Paula's Memorial Service
Notes
Transcript
Steadfast- firmly fixed in place : IMMOVABLE
This is something that strikes me kind of funny hearing from John about Paula Liking the back row!
-I talked with her one time about moving to another row and I found out quickly it just wasn’t an option.
-We are still confirming, but we think this is Paula’s first time in the front row.
Paula was one of those people that when I first came here I knew she was the one I would be talking with alot in my transition to Melwood.
My first interaction with her she said, “Now Pastor I think we need to meet regularly because it’s important you know what’s going on with the church finances.”
-I agreed because Paula said it needed to happen.......but seriously I found it refreshing to see her passion for what I thought was church finances.
-Over the first few months I was here I met with her and Mark frequently and I quickly found out that even though she had a skill for finances and organizing confusing information, her passion was for the body of Christ and his mission for the church.
-I also came to know that anything that came after “Now Pastor......” was something that was important to Paula and came from her heart.
In some conversations with Paula I was able to see a tender heart that loved people and wanted to serve Jesus.
I can imagine having a pastor that is younger than her youngest child could have been challenging, and yet Paula showed me love, and respect as her pastor.
- what she has experienced over the years in church ministry is pretty vast, but never did I hear ....that’s not going to work, or we have tried that before and it didn’t work.
Synonyms
constant, dedicated, devoted, devout, good, loyal, (also stanch), steady, true,
Paula was dedicated in her love and service to her family Butch, Henry, Amber,Elizabeth, William, Carrie, Chris, Betty!
She was devoted to those around her that she loved… the family that wasn’t blood, but just as close.
She was a devout servant to her for her Lord and Savior
Paula was loyal to Melwood Church of Nazarene
She was steady and true in her ministry to Melwood throughout the years, and as treasurer in a very difficult period in Melwood’s history.
Paula’s life wasn’t without it’s challenges, but each challenge I saw her walk through....she faced it head on and with the grace and wisdom of many years walking with Jesus.
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.
Paula has loved, served, and endured to the end and is now receiving her reward as she looks into the face of the savior she has longed to see.
In these days it might be hard to now how to respond to this death. It could very well be hard to think about life without Paula here, but one thing I encourage people to do when they have lost a loved one.....
-tell her stories…funny ones, sad ones, confusing ones
-Say her name and talk about her as though she is still alive in our hearts.
-Even though we know there will be a separation from her until the day we all see the Lord we can keep her alive through her stories and saying her name as she lives on in us.