Fay F. Wong
Wake Service—December 24, 2010, 1:00 PM
Call to Worship
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.” (Psalm 147:1c, 3, 5; Matt. 11:28, 29: 5:4)
On behalf of David Wong, his son, Alvin and his daughter-in-law Susan and their four children, I welcome you here today for this service to remember and celebrate the life of faithfulness of Fay F. Wong. We are happy to see you here.
On most past Christmas Eve days in our lives we were probably frantically preparing for Santa Claus coming to town or buying food for the holidays to enjoy. Some of you will be going down to the church tonight to participate at our annual Christmas Eve Service of Lessons and Carols at 7:30. We never would have thought about coming to a wake.
Since Jesus Christ has come into the world, every day is a good day to die and return to the Lord and every day is a good day to celebrate and remember those who have lived a life of faithfulness in knowing that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. Isn’t this the reason for this season—Jesus Christ comes to save? As you have made time to be here today, may you truly be blessed as well experiencing the deeper meaning of our God who is committed to have his way to come to us when we don’t know how to go to him, to save us from our sins and to have the promise of everlasting life. On this holiest of days, we have gathered to remember our loved one, Fay Wong because it was Jesus, the Son of God who came as an infant in the little town of Bethlehem who gathered shepherds, angels, wise men, and all of us together to know that Jesus came to save.
Let us pray.
O God of our Savior Jesus Christ, 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. Grant us the comfort of your rest. Assure us with the confidence that your faithful servant, Fay F. 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 Psalm 23
Biography
Words of Remembrance
A Simple Life
God has created order in the world with the sun rising to give us a day to work and be with family and friends and with the sun setting to give us a night to rest and restoration for our souls. We have taken this rhythm of life and designed the hours on our clocks, the days on our calendars, and the years across the ages. Life has a divine order that we can trust and on which we can organize our lives that lead to fulfilling our vocational calling. In Ecclesiastes, we read that there is a time and a season for just about everything under heaven.
Eight years ago, our church published the first volume of the Chinatown Stories of Life and Faith books. In this inaugural volume, Fay Wong’s story was included entitled A Very Simple Life. It was the way Fay understood the meaning of her life. Like countless other Chinese who grew up in those days when China was in economic and political turmoil and America was seen with roads paved with gold, Fay and her family came to Gold Mountain with the same hopes of success and living in a more promising place.
She cared for her parents and siblings. She went to school like so many in her generation to learn enough English to get a job. She met her husband, David and had a son and then saw their son get marry to an adorable daughter-in-law and blessing them with four lovely grandchildren. This story sounds familiar because it’s our stories too. Fay understood there was an order in life and trusting that plan that God had for her was all she needed to do.
Fay became active in our church by being a member of the Emmanuel young adult fellowship. She learned the American way of life by growing up with the many friends she met there. One time, Miss Astrid Peterson, the advisor of the group asked her to bake an upside down cake but she didn’t know that she had to turn it upside down. She ended up baking another one for the meeting. Living simply means that baking a cake right-side-up was really all you need to do.
While she successfully got a job as a keypunch card operator, the early version of our fast and efficient computers today, Fay turned her attention to caring for her mother and father when they needed her help. She rather watched over her young grandchildren who needed her time, cooking, and caring than to pursue a career.
She enjoyed going out for coffee with David. Fay saw herself as the one who assisted and supported the many volunteer work that David did. She was pleased to know that the simple act of letting David become the public partner in their relationship was important to her. Having a life that is simple was what Fay enjoyed the most. When the sun rose, it was time to take the grandkids to school, go shopping, help Alvin in his office, go for a walk and when the sun set, it was time to rest and become restored once more. Fay liked to make tacos for her grandkids the most. For Fay, this was true happiness.
We read Psalm 23 because it’s probably one of the most familiar passages in the Bible that we know. Many of us memorized it when we were children so that it may serve to sustain us and encourage us throughout the many years of life. And when it comes to that time when we are saddened by the loss of a loved one, Psalm 23 becomes even more significant and meaningful. For Fay, when the Lord is her shepherd, she doesn’t have any wants. The simple things in life are all that she really need. In the 77 years of her life when she would walk through the darkest valleys of a kidney transplant and other health complications, she did not fear any evil. Fay knew that the Lord was with her then as we know the Lord is with her now.
When our lives are modest and free from all the unnecessary baggage and possessions that the world wants us to have, we don’t need a very large cup to fill. It’s a simple perhaps a little cup, just the right size for the person that God has made each of us to be. Fay trusted her life to be in God’s hand and when God filled her rather small and simple cup of life, it was always overflowing with blessings. The blessings of a new life in America, a loving and dedicated husband of 53 years, a son and daughter-in-law who have made her so proud, and 4 grandchildren who are the apples in her eye.
