Order of Service
for Celebration of Life of
Horace Howard Hanchard
August 27, 1936 - September 22, 2024
Grace Lutheran Church
Saturday, October 26, 2024
2:00 p.m.
GATHERING
Prelude: I’ll Fly Away by: Albert E. Brumley, 1932
Welcome in the name of Jesus the Savior, who died and was raised to new life by the grace of God. We are gathered here to worship, to remember before God our brother Horace Howard Hanchard, to give thanks for his life, to commend him to our merciful redeemer, and to comfort one another in our grief.
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. 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.
Let us pray.
Eternal God, maker of heaven and earth, who formed us from the dust of the earth, who by your breath gave us life: We glorify you.
We glorify you.
Jesus Christ, the resurrection and the life, who suffered death for all humanity, who rose from the grave to open the way to eternal life: We praise you.
We praise you.
Holy Spirit, author and giver of life, the comforter of all who sorrow, our sure confidence and everlasting hope: We worship you.
We worship you.
To you, O blessed Trinity, be glory and honor, forever and ever.
Amen.
Gathering Hymn How Great Thou Art ELW 856
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;
Refrain
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,
I 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; Refrain
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; Refrain
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!” Refrain
Let us pray.
O God of grace and glory, we remember before you today our brother Horace. We thank you for giving him to us to know and to love as a companion in our pilgrimage on earth.
In your boundless compassion, console us who mourn. Illumine our lives, so 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.
WORD
Psalm 91 Dr. Robyn Medina (niece)
1You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty—
2you will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my stronghold, my God in whom I put my trust.”
3For God will rescue you from the snare of the hunter
and from the deadly plague.
4God’s wings will cover you, and you will find refuge beneath them; God’s faithfulness will be your shield and defense.
5You shall not fear any terror in the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day;
6nor the plague that stalks in the darkness,
nor the sickness that lays waste at noon.
7A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
8You will only have to look with your eyes,
and you will see the reward of the wicked.
9Because you have made the LORD your refuge,
and the Most High your habitation,
10no evil will befall you,
nor shall affliction come near your dwelling.
11For God will give the angels charge over you,
to guard you in all your ways.
12Upon their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13You will tread upon the lion cub and viper;
you will trample down the lion and the serpent.
14I will deliver those who cling to me;
I will uphold them, because they know my name.
15They will call me, and I will answer them;
I will be with them in trouble; I will rescue and honor them.
16With long life will I satisfy them,
and show them my salvation.
Revelation 21: 1-7 Dr. Amanda Thiele & Dr. Karla Banks (granddaughters)
1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
"See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
4he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away."
5And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. 7Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
Eulogy – Maxine Hanchard (daughter)
Remembrances from Family Members Travis Salkey
GOSPEL John 14:1-7
The holy gospel according to John.
Glory to you, O Lord.
1Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4And you know the way to the place where I am going." 5Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" 6Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon Pr. Mary Gilthvedt
Hymn of the Day Precious Memories
Precious mem'ries, unseen angels,
Sent from somewhere to my soul;
How they linger, ever near me,
And the sacred past unfold.
Refrain
Precious mem'ries, how they linger,
How they ever flood my soul;
In the stillness of the midnight,
Precious, sacred scenes unfold.
Precious father, loving mother,
Fly across the lonely years;
And old home scenes of my childhood,
In fond memory appear. Refrain
As I travel on life's pathway,
Know not what the years may hold;
As I ponder, hope grows fonder,
Precious mem'ries flood my soul. Refrain
APOSTLE’S 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.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Let us pray to our Lord Jesus Christ who said, “I am the resurrection and the life.”
Jesus, fullness of compassion, you consoled Martha and Mary in their distress; draw near to us who mourn for Horace and dry the tears of those who weep. In your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Jesus, man of sorrows, you wept at the grave of Lazarus your friend; comfort us who mourn. In your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Jesus, firstborn of the new creation, you raised the dead; give to our brother life eternal. In your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Jesus, friend of sinners, you promised paradise to the repentant thief; bring Horace to the joys of heaven. In your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Jesus, wellspring of life, you washed our brother in baptism and anointed him with the Holy Spirit; give him communion with all your saints. In your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Jesus, bread of life, you nourished Horace at your table on earth; welcome him at your table in realm of heaven. In your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Jesus, bright morning star, comfort us in our sorrows at the death of Horace. Let our faith be our consolation, and eternal life our hope. In your mercy,
hear our prayer.
God of all grace, we give you thanks because by his death our Savior Jesus Christ destroyed the power of death and by his resurrection opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. Make us certain that because he lives we shall live also, and that neither death nor life, nor things present nor things to come shall be able to separate us from your love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
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.
COMMENDATION
Let us commend Horace to the mercy of God, our maker and redeemer.
Silence is kept.
Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant Horace Howard Hanchard. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light.
Amen.
SENDING HYMN Amazing Grace ELW 779
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound
that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
was blind, but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed!
Through many dangers, toils, and snares
I have already come;
'tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me;
his word my hope secures;
he will my shield and portion be
as long as life endures.
When we've been there ten thousand years,
bright shining as the sun,
we've no less days to sing God's praise
than when we'd first begun.
Let us go forth in peace.
In the name of Christ.
Amen.
Presiding Minister: Pr. Mary Gilthvedt
Organist: Gene Hodges
Usher: Naomi Thomsen
Altar Guild: Brenda Hornickle
Sound and Video: Tom Hager
Liturgical Text and Music from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, © 2006, 2020, 2022 Augsburg Fortress. Reprinted and/or streamed with permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies License #SAS016761. All rights reserved.
I’ll Fly Away, Text: Albert E. Brumley, Melody: "I'll Fly Away,"1932. Reprinted and/or streamed with permission under CCLI License # 2241477. All rights reserved.
How Great Thou Art, Text: Carl G. Boberg, 1859-1940; tr. and adapt. Stuart K. Hine, 1899-1989. Music: Swedish folk tune; adapt. Stuart K. Hine. Tune: O store Gud. Reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274. All rights reserved.
Precious Memories, Text: J.B.F. Wright and Lonnie B. Combs. Music: J.B.F.Wright., ca.1925. Public domain.
Amazing Grace, Text:John Newton, 1725-1807, alt., sts. 1-4; anonymous, st. 5. Music: W. Walker, Southern Harmony, 1835; arr. Edwin O. Excell, 1851-1921, alt. Tune: New Britain. Public domain.
