 |
Floyd Dean Coonrod |
I am Resurrection and I am Life, says the Lord.
Whoever has faith in me shall have life,
even though he die.
And everyone who has life,
and has committed himself to me in faith,
shall not die for ever.
As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives
and that at the last he will stand upon the earth.
After my awaking, he will raise me up;
and in my body I shall see God.
I myself shall see, and my eyes behold him
who is my friend and not a stranger.
For none of us has life in himself,
and none becomes his own master when he dies.
For if we have life, we are alive in the Lord,
and if we die, we die in the Lord.
So, then, whether we live or die,
we are the Lord’s possession.
Happy from now on
are those who die in the Lord!
So it is, says the Spirit,
for they rest from their labors.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
O God, who by the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus
Christ destroyed death, and brought life and immortality to
light: Grant that your servant Dean, being raised with him, may
know the strength of his presence, and rejoice in his eternal
glory; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
From the Old Testament
Wisdom 3:1 5, 9 (The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God)
Psalms 23
From the New Testament
Revelation 7:9 17 (God will wipe away every tear)
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
John 14:1 6 (In my Father’s house are many rooms)
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Rev. Canon John C Powers
Sunday, March 8 2009, Lent II St. Bead's Westport
Burial Office and Requiem Eucharist
Floyd Dean Coonrod, RIP
March 6, 1931- February 25, 2009
WE GATHER THIS DAY TO COMMEND OUR FRIEND IN THE FAITH, DEAN COONROD, TO A MERCIFUL AND FAITHFUL CREATOR. IT'S UNUSUAL TO HAVE A FUNERAL ON SUNDAY, BUT SUNDAY IS GOD'S DAY AND SUNDAY WAS DEAN'S DAY. SUNDAY IS WHEN DEAN SHINED. FOR 35 YEARS OR SO DEAN PLAYED THE ORGAN HERE. WHEN WE HELPED HIM MOVE TO THE NURSING HOME, WE CREATED DEANS LIST, A LIST OF PARISHIONERS WHO WOULD PICK HIM UP AND RETURN HIM EVERY SUNDAY SO HE COULD CONTINUE TO PLAY. DEAN WAS AS MUCH A PART OF THIS PLACE AS ANYONE. AT ONE TIME IN HIS LIFE HE PLAYED FOR THE CIRCUS, MAYBE A CALLIAPIE. HE PLAYED BY EAR AND READ MUSIC, SO WE COULD HEAR MOST ANYTHING ON SUNDAY MORNING. DURING THE OFFERTORY HE SOMETIMES PLAYED "DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES," OR "SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY," OR "ANCHORS AWAY" OR MANY HYMNS THAT CAME TO MIND. DEAN COULD IMPROVISE, AND WE ALL CHUCKLED AT WHAT HE PLAYED, IMPRESSED BY WHAT HE KNEW, ASTOUNDED BY ALL THAT HE COULD PLAY WITHOUT ANY MUSIC IN FRONT OF HIM. HE WAS GOD'S GIFT TO US; WE NEVER PAID HIM A CENT. HE PLAYED FOR LOVE OF GOD AND CHURCH AND HE KNEW HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATED HIS FANFARES ON OUR LITTLE ELECTRONIC ORGAN. I OFTEN THOUGHT, HAD DEAN BEEN EXPOSED TO GREAT PIPE ORGAN LITERATURE, AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MASTER THE PIPE ORGAN, HE MIGHT HAVE BECOME A NOTABLE PROFESSIONAL ORGANIST. HE WAS OUR NOTABLE AND GREAT ORGANIST. AND HE WAS UNFORGETABLE; HE COULD HAVE BEEN THE SUBJECT OF THE READER'S DIGEST PIECE "THE MOST UNFORTABLE CHARACTER I'VE EVER MET." YOU MAY REMEMBER HIS CARS; FREQUENTLY HE HAD OLD BEATEN UP CARS PEOPLE HERE IN THE PARISH WOULD BUY FOR HIM. HE COVERED HIS OLD CARS WITH SO MANY BUMPER STICKERS THAT IT MIGHT TAKE YOU 10 MILES DRIVING BEHIND HIM TO READ THEM ALL. MOST WERE POLITICAL, SO MUCH ON THE POLITICAL RIGHT THAT HIS CAR WOULD AUTOMATICALLY VEER THAT WAY, IF THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT FIRMLY IN HAND.
