Wednesday, July 20, 2020 – Service for Loie Burch

Lois, also known as (Our Beloved) Loie, Burch went to be with her Lord Friday, July 10th. Loie was much loved by her family, her friends, her neighbors, and her family at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church.

At Our Savior’s, Loie is remembered for filling a variety of positions, including as a member of the Membership Committee, church council, a co-founder of our card making group, and most importantly a Sunday School and first communion instructor for many, many years. Loie loved the children at church as if they were her own. Even while homebound, she watched worship with us online, looking for those she knew. Every week she sent me and others a text message during the sharing of the peace in worship… wishing us God’s peace. Loie will be deeply missed by all of us who loved her—whether it be her family or her neighbors or her church family.

Loie is now at home with God, whom she sometimes wrestled with, asking God some of the deepest questions I have known a person to ask. I hope God was prepared for what she brings to heaven!

We know Loie is reunited with her beloved mother, whom she so deeply missed, as well as he father some siblings, and other family members. May their reunion and so many others bring Loie the peace of mind and heart she longed for.

A reading from 1 Corinthians:

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

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 the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will 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 will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Romans 8:38-39

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, 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.

 

When a person has been loved as Loie has been loved—

When people have been loved as we all have been loved by Loie,

a day such as this is filled with sorrow, filled with pain, and filled with grief.

Loie will be missed forever.

Loie will be remembered forever.

Loie will be grieved forever.

Because of the great love Loie shared with her family and with all of her friends—Loie will not be gone forever.

Loie lives in our hearts. Loie lives in our memories.

And, because of the great love Loie shared with God—Loie lives forever.

Loie shares eternal life with God, in heaven with God. Her life has not ended.

 

Loie was baptized December 1, 1945. Visiting with at her apartment, praying with Loie, sharing communion with Loie, I never once doubted her deep love for God, nor did I doubt her deep appreciation for God’s love for her. As I said earlier, Loie asked a lot of questions about God and took those questions straight to God. I think Loie’s thinking and questioning made her relationship with God more authentic than most peoples. Her relationship with God was like some of the best relationships we have with friends—friends who we can talk to about anything knowing they are people we trust with our most vulnerable selves.

Looking at Loie’s facebook page it is obvious how much you who are her family loved her and already miss her. You miss her hugs, you miss her laughter, you miss her focused attention on each of you. When a person talked to Loie it was like there was no one else in the world as important to her as you. We all can learn from her how to better love one another.

When a person has been baptized, the promises God made to that person are never broken. God promised Loie God would forgive her sins. God promised Loie eternal life. Loie’s parents said yes to those promises the day she was baptized. Loie said yes to those promises the day she was confirmed. She said “Yes, I believe.”

Now God is saying “yes” to Loie.

God is saying “welcome home, cherished friend.”

God has received Loie into God’s arms, forever more.

This is most certainly true.

 

In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ,

we commend to almighty God our sister Loie, and we commit her to the ground;

earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

The Lord bless her and keep her.

The Lord’s face shine on her with grace and mercy.

The Lord look upon her with favor

and ☩ give her peace.

Amen.

 

Rest eternal grant our dear Loie, O God;

and let light perpetual shine upon her.

 

O Lord, support us all the day long of this troubled life, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes and the busy world is hushed, the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then, in your mercy, grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

 

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.

Almighty God,

Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit,

bless you now and forever.

Amen.

Let us go in peace.