May 26, 2007, 1:00 PM
Ashley & McMullins
Welcome
God is gracious. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
On behalf of Mrs. Yut Gay Wong and her family of 7 daughters and 1 son and their respective spouses and 18 grand children, I welcome you this afternoon to a time of remembrance and celebration of the life of Charles Yoke Lynn Wong who was born on May 23, 1926 and returned to the Lord just shy of his 81st birthday on May 16, 2007. The Wong family is deeply moved by the love and affection you have shared with them during this time of grief and loss. We appreciate you taking this time away from your active lives to demonstrate your support for the family and your honorable respect for Charles Wong. By your presence here today, we pray that God will continue granting you many blessings and good news in your life as you have blessed us all by being here.
The Apostle Paul said, “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For 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 8:35, 37-39)
Let us pray.
O God, your care is like that of a father who has compassion for his children and a mother who comforts her child. We cast our heavy burdens of grief on you. Deal graciously with us in our anguish. Grant us the comfort of your rest. Assure us with the confidence that your faithful servant, Charles Yoke Lynn Wong has been received into the arms of your mercy, in the blessed rest of your eternal care. May our lives hereafter bear witness to the hope that is ours in the crucified and risen Christ, who defeated death for our sake and now reigns victorious in your glory. Through his name we pray. Amen.
Scripture Readings Rev. Joseph Tsang
David Lee
Biography Daniel Lee
Rev. Joseph Tsang
Words of Remembrance
Kane Yee, May Wong Lee, Andy Wong, Roger Rombro, and Jonathan Lee
Message—Do Not Worry Anymore
Some years ago when Bobby McFerrin came up with the song, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” it became an instant hit. We liked it because it reminded us that all the worries in the world that we feel we must take upon ourselves are not necessary. We need to be happy.
All of us here worry a lot. We worry about when the next meal will be; what we might wear; or where we will find rest at the end of the day. Our worrying can at times be so overwhelming that we get ill and lose all perspective of the real purpose and meaning of life. It’s without saying that even today’s global problems and world conflicts can ultimately be reduced to the basic human desire of worrying whether we have enough to eat or clothes to wear or a house to live in. We worry not only about today; we worry about what happened in the past and what might happen to us in the future. It’s a part of being a human being.
As a caring and responsible father, Charles Wong worried too—it is to be expected. He must have worried about his wife and their first-born daughter, May when they were detained over immigration matters before getting approval to enter the US. For 30 years, 12 hours a day with only Sundays off, he worried about making sure all of his customers got their clothes dry-cleaned and pressed and ready to wear when they needed them. He worried for his 7 daughters and 1 son to receive an American education and even graduate studies when he was discouraged to not have one for himself.
We might like the idea of “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” but in reality, God has equipped us to worry so that we may carry out our sacred responsibilities to care and love our loved ones and friends. Today as we remember and celebrate the life of Charles Wong, we see that he has fulfilled his life’s purpose of a loving husband, a caring father, and a compassionate friend to all he encountered in life.
When Jesus was teaching his disciples many years ago, they worried too. They have left their homes like Mr. Wong left Toisan for America. The disciples left their familiar jobs and were learning to be disciples like how Mr. Wong probably left a life of farming for a job of washing and ironing clothes. They left their loved ones at home like Mr. Wong as a young adolescent of 13 years of age sojourn to America by himself. It is no small wonder that the disciples worried about what will happen to them. What will they eat; how will they clothe themselves; and where might they live? Mr. Wong must have worried too.
Jesus said in Luke 12:22-31,
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil or spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all of these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.”
After working for 30 years as the owner of James’ Cleaner on Webster Street and then in real estate, Charles Wong understood what Jesus taught his disciples about not worrying anymore. He began to realize the real meaning of life when unexpectedly he came home with Disneyland tickets and finally closed the dry cleaner for more than the one-day a week on Sundays. With 7 daughters at the time, all 9 of them got into their station wagon and went to Disneyland. This served as a precursor of what to come.
In Mr. Wong’s retirement, he finally understood that if he could live his life over again, he would not worry as much but to travel more, spend more time with his children and grandkids, and that having food to eat, clothes to wear or a place to live may still be important but in the bigger picture, what is more valuable is to be with his family and to trust God with all the necessities of life.
Mr. Wong enjoyed traveling to China to visit his family in his Toisan village. When he did this, he realized that he has truly become a Chinese American, that he was more American than Chinese. He took bus trips to New England and Yellowstone. He soon discovered that he loved to go on cruises especially with his entire family of 18 grandchildren. He taught his own children to maintain positive and healthy family relationships among themselves as well as with the in-law families that his children have brought into their family. These are more important than what to eat, what to wear and where to sleep.
