SERVICE OF CELEBRATION TO OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST FOR THE LIFE OF THERESA ANN HEISLER BREUER INTO THE CHURCH TRIUMPHANT February 21, 1930 - November 25, 2021 The Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Atlanta, Georgia January 5, 2022 | 11:00 A.M. PRELUDE
Trumpet Tune on “Crown Him with Many Crowns” Sarah Hawbecker, organ setting by Michael Helman Beautiful Savior Silesian folk tune Pam Amy-Cupp, soloist
Welcome in the name of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. We gather here to worship our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to proclaim Christ crucified and risen; and to celebrate the life of our sister in Christ, Theresa, to remember her brevity of life on this earth, and to the celebration of her soul entering into the Church Triumphant. Theresa describes the beginning of her long and wonderful Christian life when she was Baptized and Confirmed at The Lutheran Church of the Redeemer on April 18, 1943, which began her love and happiness of witnessing to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ until the day of her passing. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit | Amen Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God, the fountain of living water, The rock who gave us birth, our light and our salvation. Standing THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM When we were baptized in Christ Jesus, we were baptized in this death. We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. GREETING The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all, | And also with you. Seated An Ancient Collect (Theresa’s Favorite Morning Prayer)
Eternal Father of my soul, let my first thought today be of you, let my first impulse be to worship you, let my first speech be your name, let my first action be to kneel before you in prayer. Keep me chaste in thought; keep me temperate and truthful in speech; keep me faithful and diligent in my work, keep me humble in my estimate of myself; keep me honorable and generous in my dealings with others; keep me loyal to every allowed memory of the past; keep me mindful of my eternal destiny of a child of yours; be my guide through all that is dark and doubtful; be my guard against all that threatens my spirit’s welfare; be my strength in time of testing; gladden my heart with Thy peace; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen DUET HYMN 338
In the Garden Eda Mathews and Sharon Kilpatrick Beneath the Cross of Jesus
C. Austin Miles
READING Bob Gibeling
Isaiah 61:1-3
The Sovereign Lord has filled me with his spirit. He has chosen me and sent me To bring good news to the poor, To heal the broken-heated, To announce release to captives And freedom to those in prison He has sent me to proclaim that the time has come when the Lord will save his people and defeat their enemies. He has sent me to comfort all who mourn to give to those who mourn in Zion joy and gladness instead of grief, a song of praise instead of sorrow. They will be like trees. The Lord himself has planted. They will all do what is right, And God will be praised for what he has done. HYMN 685
READING Gayle Morgan
Take My Life and Let It be
Philippians 4:6-7; 11-13
Don’t worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need,
always asking him with a thankful heart. And God’s peace which is from beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus. And I am not saying this because I feel neglected, for I have learned to be satisfied with what I have. I know what it is to be in need and what it is to have more than enough. I have learned this secret, so that anywhere, at any time, I am content, whether I am full or hungry, whether I have too much or too little. I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me. Martin Luther to Philipp Melanchthon “On Worry”:
Pastor Ron Bonner
From the bottom of my heart I am against those worrying cares which are taking the heart out of you. Why make God a liar in not believing His promises, when he commands us to be of good cheer and cast all our cares upon him for He will sustain us? Do you think He throws such words to the wind? What more can the devil do than slay us? Christ died for sin once and for all, but righteousness and truth He will not die, but to live and reign. Why then worry, seeing He is at the helm? He who has been our Father will also be the Father of our children. As for me (whether it proceeds from God’s Spirit or from stupidity, my Lord Jesus knows), I do not torment myself about such matters.” HYMN 818
O Master Let Me Walk with You
READING David Ott
Romans: 5:1-11; 17 (RSV)
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have attained access to his grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given us. If, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Standing HYMN 504
A Mighty Fortress
Seated READING (Theresa’s Favorite Bible Passage)
Philippians 3:8-14
Not only those things; I reckon everything as complete loss for the sake of what is so much more valuable, the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have thrown everything away; I consider it all as mere garbage, so that I may gain Christ and be completely united with him. I no longer have a righteousness of my own, the kind that is gained by obeying the law. I now have the righteousness that is given through faith in Christ, the righteousness that comes from God and is based on faith. All I want is to know Christ and to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings and become like him in his death, in the hope that I, myself, will be raised from death to life. I do not claim that I have already succeeded or have already become perfect. I keep striving to win the prize for which Christ Jesus has already won me to himself. Of course, my brothers, I really do not think that I have already won it; the one thing I do, however, is to forget what is behind me and do my best to reach what is ahead. So, I run straight toward the goal in order to win the prize, which is God’s call through Christ Jesus to the life above. MEDITATION
Pastor Jonathan Trapp
If we have died with Christ, we shall also live with him; If we are faithful to the end, we shall reign. ANTHEM
Alleluia The Redeemer Choir
Randall Thompson
Standing THE APOSTLES CREED I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God's 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 to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Most merciful God, We confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen Standing PEACE God has made us people of God through our Baptism into Christ. Living together in trust and hope. The peace of Lord be with you always. | And also with you. Please share a sign of blessing with your fellow worshippers while maintaining properdistancing.