DEAN WAS POOR, HAD LITTLE TO HIS NAME AND SOMETIMES LIKE OUR LORD, HAD NO REAL PLACE TO LAY HIS HEAD. WHEN I CAME HERE NEARLY 10 YEARS AGO HE LIVED IN A TRAILER IN DOWNTOWN HALLET, NOT TOO FAR WEST FROM HERE.
DEAN LOVED OUR REFRESHMENTS AFTER CHURCH AND WOULD LOAD UP ON WHATEVER WAS OFFERED, OFTEN STUFFING A FEW THINGS IN HIS POCKET FOR FUTURE REFERENCE. HE WAS NEVER SURE OF THE NEXT MEAL AND HIS INSTINCT WAS TO PLAN AHEAD. HE WAS OUR PROUD ORGANIST AND YOU KNEW IT WAS EASTER BY THE WAY HE POUNDED OUT ALL THE FAMOUS EASTER HYMNS WITH GREAT FLOURISH. AND ON EASTER, HE WORE AN ORANGE AND YELLOW SILK JACKET FROM HIS CIRCUS DAYS.
MANY HELPED DEAN. BILL BROOKMAN SAW TO IT THAT DEAN GOT HIS MODEST VETERAN'S PENSION EACH MONTH. OUR SUSAN ROLLINS STEPPED UP TO BE HIS POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR HIS HEALTH AND NURSING HOME NEEDS. OTHERS KEPT DEAN IN VERY GOOD CLOTHES.
ONE OF OUR PARSHIONERS WHO PICKED DEAN UP FOR CHURCH SPEAKS OF DEANS DREAMS. DREAMS THAT DEAN SHARED ON THOSE RIDES TO AND FROM CHURCH. ONE DREAM WAS TO HAVE HIS OWN CAR AGAIN. THE OTHER WAS TO LEAVE THE NURSING HOME AND LIVE IN HIS OWN HOME. FOR HIM, THESE TWO DREAMS SYMBOLIZED HIS INDEPENDENCE, AND A TIME WHEN HE WOULD NOT BE A BURDEN TO ANYONE. HE SEARCHED THE INTERNET FOR MONEY- MAKING SCHEMES AND THOUGHT UP NEW GADGETS THAT COULD LEAD HIM TO FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE. HE OFTEN SAID, HE WISHED HE HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO GIVE BACK IN A BIG WAY TO ST BEDES.
OF COURSE, HE GAVE FAR MORE TO ST. BEDE'S THAN MONEY. HE ENLIVENED OUR WORSHIP, OUR PRAYERS AND PRAISE TO GOD, AND NOT A SUNDAY WENT BY THAT SOMEONE CHUCKLED OR SMILED AT HIS FANFARE, OR TELL HIM HOW BEAUTIFUL HIS PLAYING WAS THAT DAY.
MANY MAY NOT KNOW THAT DEAN BECAME A MISSIONARY OF OUR CHURCH IN THE DIOCESE OF HONDURAS, AND WAS THERE A NUMBER OF YEARS.
DEAN HAD BEEN SUFERING WITH CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE FOR QUITE AWHILE. FINALLY, SHORTLY BEFORE LENT BEGAN HE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND DIED ON ASH WEDESDAY AT 8 PM SOON AFTER OUR EVENING SERVICE CONCLUDED.
