"The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms."
Deuteronomy 33:27
At McArthur Bros & MacNeil Funeral Home, Cornwall
Wednesday, February 9th, at 2 p.m.
Minister: Rev. Andrea Harrison
Williamstown - Martintown Pastoral Charge
Tel. (613) 347-2063
The United Church of Canada
The Gathering
Jesus said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matt 11:28)
Jesus said Let not your hearts be troubled: believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. (John 14:1-3)
The Greeting
We have gathered here to praise God and to witness to our faith as we celebrate the life of Mrs. Jean McCuaig MacIntosh, and mourn her death. We come together in grief acknowledging our human loss. May God search our hearts, that in pain we may find comfort, in sorrow hope, in death, resurrection.
For those of you who don't know me, I am Andrea Harrison minister at St. Andrew' United Churches in Williamstown and Martintown. It is my privilege to be here with you this afternoon.
Prayer of Approach
O God of all life, be with us now as we remember Jean MacIntosh. Help us to celebrate the love, dignity, and dedication that were so much a part of Jean. May her life continue to inspire us long into the future, and may we trust that we and she are in your gentle care. Amen
Prayer for Illumination: When we face death, it is often then that we tend to turn to God and to scripture writings to find meaning and hope, so I will read two scripture readings in the hope and prayer that God will speak to us through these writings.
Scripture Readings
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want; he maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters; he restoreth my soul.
He leadeth me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Romans 8: 18, 28, 35, 37-39
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Words of Appreciation – Donald Thomson, reading from "Our Heritage: a History of Old St. Andrew’s, the Stone Church at Martintown"
Meditation
Jean was a pretty special lady to a lot of people. She was an inspiration, living into her 95th year, in her own home until September 27th of last year, and driving her car around town. She was a wonderful historian, and those of us from St. Andrew’s United Church in Martintown are indebted to her, not just for telling us her stories, but for compiling and writing a historical record of our church.
Born on March 20th, 1905 Jean lived for nearly a century – and what a century it’s been. All the changes Jean has seen and lived through, yet she seemed very much in command of life. Jean wanted to live to see the year 2000, and she did that. When she could no longer live at home, she wanted to go to Maxville Manor, and that was indeed her final residence. When I last saw her in her bright cheery room at Maxville Manor, she seemed very well, and her spirits were bright. She was the warm, accommodating hostess that she always was, and it was delightful for my son and I to spend a little more time with her.
I’m sorry that Jean has died, although I’m very glad to hear that she died peacefully, and without pain. That’s the way she would have wanted it. After her hospitalization in September, Jean started giving further instructions to those who would take care of things after her death. She had a gentle way of making sure things were in good order.
Jean is the last of the McCuaigs from her childhood home at McCuaig’s Corners. She is the end of an era of that Scottish family in Glengarry, but her legacy lives on.
Prayers of the People
Great Giver of Life, we are thankful that you are the God not only of our days of confident certainty, when we feel secure and firmly in control, but also the God of our times of distress and pain.
When we encounter sickness, when we come face to face with death, we need the assurance that you are with us, and that "neither death nor life: nor anything else in all creation" can put us beyond the circle of your loving care.
We remember with special thanks at this time the life and gifts of Mrs. Jean MacIntosh with all that her life means to those who make up her family and friends.
Although we wish that Jean was still with us, we thank you that she died without suffering and lived life fully to the end.
We pray for ourselves as we mourn Jean’s death. Bless our sadness as a testimony to how special Jean was to us, and give us a sense of peace as we trust that Jean is in your everlasting care.
So now we gather, God, in your presence to remember and say goodbye to Jean, to acknowledge the gift of life that has been given to each of us.
Bless us with your presence at this time, that we may know that you are with us through all the ups and downs of life. Amen.
Hear us now as together we pray the prayer that Jesus taught:
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.
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
Holy God, by your creative power you gave us the gift of life, and in your redeeming love you have promised to be with us in life, in death, and in life beyond death.
You only are immortal, Creator of all.
We are mortal, formed of the earth, and to the earth shall we return. This you ordained when you created us, saying, "You are dust, and to dust you shall return."
We now commend Jean to your merciful keeping; her mortal body to be returned to the ground; earth to earth ashes to ashes, dust to dust; and we entrust her soul to your everlasting care.
Go peacefully into that abiding place prepared for us.
God gently into God's deeper presence.
Go confidently into that communion of saints surrounding us all;
and may they hold you precious until we meet again.
Sung Benediction: "Go Now In Peace"
Go now in peace.
Never be afraid.
God will go with you each hour of every day.
Go now in faith, steadfast, strong and true.
Know he will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love, and show you believe.
Reach out to others so all the world can see.
God will be there watching from above.
Go now in peace, in faith, and in love.
Amen.
