FUNERAL SERVICE Raymond Leslie Price - to celebrate the life of - Friday, August 20th 2021, 2pm

FUNERAL SERVICE
            to celebrate the life of

         Raymond Leslie Price

        29th April 1931 – 24th July 2021

        Friday, August 20th 2021, 2pm

The Anglican Parish of St Stephen and St Mary
     383 High Street Road, Mt Waverley

The service we use today expresses the close relationship we have
with one another. The minister and family have selected words in
prayer, readings and reflection to help us share this time together.

There is always a deep sense of loss at the death of a loved one. The
living need our support and consolation. The whole congregation has
an important part in giving this help; one way in which we can do
this is by joining in those parts printed in bold type.

Christians have always believed that there is hope in death as in life,
and that there is renewed life, in Christ, after death. God’s love and
power extend over all creation. Every life, including our own, is
precious to God.

Welcome      Rev’d Greg Wong

                   CHRISTIAN SYMBOLS
Light
Light immortal,
you brought joy and life to the world.
May we, with Ray,
know the full light of Christ’s risen presence. Amen.

Water
In the waters of baptism we died with Christ,
and began to walk in newness of life.
May we, with Ray and all the baptised,
be brought to the fulfilment of your eternal kingdom. Amen.

Word
In life Ray was nourished by the Word of God.
May Christ greet us, with Ray, saying:
Come, blessed of my Father! Amen.

Cross
Lord Jesus Christ, you bore our failure on the cross.
May this cross be a sign to us of your love for Ray,
and the forgiveness of his sin. Amen.

Life
Lord Jesus, you call us to abundant life.
May these symbols remind us of the rich gift of Ray’s life.
Amen.

GATHERING IN GOD’S NAME

The minister greets the congregation.
Grace and peace from the Lord be with you.
And also with you.

We have come together
to remember before God the life of Ray
to commend him to God’s keeping,
to commit his body to be cremated,
to comfort those who mourn
with our sympathy and with our love;
in the hope we share
through the death and resurrection
of Jesus Christ.

HYMN ‘Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise’

1.Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
  in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
  most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
  almighty, victorious, your great name we praise.

2.Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
  your angels adore you, all veiling their sight;
  of all your rich graces this grace, Lord, impart—
  take the veil from our faces, the veil from our heart.

3.All praise we would render: reveal to our sight
  what hides you is only the splendour of light;
  and so let your glory, Almighty, impart,
  through Christ in the story, your Christ to the heart.

                                        Walker Chalmers Smith 1824-908 alt.

A sentence of scripture is read
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.                     Romans 8.38-39

The people join with the minister in saying
Let us pray
Loving God, you alone are the source of life.
May your life-giving Spirit flow through us,
and fill us with compassion, one for another.
In our sorrow give us the calm of your peace.
Kindle our hope, and let our grief give way to joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.          Amen.

THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

Readings            Psalm 23                  Rachael Price
                    John 14:1-6,27            Christine Price

Eulogies            Robyn Price
                    Chris Price
                    Philip Price
                    Luca Price - Reflections from the grandchildren

Sermon              Rev’d Greg Wong

Photo Reflection

                                THE PRAYERS
The minister says

Let us pray with confidence to God our Father.
The prayers conclude with the Lord’s Prayer

As our Saviour Christ has taught us, we are confident to pray,

Our Father, which art in heaven,
         Hallowed be thy Name,
     Thy kingdom come,
     Thy will be done,
         in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
And forgive us our trespasses,
     As we forgive them that trespass against us;
And lead us not into temptation,
     But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory,
For ever and ever. Amen.

HYMN ‘Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven’

1.Praise, my soul, the king of heaven;
  to his feet your tribute bring;
  ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
  who like me his praise should sing?
  Praise him, praise him, hallelujah,
  praise the everlasting king!

2.Frail as summer’s flower we flourish,
  blows the wind and it is gone;
  but while mortals rise and perish
  God endures unchanging on.
  Praise him, praise him, hallelujah,
  praise the high eternal one!

3.Angels, help us to adore him,
  you behold him face to face;
  sun and moon, bow down before him,
  dwellers all in time and space:
  praise him, praise him, hallelujah,
  praise with us the God of grace!
                     Henry Francis Lyte 1793-1847 alt. based on Psalm 103

THE COMMENDATION AND COMMITTAL

Holding our love firmly, laying aside all regret gently,
we release Ray into the hands of God.
Let us commend Ray to the mercy of God,
our maker and redeemer.

God alone is holy and just and good.
In that confidence, we commend you, Ray
to God’s mercy,
to God’s forgiveness and love.
Blessed be God the Father,
who has caused the light of Christ to shine upon you.

A sentence of Scripture is read

The Lord is full of compassion and mercy,
slow to anger and of great goodness.
As a father is tender towards his children,
so is the Lord tender to those that fear him.

For he knows of what we are made;
he remembers that we are but dust.
Our days are like the grass;
we flourish like a flower of the field;
when the wind goes over it, it is gone
and its place will know it no more.

But the merciful goodness of the Lord endures
for ever and ever toward those that fear him
and his righteousness upon their children’s children.
                                          Psalm 103.8, 13-17

Facing the coffin, the minister says

The earthly life of Ray has come to an end,
we commit his body to be cremated
earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust;
in the sure and certain hope
of the resurrection to eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Rest eternal grant unto Ray, O Lord.
And let light perpetual shine upon him.

Go forth upon your journey from this world:
in the love of God the Father
who created you,
in the mercy of Jesus Christ
who redeemed you,
in the power of the Holy Spirit
who strengthened you.
In communion with all the faithful,
may you dwell this day in peace.
Amen.

THE BLESSING AND DISMISSAL

The minister says

Dear friends,
let us leave this place in quietness of spirit,
as we return to the living of our lives;
glad that we have loved,
free to weep in grief,
free to hold each other in our human frailty,
encouraged to live well.
Let us affirm the hope that lives in God
at the heart of our existence.
Although we disperse this day in sorrow,
the mercy of God will gather us together again
in the joy of his kingdom.

The minister pronounces the Blessing

The Lord bless us and keep us
The Lord make his face to shine upon us and be gracious to us
The Lord lift up his countenance upon us
and give us peace. Amen.

Go in peace in the name of Christ. Amen.

RECESSIONAL MUSIC

                    Please follow the family in procession from the church
                               and assemble in the Peace Court.

 All music is reproduced with permission under ONE LICENSE A-604739