IN TODAY'S GOSPEL, JESUS ANNOUNCES THAT IN HEAVEN THERE ARE SPECIAL PLACES. HE SAYS "IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE ARE MANY MANSIONS," MANY PLACES . . . . . ALL OF WHICH ARE SPECIALLY PREPARED FOR US. "I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU" JESUS SAID. OUR CONFIDENCE TODAY IS THAT DEAN NOW OCCUPIES HIS SPECIAL PLACE, HIS SPECIAL MANSION WHICH IS JUST RIGHT FOR HIM. DEAN'S DREAMS ARE REALIZED, BECAUSE NOW HE HAS VERY OWN HOME WHICH IS JUST RIGHT FOR HIM. HE DOESN'T NEED MONEY; HE HAS ALL THE RICHES THAT MONEY CANNOT BUY. HE IS IN GOD'S NEARER PRESENCE WITH THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS AND THE WHOLE COMPANY OF HEAVEN. NO NEED FOR A CAR ON THOSE GOLD PAVED STREETS.
DEAN HAD HIS WOUNDS AND IF YOU KNEW HIM, YOU REALIZED THAT HE LIVED NO CHARMED LIFE; IT WAS A LIFE FILLED WITH SET BACKS, PAIN, AND STRIVING. A STRIVING THAT OFTEN DID NOT GET REWARDED WITH THE GOOD THNGS MOST OF US TAKE FOR GRANTED.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS SERVICE, WE SHALL PROCESS TO THE GARDEN JUST OUTSIDE THESE DOORS. DEAN WILL BE THE FIRST PARISHIONER TO BE BURIED IN OUR GARDEN. HIS REMAINS WILL BE CLOSE TO THIS ALTAR AND CLOSE TO US, A HOLY REMINDER OF THE DESTINY OF ALL US, TO BE WITH GOD, TO REST WITH GOD, AND TO REALIZE FINALLY ALL THE DREAMS OF LIFE. AMEN
In the assurance of eternal life given at Baptism, let us
proclaim our faith and say,
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
For our brother Dean, let us pray to our Lord Jesus Christ who said, “I am Resurrection and I am Life.”
Lord, you consoled Martha and Mary in their distress; draw near to us who
mourn for Dean, and dry the tears of those who weep.
Hear us, Lord.
You wept at the grave of Lazarus, your friend; comfort us in our sorrow.
Hear us, Lord.
You raised the dead to life; give to our brother eternal
life.
Hear us, Lord.
You promised paradise to the thief who repented; bring our brother to the
joys of heaven.
Hear us, Lord.
Our brother was washed in Baptism and anointed with the Holy Spirit; give
him fellowship with all your saints.
Hear us, Lord.
He was nourished with your Body and Blood; grant him a place at the table
in your heavenly kingdom.
Hear us, Lord.
Comfort us in our sorrows at the death of our brother; let our faith be our
consolation, and eternal life our
hope.
Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to you our brother Dean,
who was reborn by water and the Spirit in Holy Baptism.
Grant that his death may recall to us your victory over death,
and be an occasion for us to renew our trust in your Father’s
love. Give us, we pray, the faith to follow where you have led
the way; and where you live and reign with the Father and
the Holy Spirit, to the ages of ages. Amen.
Almighty God, we thank you that in your great love you have
fed us with the spiritual food and drink of the Body and
Blood of your Son Jesus Christ, and have given us a foretaste
of your heavenly banquet. Grant that this Sacrament may be
to us a comfort in affliction, and a pledge of our inheritance
in that kingdom where there is no death, neither sorrow nor
crying, but the fullness of joy with all your saints; through
Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
Give rest, O Christ, to your servant with your saints,
where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting.
You only are immortal, the creator and maker of mankind;
and we are mortal, formed of the earth, and to earth shall we
return. For so did you ordain when you created me, saying,
“You are dust, and to dust you shall return.” All of us go down
to the dust; yet even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia,
alleluia, alleluia.
Give rest, O Christ, to your servant with your saints,
where sorrow and pain are no more,
neither sighing, but life everlasting.
Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your
servant Dean. 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. Amen.
Let us go forth in the name of Christ.
Thanks be to God.