From this passage that we read from Luke, Jesus taught his disciples to “strive for his kingdom and these things will be given to you as well.” Charles Wong may not have known first-hand what God’s kingdom was all about. But he certainly demonstrated in his life what it means to live a Christ-like life.
One time Mr. Wong went car shopping with his son, Andy. Like all of us, we dread this task and we go with an attitude that we need to drive down the price and get a discount. Andy was ready to bargain some more. But Mr. Wong said, “It’s okay the price that we have. Leave some money for the salesman. He has to feed his family too.” Mr. Wong was well-known by his dry-cleaning customers as well as his tenants as a compassionate and forgiving man and worried about the livelihood of others first. We can all learn a little of the compassion that Mr. Wong had to make this world become a better place to live.
Most of us here cannot imagine what it was like to raise 8 children. Today is a different time. I can just imagine how fun it must have been. You never needed to set up play dates with other kids when you have more than enough in your own home. The laughing and giggling must have been contagious. Mr. Wong’s daughters talked about having “giggles attacks” when they couldn’t stop giggling. So their father would use what every Toisan father was taught to do—knock your head or “gok ne ga how.” This was not as much a disciplinary action as it was Mr. Wong’s way to participate in the fun. He told funny jokes and played mischief with his family. This “gok ne ga how” love is a ritual that you will pass down to your children and they to their children. Striving for the kingdom of God is to be in relationship with each other and that above all, we don’t have to worry because God provides us whatever else we need. For if God gives attention to the smallest details of creation; God will care for each one of us as well.
It is this care that brings us hope today. God has provided the ultimate message in the resurrection of Christ. We are not left to worry about our own future, our own provision, our own death, our own resurrection. God has cared for all these things. We know it, because God told us in sending the Christ to us, to be among us, to let us know that God walks with us through death and resurrection.
Do not worry, our Scriptures say—God cares for us in this life, and certainly God knows our feelings and our grief. In this journey God walks with us, clothes us, feeds us and keeps us walking in the light, even when all seems dark. This is the good news, this is the hope—Charles Wong has blessed us well, and continues to bless us with good and wonderful memories. Inasmuch as Charles Wong provided for his children, his loving wife, his extended family, friends and customers, God now provides for him in eternal life. In God’s arms, Charles Wong is happy. Thanks be to God!
Let us pray.
O Lord, as your Spirit descended upon your son Jesus Christ, we pray your peace would descend upon us here today. We especially see your peace for these family members whose lives have been touched with a difficult loss. Even when we expect death, it is hard not to feel as if something has been left undone, or unsaid. We thank you, therefore, for the gift of memory. We know that our memories will be painful at first. But in time they will be precious treasures that will help these loved ones bridge the time between now and eternity. Grant them peace, O Lord. Grant them to not worry, as they treasure the memories of a life well lived, and a death faithfully confronted, and an eternal home secure and sure. In the name of Christ our Lord we pray. Amen.
Announcements
Like so many Chinese who came to America with the dream of being successful, Mr. Charles Wong made it a reality. He was able to learn enough English to adapt to his new country and is now leaving a rich legacy to his wonderful family. Since Mr. Wong knew first-hand the struggles of immigrants, the family has requested that donations can be made to the First Chinese Baptist Church in San Francisco for its Friday Night School ministry that teaches students English, citizenship, and invite them to know Jesus Christ.
After you have expressed your last respects, you are invited to the interment at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Colma. Directions are available. Following the interment service, the Wong family invites you to a Memorial Dinner at the Lee Hou Restaurant at 332 Clement St. (Between 4th and 5th Avenues) in San Francisco where they would love to greet you and to share more memories of the life of Mr. Charles Wong.
Once again, on behalf of Mrs. Yut Gay Wong and her family, we thank you for your presence here today and pray that God will continue to bless you and give you peace.
Benediction
Beloved, in the midst of sadness, I charge you to be happy.
Be happy in our hope of sharing the glory of God!
Be happy even in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope!
Be happy above all that this hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit! (Romans 5:2-5)
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Committal Service
Opening Words
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (John 3:16)
I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. (John 11:25-26)
Committal Words
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, we commend to God’s merciful care our brother, Charles Yoke Lynn Wong; and we commit his body to this final resting place: earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
“Blessed are the dead who…die in the Lord…they will rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.” (Rev. 14:13)
Closing Prayer
God, our Maker, you made our brother Charles Yoke Lynn Wong, in your own image; you set his feet on a sojourner’s quest; you watched over him along the way. As you lovingly received and welcomed him to the ranks of the redeemed, we pray that you would continue to guide our sojourners’ steps so that at the appointed time, we might join Charles Yoke Lynn Wong in the communion of saints—forgiven, transformed, and fit for our new life with the Lord, in whose name we pray. Amen.
Benediction
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. Amen.