The Funeral of JoAnn Mallow
JoAnn Mallow
December 17, 1958 – February 5, 2023
St. Paul Lutheran Church
San Antonio, Texas
The Prelude and Ringing of Bells
The assembly rises and faces the back of the sanctuary
Invocation
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
All Amen.
Remembrance of Baptism
With faith in Jesus Christ, we receive the body of our sister JoAnn for burial. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of all mercy and the God of all consolation. He comforts us in all our sorrows so that we can comfort others in their sorrows with the consolation we ourselves have received from God.
All Thanks be to God.
When we were baptized in Christ Jesus, we were baptized into his 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.
All 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.
All who are baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
In her baptism, JoAnn was clothed with Christ.
All In the day of Christ’s coming she shall be clothed with glory.
Just As I Am Without One Plea (570)
Just as I am, without one plea But that Thy blood was shed for me
And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am and waiting not To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, though tossed about With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind; Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need, in Thee to find, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am; thy love unknown Has broken ev’ry barrier down;
Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Greeting and Welcome
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
All And also with you.
Welcome in the name of Jesus, the Savior of the world. We are gathered to worship, to proclaim Christ crucified and risen, to remember before God our sister JoAnn, to give thanks for her life, to commend her to our merciful redeemer, to comfort one another in our grief and build up one another in faith.
All Amen.
The Prayer of the Day
The Lord be with you.
All And also with you
Let us pray.
All O God of grace and glory, we remember before you today our sister, JoAnn. We thank you for giving her to us to know and to love as a companion in our pilgrimage on earth. In your boundless compassion, console us as we mourn. Give us your help, so that we may see in death the gate to eternal life, that we may continue our course on earth in confidence until, by your call, we are reunited with those who have gone before us; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow (805)
Praise God, from whom all blessing flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host:
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
Isaiah 54:13-17
All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace. In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you. If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing; whoever attacks you will surrender to you. “See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc; no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord.
This is the word of the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 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 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 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.
This is the word of the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
Stand
The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the 14th chapter.
All Glory to You, O Lord.
John 14:1-6, 25-27
Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me… All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All Praise to you, O Christ.
The Creed
All I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And 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. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence 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
Remembrances
Ten Thousand Reasons
Chorus: Bless the Lord, O my soul,
O……my soul, worship his holy name.
Sing like never before, O my soul;
I’ll worship your holy name.
The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawning,
It’s time to sing your song again.
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me…
Let me be singing when the evening comes. (Chorus)
You’re rich in love and you’re slow to anger;
Your name is great and your heart is kind.
For all your goodness, I will keep on singing;…
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find. (Chorus)
And on that day, when my strength is failing,
The end draws near, and my time has come;
Still my soul will sing your praise unending…
Ten thousand years, and then forevermore! (Chorus x2)
Worship your holy name …
Lord I’ll worship your holy name!
Sermon
Prayer
Lord’s Prayer
All 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.
The Sending
The Commendation
Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, JoAnn. Acknowledge, we humbly ask 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 into the glorious company of all the saints.
All Amen.
Let us pray.
All Almighty God, by the death of Your Son Jesus Christ You destroyed death, by His rest in the tomb You sanctified the graves of Your saints, and by His resurrection You brought life and immortality to light so that all who die in Him abide in peace and hope. Receive our thanks for the victory over death and the grave that He won for us. Keep us in everlasting communion with all who wait for Him on earth and with all in heaven who are with Him, for He is the resurrection and the life, even Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
The Blessing
Let us bless the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.
All Amen.
How Great Thou Art (677)
The assembly joins and follows in recession after the family departs.
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works Thy hand hath made,
I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,
Thy pow’r throughout the universe displayed;
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee.
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
When through the woods and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze;
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee.
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
But when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in–
That on the cross my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin;
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee.
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration
And there proclaim: “My God, how great Thou art!”
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee.
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!