In Fay Wong’s story published in the Chinatown Stories of Life and Faith book, she concluded by saying,
“Looking back, I have no regrets; I have always wanted to be a housewife, to stay home, to take care of my family. That is what I enjoy most. I never wanted to have a career. I’m satisfied with what I have—a very simple life. I thank God for everything.”
The Psalmist said at the end of chapter 23rd, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.” Fay’s life was filled and completed with God’s goodness and mercy all her years and she dwelled in God’s house her whole life. Fay didn’t want more that what God provided for her—a simple life—and for that she was truly blessed with goodness and mercy.
Let us pray.
Creator God, we thank you for the life of Fay Wong who lived a simple life that you blessed her with and to which she found meaning, purpose, and happiness. We praise you for the “tie that binds our hearts in Christian love” as your family and while our loved one is no longer with us on earth, this bond of Christian love is not broken but made even stronger knowing that it extends into heaven with you. Grant us the sensitivity to one another’s needs and give us grace to uphold one another at all times, but especially in illness, frustration, or sorrow. Lord, we thank you for today and the blessings we have received by being in your presence. In Christ, we pray. Amen.
Expression of Appreciation
The family of Fay F. Wong thanks all the friends and relatives for their comfort, sympathy, and support. In memory of Fay F. Wong, the family requests that donations be made to the First Chinese Baptist Church, 1 Waverly Place, San Francisco, CA 94108-2118, and to the UCSF Organ Transplant Program, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143.
Announcements
On Sunday, December 26, 1:00, here at McAvoy O’Hara & Evergreen Mortuary, we will have a funeral service for Fay Wong. We invite you to attend.
Benediction
Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)
I challenge you to believe that Fay F. Wong is enjoying that peace right now and that, if you keep the faith, this peace shall await you, too. Keep the faith!
May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Funeral Service
December 26, 2010, 1:00 PM
Call to Worship
“I am the resurrection and the life,” says the Lord. “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)
On behalf of David Wong, his son, Alvin and his daughter-in-law Susan and their four children, I welcome you here today for this service to remember and celebrate the life of faithfulness of Fay F. Wong. We are grateful for your presence especially since today is the first day after Christmas and many of you have just come from Sunday morning worship services.
Since Jesus Christ has come into the world on Christmas Day, every day is a good day to die and return to the Lord and every day is a good day to celebrate and remember those who have lived a life of faithfulness in knowing that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. Isn’t this the reason for this season—Jesus Christ comes to save? As you have made time to be here today, may you truly be blessed as well experiencing the deeper meaning of our God who is committed to have his way to come to us when we don’t know how to go to him to save us from our sins and to have the promise of everlasting life. On this holiest of days, we have gathered to remember our loved one, Fay Wong because it was Jesus, the Son of God who came as an infant in the little town of Bethlehem who gathered shepherds, angels, wise men, and all of us together to know that Jesus came to save.
Let us pray.
O God, in whom we live and move and have our being, we thank you for the life of Fay F. Wong. We are grateful for all the ways she has touched the lives of those around her. Her death brings pain to those who love her. Hear their cries, feel their sadness, know their loss. Hold them tenderly in your strong arms, granting them your peace and strength and comfort. Speak to them your word of hope, helping them to see beyond their grief—for you love them, and promise never to leave them. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord who was born in Bethlehem to save the world. Amen.
Scripture Readings Psalm 8
2 Corinthians 4:16—5:10
Biography
Words of Remembrance
The Place for Angels
Tents can be wonderful homes. When we are hiking in the mountains and enjoying the wonderful outdoors but become weary and need a place to rest, a tent is just what we need. There, within the tent, we can find a place to lie down, to rest and sleep and be refreshed. When Fay and David’s family was younger, they went tent camping and attended the church’s Family Camp.
Our church in Chinatown is also like a tent for the time being. While it has been around for 130 years, it is still temporary and a visible sign of God’s kingdom on earth until Jesus Christ returns to establish his reign in the world. Under this church tent is how Fay first met David when one of Fay’s friends brought her to church in 1953 as a college student. Fay and David attended the Emmanuel young adult group and went to Miss Astrid Peterson’s apartment for dinner. They were married in 1957 in Reno because Fay’s mother was sick at the time.
The Bible describes our bodies as tents. Tents are temporary, and while they are wonderful for their intended purposes, one doesn’t expect to live in a tent forever. One soon longs to “go home” and live in a house, so much more permanent and sturdy than a tent.
This is precisely what Fay has done. Her forwarding address is heaven. She’s relocated from 149 Amber Drive to a beautiful mansion that her heavenly Father has prepared for her. “Do not let your hearts be troubled,” Jesus said. “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places…I go to prepare a place for you…so that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3).
