat the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
PRAYER
Lord God, heavenly Father, you are always with us, especially when our hearts are heavy with grief. Send us your Spirit so that even as we grieve we are filled with hope. You have convinced us that your Son Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that our loved ones who have fallen asleep in Christ are resting in peace with you. Let nothing shake our confidence in your promise that we will be united with you and them in glory forever. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
What great mercy you have shown us, Father in heaven! Through your Son’s resurrection, our hope is alive and our inheritance is certain. The bliss and security we will enjoy in your presence are blessings that will never perish, spoil, or fade. Shield us with your power and give us faith to trust in you in every trial until we inherit the glorious riches you are keeping for us in heaven. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, we see your abiding love in the kindness shown to us by family and friends. As we receive comfort and encouragement from others, we are experiencing your care. Help us bear all our burdens patiently. Be the strength of your people, now and in difficult days to come. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, support us all day long, till the shadows lengthen and the evening comes and the busy world is hushed and the fever of life is over and our work is done. Then, in your mercy, grant us a safe lodging and a holy rest and peace at the last; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
LORD’SPRAYER(sungbythevocalist)
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.
BLESSING
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look on you with favor and T give you peace.
Amen.
After the memorial service, the family will proceed to the Grace columbarium for a brief committal service and inurnment. Friends are invited to a luncheon in the Fellowship Hall and may head there directly and begin eating following our service.
For those wishing to give a gift in memory of Terry, a memorial in support of the Perpetual Memorial Fund has been established in her name here at Grace.
Grace Lutheran Church
830 N. 1st Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719
Gifts can also be directed to
Casa de la Luz Hospice 7740 N. Oracle Road Tucson, AZ 85704
THOSEASSISTINGINWORSHIPTODAY
Ministers...............................................Pastor Nathan Kassulke, Pastor Ron Koehler
Accompanist ..............................................................................................Kathy Parra
Vocalist ...................................................................................................Jeff Weinstein
Sound Technician ............................................................................... Jeremy Snavely
Acknowledgements:
Scripture readings are taken from The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version® (EHV®) © 2018 The Wartburg Project. All rights reserved. wartburgproject.org. Created by Christian Worship: Service Builder © 2026 Concordia Publishing House. Software distributed in partnership with Northwestern Publishing House.