Saturday, December 17, 2005, 2:00 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; Matthew 11:28, 29; 5:4)
On behalf of the family of Evelyn Jang, her husband , son Bill Jang, his wife Sarah and their children , daughter Marilyn and her husband, and their children and daughter Amy Jang and her daughter, Grace, I welcome you here to remember and celebrate the life of Evelyn Jang who returned to the Lord on December 10, 2005. We thank you for your presence and pray that in this season of Christmas that the good news of the birth of the Christ Child is a promise of peace and goodwill that will bless you and your household.
Chinese Greeting—Cousin Norman
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 sadness. Grant us the comfort of your rest. Assure us with the confidence that your faithful servant, Evelyn Jang 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
Matthew 5:1-16
Biography—Amy Jang
Words of Remembrance
Message—Playing in the Streets
When God created Evelyn Jang, her family told me that God did not short change giving Evelyn social skills. She had so much that she lavishly spread her outgoing personality with her family, with her friends and out in the street with anyone who would talk with her. Some people are gifted with the personality that once they enter a room, they fill all of the empty conversations and the party finally begins. Evelyn Jang was one of these party-loving souls.
In the reading of the Gospels this afternoon, we heard the familiar Beatitudes. When we are called as the “blessed people” of God, we are expected to be the light of the world. As a bright light, we don’t put it under a basket to snuff the light out or cover its brightness, but we put it on top of a tall post so that its light can be seen by many people. We are to be like a city built on a hill so that everyone from great distances away can see it. Throughout Evelyn Jang’s life, she let her shining personality shine before others.
As a fun and happy person, she loved to party, dance, sing, play mah-jong with her friends, go to movies, and love to eat out any time of the day. Her love for her friends led her to be very generous with them—often giving them gifts and freely offering the shirt off her back.
In the Old Testament, we have the prophet Zechariah who prophesized that the people of Israel will be restored by a Messiah who comes victoriously but humble—riding on a donkey. We often read this passage right before Christmas because it is a precursor of Mary riding on a donkey with Joseph as they travel to Bethlehem where the Christ Child was born. From Zechariah, we also have this passage from Chapter 8 that reads,
“The Lord Almighty gave this message to Zechariah: I have longed to
help Jerusalem because of my deep love for her people, a love which has made me angry with her enemies. I will return to Jerusalem, my holy city, and live there. It will be known as the faithful city, and the hill of the Lord Almighty will be called the sacred hill. Once again old men and women, so old that they use canes when they walk, will be sitting in the city squares. And the streets will again be full of boys and girls playing.” (Zechariah 8:1-8)
The picture that I have of Evelyn Jang is that she was not so much like the “old men and women with canes to walk and sitting quietly” but that she was more like the “boys and girls noisily playing in the city square!” She would break out singing songs for everyone to hear. She would laugh with so much joy that others would laugh with her. Like little boys and girls, she would jump into other people’s conversations always with the heart to help out and socialize. Even through her career of owning and operating at one point three beauty salons, Evelyn Jang would dye her hair blonde or red so to invite others, friend or stranger alike, to engage in conversations with her. I doubt we would find Evelyn sitting for long. She was more like the little boys and girls playing in the city square.
When we evaluate our lives based only on achievements whether trivial or monumental, we would end up destined to frustration. Although we might have destinations to get to like how Evelyn Jang always wanted to visit Europe and the Panama Canal but never got there, we realize that if we are solely focused on destinations, we would never allow ourselves actually to be fulfilled. Instead, we are reminded that when we appreciate everything we encounter along the journey, we discover happiness and fulfillment on the way. For Evelyn Jang, getting to Europe or the Panama Canal was not as important as to affirm her grandchildren so that they may grow up with self-confidence. The enjoyment of playing mah-jong with good friends was more important than winning the big pot. Conversation with her friends with her big, clear voice only adds to the good food at Tommy’s Joint for a late night snack of buffalo stew.
We are called to enjoy life along the way and not worry about only getting to our destinations. Tune in to the Christmas songs that are playing. Not only enjoy the rest of sitting in the city square but play games like little boys and girls too. Have a good laugh and drink and eat some delicious food because as Evelyn Jang has demonstrated in her life, these are the places where your life will be fulfilled and satisfied.
In Psalm 23, we believe that the Lord is our shepherd who knows what we need and want. He shows us where our needs can be satisfied. When we walk through the darkest days of our lives as in the death of a loved one, we are not afraid. God is here to comfort us. When we are with God and still need to face our enemies, God cares for us and blesses us so much that it overflows. Goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives and when it is time for us to return to the Lord, we will dwell in the house of the Lord our whole life long.
The life of Evelyn Jang was filled with fun and happiness. Our prayer is that she is playing like little boys and girls in the city square in heaven right now. Her life was overflowing. We trust God that inasmuch as goodness and mercy followed the days of Evelyn Jang’s life, we pray that it will be the same with us. We pray that we too will dwell in the house of the Lord our whole life long.
Let us pray.
Creator and Provider God, at this time of all times, we thank you for the precious gift of life. We thank you for health and for the skill and compassion of those who care for us when our health falters and fails. We thank you for home: for the roof over our heads and the bed where we stretch out to renew our strength in sleep; and for loved ones who make that roof and that bed and all the rest into a true home. We thank you for the full and happy life of Evelyn Jang who brought joy and excitement to all those who knew her. And we thank you for hope: hope for the pursuit of the next step on our journey; hope for recovery and a fresh start when a goal has eluded us; hope at the last, when all hope seems lost, except for the one shining hope set before us in your raising our Lord Jesus from death. Amen.
Announcements
Appreciation from the Family
The Jang Family deeply appreciates and thanks you for your presence to remember the life of their loved one, Evelyn Jang. Your prayers and thoughtfulness have comforted them during this time of loss and grief. Thank you for the many kind words and especially your prayers that have lifted their spirits to know God’s grace.
Interment at Skylawn Memorial Park in San Mateo, near Routes 92 and 280
Memorial meal at Chiu’s Café at Balboa and Sixth Avenue
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, Evelyn Jang, has promised, through our Lord, to forgive us and shelter us throughout eternity.
I charge you to find your 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—Evelyn Jang
Opening Words
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. (John 11:25-26)
God so love 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, Evelyn Jang and we commit her body to this resting place: earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
Let us pray.
You sent your Son, Jesus Christ, to bring life and immortality to light. We entrust Evelyn Jang to your everlasting care. Grant us the awareness that each of our days is a true gift from you, to be lived preciously and joyously in hopeful expectation of eternal life in divine presence with those whom we love. In the name of Jesus, Lord of Life, we pray Amen.
Now may the grace of Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. Amen.