We can all say that the tent that Fay had while she was here was always beautiful. Fay always had make-up on even when she was sick in the hospital. She loved nice clothes and adored jewelry. For a few years, the Men’s Fellowship in our church spent our December meeting discussing what we might buy for our wives or significant others for Christmas because David was running out of ideas on what to buy Fay. But he always knew that if he got her a piece of jewelry, she would be thrilled. Fay always looked good because God is always good to us. She had a contagious smile that made you want to smile back and she had a sense of humor that often led her to joke and tease David. Fay looked good because God blessed her with good looks and the belief that she was created in God’s own image.
In Psalm 8, we read that God’s divine majesty can be seen in his wonderful creation. When we look up in the heavens and see the mighty works of God’s fingers, the moon, the stars, the planets, and other far away galaxies, we wonder how important we human beings are in God’s cosmic plan. But we know that God cares for us and made us just a little lower than the angels. God has crowned us with glory and honor and gave us the sacred responsibility to care for all the beasts on the land, the birds in the air, and the fish of the sea. With such importance in God’s eyes, we mortals are valuable and beautiful. I believe Fay knew that about herself. She took care of herself and the way she looked because she as a child of God has been crowned with glory and honor. She looked good because God made her to look fantastic all the time. When we see in one another—God’s divine majesty, we are truly blessed because we would actually be seeing angels.
Fay’s tent was beautiful for a long time. But it can wear out in time. How wonderful to be safe inside a tent when the weather is inclement outside. But no one likes to be in a tent that is leaky, with the fabric torn, and the tent poles collapsing. It’s not much of a tent anymore. The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians spoke about the time when our earthly tent is destroyed that we don’t lose heart. When our earthly tent is groaning under the burdens of old age, disease, and illnesses that we have a building from God, a house not made with human hands, but eternal in heaven. Now that Fay’s tent is worn out, we trust in the promise from Jesus Christ himself that Fay has a new tent not made out of cloth and poles but permanent place with God where there is no sickness, no weeping or sorrow.
If there’s any mourning here, let us not mourn for Fay. Let us mourn for ourselves who are still living in our earthly tents. In Fay’s example, let us also look good both outside as well as inside to be faithful and righteous because God made us just a little lower than the angels.
Fay’s spirit will always be with us when we are able to see the divine nature in one another. Every time David is able to help his grandchildren, they will be reminded of Fay. Every time we choose to live a more simple life than to become encumbered by the unnecessary things of this world, we are reminded about how Fay was truly happy and content to accept what life is for her. Every time we wash up, groom ourselves and get ready to go out for another new day, we are reminded of how Fay took care of herself because she was a child of God made just a little lower than the angels.
Let us pray.
Almighty God, we thank you for the beauty of creation. In your holiness, you fashioned us in your image—to be like you. You made Fay Wong beautiful on earth as she is beautiful in heaven with you. We are forever yours, and you have created us, so we remain. Where you have established us, we abide. As it is in heaven, let it be so on earth. Today, we behold your greatness and power in creating the earth and all that is in it including all of us your faithful children. Amen.
Expression of Appreciation
The family of Fay F. Wong thanks all the friends and relatives for their comfort, sympathy, and support. In memory of Fay F. Wong, the family requests that donations be made to the First Chinese Baptist Church, 1 Waverly Place, San Francisco, CA 94108-2118, and to the UCSF Organ Transplant Program, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143.
Announcements
Immediately following the funeral service after you have come forward to pay your respects, the Committal Service will be at the Chinese Christian Union Cemetery in Daly City. Since it is raining and the ground at the cemetery is quite slippery and uneven, we caution you to be careful and if you so choose, you may want to go directly to the restaurant from here and wait for David and his family to meet you there.
The family invites you to come to the Memorial Meal at the Lee Hou Restaurant, 332 Clement Street (Between 4th and 5th Avenues) in the Richmond District of San Francisco where they look forward to greeting you.
Benediction
Remember, beloved brothers and sisters, God has promised to bless us and keep us in this life and in our new life with the Lord.
The same God whose face now shines on our friend, Fay F. Wong, has promised, through our Lord, to forgive us and to shelter us throughout eternity.
I charge you to find comfort and peace in these gracious promises of a loving God.
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.
Committal Service
Jesus said, “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)
“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)
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, we commend to God’s merciful care our sister, Fay F. Wong; and we commit her 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.” (Revelations 14:13)
Let us pray.
Merciful God, you created us in your own image, perhaps because you were lonely. You created us as members of families, so that none of us should ever be lonely. You share our grief when the family circle is broken and we experience loneliness and sorrow, because someone we have loved and counted on has left us. Grant us strength to face our loss, with the assurance that Fay F. Wong’s return to you has not broken our family circle, but only extended it beyond this earthly scene into the heavens that your children share with you, thanks to the resurrection of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. 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.
Paying last respects.
We thank you again for your presence here today. You are cordially invited to attend the Memorial Meal at the Lee Hou Restaurant, 332 Clement Street (Between 4th and 5th Avenues) in the Richmond District of San Francisco where David Wong and his family look forward to greeting you.
Go with God’s peace.