HYMN OF PRAISE
GREAT THANKSGIVING The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We life them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise It is indeed right, our duty and our joy . . . join their unending hymn:
In the night in which he was betrayed . . . THE LORD'S PRAYER We pray as our father has taught us to pray: 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, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen Seated INVITATION TO COMMUNION
All who seek to meet the Risen Christ in the bread and the wine are invited to receive Holy Communion.
HYMN 413
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!
HYMN 654
The Church’s One Foundation
Standing Let us pray: O God, in this holy meal you have embraced us and gathered us into your arms for compassion and protection. Pour out upon us the spirit of your love, O Lord, and unite the wills of those whom you have fed with one heavenly food; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Grant that all who have been baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection may die in sin and rise to newness of life and that through the grace and gate of death, we may pass with him to our joyful resurrection. | Hear us good Lord. Grant to your faithful people pardon and peace, that we may be cleaned from all our sins and in serving you, may lead us in holiness and righteousness all our days. For the Spirit that God has given us does not make us timid; instead his Spirit fills us with power, love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7 COMMENDATION Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Theresa. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen. HYMN 660
Lift High the Cross
BENEDITION
Gaelic Blessing The Redeemer Choir
John Rutter
Jesus said: “My Grace is sufficient for you.” Go in Peace. Amazing Grace Edward Scott, bagpipes and solo Grandchildren: J. Martin Edward Breuer, Edward Alexander Scott, Helena Kathryn Breuer, Berkeley Christian Scott, Nicholas Acie Breuer, and Michael-Thomas Roth Scott POSTLUDE
Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
setting by Paul Manz
“Keep a song in your heart and a singing bird will come.” Unknown Author
Officiants: Pastor Jonathan Trapp and Pastor Ron Bonner
THANK YOU from Barbara Scott TB’s Traveling Angels Joe Barrand David Besgerse Edna Farrar Donna Matern Gayle Morgan Kathleen Presgrove Lenny Studley Peg Wyse My brothers, Lee & Phil, for their ongoing support, love and constant contact these past two years. Edna, my dearest friend, who advised me on many many end of life matters, coached me on how to be a loving caregiver to Mom, listened to me, encouraged me, held me up, pulled no punches, and loved me through all this. My husband, Matthew, for his amazing faith, strength and devotion to Mom and me. My sons. Edward for his amazing rapport with his Grandma and his willingness to step in to situations when the rest of us were at our wits end. Michael-Thomas, Mom’s secondary home caregiver, for caring daily of his grandma, making her meals, filling her needs and holding her hand to bring calm. Berkeley for taking many errant phone calls meant for me, but talking with his grandma anyway anytime and making her laugh. To all of them for helping Mom anytime, day or night. Lastly, I thank God for my Mom and the opportunity and means He provided so that we could take her into our home to care and love her and spend her last years, days and hours with us.