Edwina Jane Saul, June 20, 1932-June 24, 2023

Funeral • Sermon • Submitted 10 months ago • Presented 10 months ago

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Welcome & Gathering

Jesus said, I am the resurrection and I am life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, yet shall they live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.

Friends, we have gathered here to praise God and to witness to our faith as we celebrate the life of Edwina Jane Saul. We come together in grief, acknowledging our human loss. May God grant us grace, that in pain we may find comfort, in sorrow….hope, in death….resurrection.

Pray (Ruth Ann gets in place)

Hymn, Amazing Grace - Ruth Ann Person

Old Testament Scripture

Proverbs 3:1–6 NIV

1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, 2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. 3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Pastoral Prayer

O God, who gave us birth, you are ever more ready to hear than we are to pray. You know our needs before we ask, and our ignorance in asking. Give to us now your grace, that as we shrink before the mystery of death, we may see the light of eternity. Speak to us once more your solemn message of life and of death. Help us to live as those who are prepared to die. And when our days here are accomplished, enable us to die as those who go forth to live, so that living or dying, our life may be in you, and that nothing in life or in death will be able to separate us from your great love in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Add prayer for family:

Harry (husband)

Harry (son) and Tetiana, for Sherri

Grandchildren:

extended family.

Amen.

Will you join me in the Lord’s prayer as you are able:

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, FOR EVER AND EVER AMEN

Celebration of Life

Edwina Jane Saul, 91 of Conroe passed away at her home on Saturday, June 24, 2023. She was born June 20, 1932 to Edwin and Vera Kelley in Conroe, Texas where she lived the majority of her life.

She graduated from Conroe High School in 1948 and continued her education at Sam Houston State University with a Bachelor degree in Home Economics. Edwina returned to Sam Houston for her Master's degree in criminal justice. She used her degree to help 1000's of children as a visiting teacher (social worker) for Conroe ISD. Children were a passion of hers and she felt very strongly about helping children and their families improve their lives. Edwina would always find the good in people.

In 1953, she married Harry E. Saul, Jr. from Conroe, on July 13th. Harry was enlisted in the Air Force as a fighter pilot; this position took the couple from Conroe to Phoenix, AZ, Madison, WI, and Valdosta, GA to name a few. The couple raised two sons, Harry E. Saul, III and Kelley Saul and Edwina was very active in her children's lives. The family moved back to Dallas, Texas in 1958 eventually back to Conroe in 1970.

Edwina was an active member of First Methodist Church in Conroe, the Beacon Sunday School Class, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and was on the Board of Child Protective Services.

She enjoyed being outdoors in its natural beauty, camping, and even river rafting. In her later years, she loved the company of her friends and working out.

She is survived by her loving husband, Harry E. Saul, Jr., son Harry E. Saul, III and wife Tetiana Horiainova, daughter-in-law Sherri Saul, grandchildren, Harrison Saul and wife Kylee, Rachel Warner, Jake Saul, Jessica Saul, Alaksandr Tirok great grandchildren, Samantha Warner and Odin Edward Saul and cousins Ginny Farmer, Janie Kinsey, and Janet Betty. Edwina was preceded in death by her parents, son Kelley Saul, and sisters Virginia Haese and Patsy Bowen.

Ginny Farmer

Her son, Harry

Special Music

It is well with my soul

New Testament and Scripture

1 Corinthians 13:1–13 NIV

1 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. 2 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. 3 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. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 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. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 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. 12 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. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Pray.

Eddie Saul

What an honor and joy to get to know this special woman over the last several months. I first visited Eddie and Harry and brought them communion about 6 months ago. And they were so fun. Telling me stories of their life, watching them interact together. Finishing each other’s sentences. Asking about the church.

I will always remember her turning to me at some point and asking pointedly:

What is your vision for the church?

As I stumbled with an answer she challenged again...

Since that day I have learned that I was only getting a glimpse of her tenacity.

There are a couple ways I would describe Eddie:

She was a fierce advocate and she was humble

Advocate:

Eddie spent 25 years in social work. This new position with the school district was called a travelling teacher and dont misunderstand....she did so much more than what that title might infer. It wasnt mathmatics or reading basics that she was travelling to instill....she was helping families to find basic needs like doctors, dentists. And she held families accountable to do what they could to care for their children. Eddie went to homes that the sherriffs office would not go. She would literally hunt down families that lived in temporary shelters in the district. She did this for hundreds of cases every year for 25 years.

Think about that. hundreds of cases for 25 years.

And she was the perfect person to be called into this work. Her difficult childhood, and things she had to overcome....she could both relate empathetically, motivate, and model what was possible.

I think of the apostle Paul, who we just read from in 1 Corinthians. His calling to bring the good news to the world, particularly to the gentiles. He was the perfect person for the calling. God chose him for this work.

God called Eddie to this and she answered that call and served with great humility.

Which leads to the second point:

Humility:

John Chysostom:

“For just as pride is the root of all sin, so “humility is the root, mother, nurse, foundation, and bond of all virtue,”

All virtue is born from a place of humility…

“They that know God will be humble; they that know themselves cannot be proud.”

Eddie and Harry lived below their means, they loved from that place as well. Her advocacy was driven from this place.

