Gerry Aurich Funeral

FUNERAL SERMON FOR GERRY AURICH

⁵Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"

⁶Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷If you really knew me, you would know^[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

⁸Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."

⁹Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? ¹⁰Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.

The gospel lesson contains the words that are known by so many Christians, the words of Jesus, “I am the way...” Thomas was confused by these words asking Jesus how will we know this way, Lord? Jesus tells him Thomas you know the way because you know me and because you know me you know God.

Often times in history these words of our Lord have been misused to separate people, interpreted to say that if you don’t know Jesus, you are on the way to hell or separation from God. This is not what it says. Instead these are words about the journey of life, the journey of life that moves to eternal life. These are the words of a God who accompanies us on life's journeys.

In 2006 Gerry's journey took an unexpected turn when his beloved wife Terry died. It must have seemed to him that his journey was meaningless wandering without her. Lost on a trail of loneliness.

But God the Way, God the truth and God the life was true to purpose and promise. The Way for Gerry, the path, led him to our door. We do not know how God did this; only that God did.

I will never forget the day he walked into our church. I had just started at St. Paul's and in walks a man who wants to join our church. Wow, this was a good sign. I had just gotten there and people were just walking in the door- surely this was a good sign!

This was the Gospel in action because in our church Gerry found that he was needed and that his gifts were valued and that he had a place. Oh, we could never replace his wife Terry, but we could walk along the way with him.

And do you see how Jesus works? The path that led him to us was also a way for us to grow and rejoice. He brightened our day and made our load easier to carry. And we were fellow disciples on the way with him.

Jesus said “I am the way” and with Gerry our Lord's words were not empty but living, not in vain but a promise kept and made good, and we are the better for it. We are the recipients of a miracle, the miracle of God's very presence.

We did not know that he was a sick as he was, and that the journey would be ending in this quick and unexpected way.

But God is good on the entire journey and not just parts of it. Moments before he drew his last breath, two members of our church, moved by the Holy Spirit, went to see him. They had not planned on it but felt compelled to do so. They spoke the Lord’s Prayer, recited the 23^rd psalm and were there to help him on his journey home. It was so that he would not die alone. So that the final steps of his Earthly journey would be with God's people.

God gave us another gift here. We do not always see the fruits of our labor. We would like to do ministry in Big Ways- healing Haiti, bringing peace and justice to the world. But God also directs us in the still, small, quite ways, being present with a dying man as his journey went to glory and for that we can add our AMEN!

There are many things that can still be said today. We all have our stories, our journeys and Gerry was a part of them.

I will miss seeing him on this Earthly path- his head looking through the chapel window as he counted the attendance. The little yellow truck that beat me to church every Sunday morning, no matter how early I arrived. And we will discover the unsung things he did for us. Just Sunday a week ago no one thought to unlock the front door because Gerry always did that.

But the hope and faith that we profess is that the way does not end in death, but continues on in eternity.

When Gerry walked with us, he always set up the tables, put them in place for every banquet and meal that we shared. Jesus said, “In My Father's house are many rooms...” We can assume one of those rooms is a fellowship hall and I bet Gerry is busy there now setting up tables for that great feast which knows no end.

Thank you God, for Gerry!

Thank you for directing him our way.

Thank you for you are the Way, the only way we can rely on in this our earthly pilgrimage.

Amen.




		FUNERAL SERMON FOR GERRY AURICH ⁵Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" ⁶Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷If you really knew me, you would know^[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." ⁸Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." ⁹Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? ¹⁰Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. The gospel lesson contains the words that are known by so many Christians, the words of Jesus, “I am the way...” Thomas was confused by these words asking Jesus how will we know this way, Lord? Jesus tells him Thomas you know the way because you know me and because you know me you know God. Often times in history these words of our Lord have been misused to separate people, interpreted to say that if you don’t know Jesus, you are on the way to hell or separation from God. This is not what it says. Instead these are words about the journey of life, the journey of life that moves to eternal life. These are the words of a God who accompanies us on life's journeys. In 2006 Gerry's journey took an unexpected turn when his beloved wife Terry died. It must have seemed to him that his journey was meaningless wandering without her. Lost on a trail of loneliness. But God the Way, God the truth and God the life was true to purpose and promise. The Way for Gerry, the path, led him to our door. We do not know how God did this; only that God did. I will never forget the day he walked into our church. I had just started at St. Paul's and in walks a man who wants to join our church. Wow, this was a good sign. I had just gotten there and people were just walking in the door- surely this was a good sign! This was the Gospel in action because in our church Gerry found that he was needed and that his gifts were valued and that he had a place. Oh, we could never replace his wife Terry, but we could walk along the way with him. And do you see how Jesus works? The path that led him to us was also a way for us to grow and rejoice. He brightened our day and made our load easier to carry. And we were fellow disciples on the way with him. Jesus said “I am the way” and with Gerry our Lord's words were not empty but living, not in vain but a promise kept and made good, and we are the better for it. We are the recipients of a miracle, the miracle of God's very presence. We did not know that he was a sick as he was, and that the journey would be ending in this quick and unexpected way. But God is good on the entire journey and not just parts of it. Moments before he drew his last breath, two members of our church, moved by the Holy Spirit, went to see him. They had not planned on it but felt compelled to do so. They spoke the Lord’s Prayer, recited the 23^rd psalm and were there to help him on his journey home. It was so that he would not die alone. So that the final steps of his Earthly journey would be with God's people. God gave us another gift here. We do not always see the fruits of our labor. We would like to do ministry in Big Ways- healing Haiti, bringing peace and justice to the world. But God also directs us in the still, small, quite ways, being present with a dying man as his journey went to glory and for that we can add our AMEN! There are many things that can still be said today. We all have our stories, our journeys and Gerry was a part of them. I will miss seeing him on this Earthly path- his head looking through the chapel window as he counted the attendance. The little yellow truck that beat me to church every Sunday morning, no matter how early I arrived. And we will discover the unsung things he did for us. Just Sunday a week ago no one thought to unlock the front door because Gerry always did that. But the hope and faith that we profess is that the way does not end in death, but continues on in eternity. When Gerry walked with us, he always set up the tables, put them in place for every banquet and meal that we shared. Jesus said, “In My Father's house are many rooms...” We can assume one of those rooms is a fellowship hall and I bet Gerry is busy there now setting up tables for that great feast which knows no end. Thank you God, for Gerry! Thank you for directing him our way. Thank you for you are the Way, the only way we can rely on in this our earthly pilgrimage. Amen.