Funeral Prayer

Dear Father God,

We thank you for the life of George.

Thank you for the loving family that he was born into. Thank you for sustaining them through the difficult years after his father died. Thank you for the lessons that you taught George about hard work and making do during the difficult years of the depression. Thanks for providing him with a loving wife in Millie, who bought him joy for so many years. Thank you for bringing him home safely after his time of service in the second world war, for blessing him with nine children, for gifting him to be a faithful, kind and loving father and then grandfather, and then great grandfather. We thank you for his sense of humour, his thoughtfulness, and for the long life that you gave him. Most of all we thank you for your love for him and for his faith in you, that found expression in his trustful commitment to his duties, his selfless love for Millie and his family, and his years of service to those outside his family - greeting people at the door of church, putting a seat outside his house so people could sit and rest after walking up the hill, driving the ‘oldies’ around - from Kirra-Haven - even when he himself was well over 70 himself, and for keeping an interest in others right up until the end of his life.

We pray for Ma in her grief. Please comfort her with the knowledge that she will see George again in the new world that God is making, where there will be no more tears or sadness, no more goodbyes and no more growing old and frail. Please help us all to hope in you at this time and prepare ourselves in this life for the one that is to come.

In Jesus’ name we pray.

Amen.