Her son Harry spoke of the core lesson of trust that he learned from his mom. If you say you are going to do something, then do it. This trustworthiness and determination can be a lot of things but it cannot be what it was without humility. This humility served her family:

Creating memories for kids and grandkids.

70 years of marriage this year.

Service to the church here at FMC and the Beacon class

Serving on the board of Child Protective Services

Even in the face of death, she would tell me her only concern and worry was for her family....not for anything she was facing.

Humility.

Scripture from Paul

This scripture from the apostle Paul is a great snapshot of what made Eddie’s life special.

What is interesting is this chapter is most popular because it is often shared at weddings. But this passage, though appropriate for a man and woman to model the love described here, that is not the primary focus....

The First Letter to the Corinthians b. Love Is the Most Perfect and Only Eternal Way to Worship God, 13:1–13

The chapter is primarily about living in Christian community in a way that glorifies God, and that is by learning to treat other members of Christ’s body the way God has treated us—with self-sacrificing, other-oriented love. This is what has come to be referred to as agapē love, based on the Greek word used for it here. That word is used ten times between 13:1 and 14:1. Many Christians seem to assume that the word agapē was invented by Christ or his followers and always meant divine, Christ-like love. Although the word did come to be the preferred word among Christians for the love shown and expected by Christ, its basic meaning, as indicated by BDAG, is “warm regard for and interest in another.”1

Today is not the time to get into the weeds here about what Paul is doing with Spiritual gifts, but I will sum it up this way....Spiritual gifts and skill sets given to us from God for the work of ministry, they are important, but not nearly as important as love.

If we can prophesy, or speak in a certain way, or have special leadership gifts…they are good, but what is transcendent is love. Eddie’s life is transcendent because of love.

This is a tough list to consider:

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 NIV

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Now, Eddie, no doubt failed, dishonored at some point. kept record of wrong, or got angry easily.

But the Eddie we knew, it would have been hard to find examples. I look at this list and it is overwhelming. But see Paul in this text is talking about the love of God that never fails. And when that love pervades all that we are....we can begin to live into this calling. Eddie did that. And she can be an inspiration of us all to live that way too.

Finally, there is reminder of our eternal promise here in the text that gives us great hope this day:

1 Corinthians 13:12 NIV

12 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.

For as beautiful the life of Eddie was and for as sacrificial and loving as she was…she was still only living with part of the promise. Only seeing the reflection of God like in a mirror. Today we have great hope because she now sees face to face. She is known fully and knows fully the God who created her. We have hope today in grief, because we know that Eddie is with Jesus. The love that was poured out into her and through her is now complete in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Hymn

Softly and Tenderly

Benediction

The peace of God He which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

Graveside

A SERVICE OF COMMITTAL – Edwina Jane Saul

July 1, 2023

Greeting

Listen, I will tell you a mystery!

We will not all die, but we will all be changed.

For this perishable body must put on imperishability,

and this mortal body must put on immortality.

Then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:

"Death has been swallowed up in victory."

"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"

But thanks be to God,

who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

(1 CORINTHIANS 15:51, 53, 54 b-55, 57)

Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;

my body also dwells secure.

You, [Lord,] show me the path of life;

in your presence there is fullness of joy,

in your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (PSALM 16:9, 11, UMH 748)

The following prayer is offered:

Let us pray.

O God, you have ordered this wonderful world

and know all things in earth and in heaven.

Give us such faith that by day and by night,

at all times and in all places,

we may without fear commit ourselves

and those dear to us

to your never-failing love,

in this life and in the life to come. Amen.

Scripture

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled and unfading,

kept in heaven for you.

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you suffer trials

so that the genuineness of your faith may prove itself worthy

at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Without having seen him, yet you love him;

though you do not now see him,

you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy.

As the harvest of your faith you reap the salvation of your souls.

(ADAPTED FROM 1 PETER 1:3-9)

Jesus said: "Very truly, I tell you,

unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,

it remains just a single grain;

but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

Those who love their life lose it,

and those who hate their life in this world

will keep it for eternal life.

Whoever serves me must follow me,

and where I am, there will my servant be also.

Whoever serves me, the Father will honor." (JOHN 12:24-26)

Commital

Standing at the head of the coffin and facing it (preferably casting earth upon it as it is lowered into the grave) the pastor says:

Almighty God,

into your hands we commend your daughter Edwina,

in sure and certain hope of resurrection to eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

This body we commit to the ground

(to the elements, to its resting place),

earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. (TRADITIONAL)

One or more of the following or other prayers is offered:

Eternal God, you have shared with us the life of Edwina Jane Saul.

Before she was ours, she is yours.

For all that Edwina has given us to make us what we are,

for that of her which lives and grows in each of us,

and for her life that in your love will never end,

we give you thanks.

As now we offer Edwina back into your arms,

comfort us in our loneliness,

strengthen us in our weakness,

and give us courage to face the future unafraid.

Draw those of us who remain in this life closer to one another,

make us faithful to serve one another,

and give us to know that peace and joy which is eternal life;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The pastor dismisses the people with the following or another blessing:

Now to the One who is able to keep you from falling,

and to make you stand without blemish

in the presence of God's glory with rejoicing,

to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord,

be glory, majesty, power, and authority,

before all time and now and forever. Amen. (JUDE 24-25, ALT.)

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