In Loving Memory

As alluded to in an earlier post, the Good Friday service at Cornland Christian Church this year is taking the form of a memorial service. It's times like this that I wish I wasn't a cheapskate and had purchased a scanner. Ah well. Because of the funerary approach to this service, I created little funeral bulletins, like you get at a memorial service.

Printed on sky-blue paper with clouds (you can get it at pretty much any office supply shop,) the cover says, in large semi-fancy script, "In Loving Memory."

On the inside, the paper is white. (Who knew that the cool sky-n-clouds was only on one side of the paper? Not me, that's who!) The left-hand page reads:

Jesus "Christ" ben Joseph

Age 33

Born approx. 4 B.C.

Laid to rest at

The Garden Tomb,

Jerusalem

and then goes on to list people involved in the service. The right-hand page contains a modification of an obituary for Jesus that someone else had written:

Jesus Christ, 33, of Nazareth, died Friday on Mount Calvary, also known as Golgotha, the place of the skull, from complications related to crucifixion.

Jesus, a descendant of Abraham, and member of the house of David, was the son of the late Joseph, a carpenter of Nazareth, and Mary, his devoted mother. Jesus was born in a stable in the town of Bethlehem, Judea. He is survived by his mother, Mary, his faithful Apostles, and numerous other disciples and followers.

Jesus spent most of his adult life working as a teacher. Jesus also occasionally worked as a medical doctor, healing many patients. Up until the time of his death, Jesus was teaching and sharing the Good News, healing the sick, touching the lonely, feeding the hungry and helping the poor.

Jesus was most noted for telling parables about his Father's Kingdom, and performing miracles, such as feeding over 5,000 people with only five loaves of bread and two fish, and healing a man who was born blind. On the day before his death, he celebrated the Passover feast, at which he foretold his death.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that everyone try to live as Jesus did. Donations may be sent to anyone in need.

Finally, on the back cover:

"I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." Psalm 16:8-11

"I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" - Jesus

The family wishes to extend special gratitude to Joseph of Arimathea for his donation of the tomb, and to Nicodemus for providing myrrh and aloes for the burial.

They also request that mourners please honor the Sabbath, and wait until Sunday to place flowers or other mementos at the grave.