We would like to express our deep gratitude to everyone for the incredible amount of love, sympathy, condolences, hugs, food, flowers, gifts, memorials, cards, and everything we have been receiving during this time.  We feel God's hand holding us up so strongly through you.  You continue to humble and amaze us and we thank God for you!

We also want you to know that we left some of the flowers from Eric's funeral at church to be used in the Easter garden which decorates our sanctuary on Easter Sunday morning.  Someone said Holy Week from now on would be Eric Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday.

The funeral recessional hymn, "In Thee Is Gladness" from the Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW #552), was chosen because Eric referred to it specifically in a sermon he preached in 2008.  Here are the words to the hymn and his comments about it from his sermon:

IN THEE IS GLADNESS (LBW #552)

In thee is gladness amid all sadness, Jesus, sunshine of my heart.

By thee are given the gifts of heaven, Thou the true redeemer art.

Our souls thou wakest; our bonds thou breakest.  Who trusts thee surely has built securely and stands forever:  Alleluia!

Our hearts are pining to see thy shining, dying or living to thee are cleaving; naught can us sever:  Alleluia!

 

If he is ours, we fear no powers, not of earth or sin or death.

He sees and blesses in worst distresses; he can change them with a breath.

Wherefore the story, tell of his glory with heart and voices; all heaven rejoices in him forever:  Alleluia!

We shout for gladness, triumph o’er sadness, love him and praise him and still shall raise him glad hymns forever:  Alleluia!

 FROM PASTOR ERIC’S SERMON:  2008

     “Please turn in the green hymnal to #552.  God gives us “gladness amid all sadness”, wakes our souls, breaks our bonds, never lets go of us.  In verse 2, Jesus changes our worst distresses with a breath.  And so we sing and shout the story.  Sadness does not rule.

     Evil and suffering are not fully over; prison, cancer, and death have not left.  I’m going to say it again.  We can quit, go through worship motions, let evil and darkness play their way through us.  All around us people have quit, and let evil and darkness run them.

    Or we can daily let the Holy Spirit fill us, and share the story, singing out with everything within us.    Amen.”