He is risen, Indeed!

Alleluia!

A SERVICE OF THE WORD

Celebrated in loving memory of

Brian Andrew Morden

January 10, 1984 – February 15, 2003

Saturday, February 22, 2003
5:00 PM
FIRST EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
1401 Twelfth Avenue
Altoona, Pennsylvania

PRELUDE MUSIC

God Is Here!
Abbot’s Leigh, setting, Fred Morden

Beneath the Cross of Jesus
St. Christopher

Be Thou My Vision
Slane

O Sacred Head Now Wounded
Herzlich tut mich verlangen

On Eagle’s Wings

Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty
Unser Herrscher

Here I Am, Lord
Jamin Morden, french horn
Brian Johnson, trombone
Lori Suckling, piano

When Love Is Found
O Waly Waly
Dawn, piano
Fred, Brian’s trumpet

WELCOME

Please stand.

OPENING HYMN No. 135 (green hymnal)
“The Strife Is O’er, the Battle Done”
verses 1, 2, and 5 

PRAYER OF INVOCATION
P: In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen
P: Let us pray.

God of grace and glory, we remember before You today our brother, Brian Andrew Morden.
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. Give us Your aid, 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 on before us; through Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
All: Amen

Please be seated.

FIRST LESSON: selections from the eighth chapter of Paul’s letter to the church at Rome

PSALMODY: Psalm 23 (read responsively)

A: The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
All: He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.
A: He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake,
All: Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff &emdash; they comfort me.
A: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
All: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long.

SECOND LESSON: First Corinthians 13:1-13

HYMN No. 738 (blue hymnal)
“Healer of Our Every Ill”

EULOGIES

Pastor Jaime

Miguel, Mark, and Rob

Brian Johnson

Dawn

Fred

Please observe a short period of reflection and meditation.
Please stand when directed.

P: The Holy Gospel according to Saint John.
All: Glory to you, O Lord.

GOSPEL: selections from the Holy Gospel according to Saint John

P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, O Christ.

Please be seated.

HOMILY…………………………………………Pastor Romig

Please stand.

HYMN No. 229 (green hymnal)
“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”

NICENE CREED

P: God has made us His people through our Baptism into Christ. Living together in trust and hope, we confess our faith:

All: We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the virgin Mary, and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen 

LITANY

A: Let us pray to our Lord Jesus Christ, who said, “I am the Resurrection and the Life:”
Lord, You consoled Mary and Martha in their distress; draw near to us, we who mourn the death of Brian Morden, and dry the tears of those who weep.

All: Hear us, Lord.

A: You wept at the grave of Lazarus, Your friend; comfort us in our sorrow.
All: Hear us, Lord.

A: You raised the dead to life; give our brother Brian eternal life.
All: Hear us, Lord.

A: You promise life to those who believe; bring our brother Brian to the joys of heaven.
All: Hear us, Lord.

A: Brian Andrew Morden was washed in Baptism and anointed with the Holy Spirit;
give him fellowship with all Your saints.
All: Hear us, Lord.

A: Our brother Brian was nourished with Your Body and Blood;
grant him a place at the table in Your heavenly kingdom.
All: Hear us, Lord.

A: Comfort us in our sorrows at the death of this brother in the family of faith;
let Your gift of faith be our consolation, and Your promise of eternal life our hope.
All: Hear us, Lord.

Here other petitions may be offered.

P: O God, before whom all generations rise and pass away, we praise You for all Your servants who, having accepted Your gift of faith in this life, now rest in You. Especially, we thank You for Your servant, Brian Andrew Morden, a child of Your choosing by Baptism, and our brother in Jesus Christ. We praise You for the gift of his life, for all in him that was good and kind and faithful, and for the grace You gave him that kindled in him a devotion for You and enabled him to serve Your will. We thank You that, for Brian, death is passed and pain is ended, and that by faith he now rests secure in the assurance of Your love; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

All: Amen

P: Let us boldly and confidently pray in the words our Savior gave us:

All: Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever.
Amen

Please be seated.

READING: “I Have Only Slipped Away”
Henry Scott Holland

VOLUNTARY…….Jennifer Pappal and Lori Suckling

It Is Well with My Soul
Horatio Spafford / Philip Bliss

Please stand.

PRAYERS OF COMMENDATION

P Into Your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend Your servant, Brian Andrew Morden. 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.

All: Amen

A Lord Jesus, by Your death You took away the sting of death. Grant to us, Your servants, so to follow in faith where You have led the way, that we may, at length, fall asleep peacefully in You and awake in Your likeness.

All: Amen

A: Rest eternal grant him, O Lord;
All: and light perpetual shine upon him.

Please observe a moment of silence.
 

BENEDICTION

P The God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, perfect you in everything good so that you may do His will, working in you that which is pleasing in His sight; through + Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever!

All: Amen

SENDING HYMN No. 170 (green hymnal)
“Crown Him with Many Crowns”
verses 1, 4, and 6

POSTLUDE

Postlude for Brian
based on Lasst uns erfreuen

All are cordially invited to join together for a reception following this service
in the Social Hall of the Educational Building.

Arrangements by the E. Merrill Smith Funeral Home, Altoona.

Participants in the service

Presiding ministers
Pastor Fred Romig, Pastor Jaime Olson

Assisting ministers
The Reverend Doctor James Morris, The Reverend Raymond Morris, Jr.,
and Seminarian Frank Harpster III

Eulogists
Pastor Jaime Olson
Miguel Chavez
Brian Johnson
Fred Morden
Dawn Morden

Readers
Robert Suckling
Mary Lou Suckling
Kevin Suckling

Greeters
Kayleigh Suckling
Matthew Suckling
Lori Suckling
Chelsea Cronin
Louise Burkholder

Organist
Asa Carns

Violinist
Jennifer Pappal

Pianist
Lori Suckling

Brass Choir, Kent Martin, Director
Scott Pappal, Arranger

Brian’s Internet friends began a fund before Brian passed away. Here’s the link which explains how the money will be used now –
Brian Morden Memorial Fund