In Loving Memory of
Frederick Arthur Brackenborough 29th May 1923 ~ 27th December 2009
The funeral service conducted on Thursday, 31st December 2009 At 2pm
ORDER OF SERVICE ~ WELCOME ~ OPENING PRAYER We have come here today to remember before God our brother Fred. To give thanks for his life. To commend him to God our merciful redeemer and judge; To commit his body to be cremated, and to comfort one another in our grief. God of all consolation, your Son Jesus Christ was moved to tears at the grave of Lazarus his friend. Look with compassion on your children in their loss, give to troubled hearts the light of hope and strengthen in us the gift of faith, in Jesus Christ our Lord. ~ GOSPEL READING John 5 Vs 24-27 I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
PRAYERS All: Lord, we come into your presence to remember Fred and to seek your comfort, for we know that nothing can separate us from your love and that you support us in our sorrow. We are sure that the souls of the righteous are with you and that nothing can harm them. Although they have died they are in peace. Give us your strength to rejoice that you have taken Fred to be with yourself where he shall no more be in need. May we find life and peace and perfect joy with him in your presence; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen All: God of mercy, we acknowledge that we are all sinners. We turn from the wrong that we have thought and said and done, and are mindful of all that we have failed to do. For the sake of Jesus, who died for us, forgive us for all that is past, and help us to live each day in the light of Christ our Lord. Amen READING FROM SCRIPTURE Psalm 23 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. Amen
HYMN Amazing Grace Amazing grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see. Through many dangers, toils and snares, We have already come; 'Tis grace hath brought us safe thus far, And grace will lead us home. When we've been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We've no less days to sing God's praise Than when we'd first begun. Amazing grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see.
POEM Canon Henry Scott-Holland, 1847-1918, Canon of St Paul's Cathedral Death is nothing at all I have only slipped away into the next room I am I and you are you Whatever we were to each other That we are still Call me by my old familiar name Speak to me in the easy way you always used Put no difference into your tone Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow Laugh as we always laughed At the little jokes we always enjoyed together Play, smile, think of me, pray for me Let my name be ever the household word that it always was Let it be spoken without effort Without the ghost of a shadow in it Life means all that it ever meant It is the same as it ever was There is absolute unbroken continuity What is death but a negligible accident? Why should I be out of mind Because I am out of sight? I am waiting for you for an interval Somewhere very near Just around the corner All is well. Nothing is past; nothing is lost One brief moment and all will be as it was before How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE IN MEMORY OF FRED Music In Memory of Fred ~ Joe Loss In The Mood POEM Do Not Be Afraid Do not stand at my grave and weep I am not there. I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glint on snow. I am the sunlight on ripened grain. I am the gentle autumn rain. When you wake in the morning hush, I am the swift, uplifting rush Of quiet birds in circling flight. I am the soft starlight at night. When you see the sunset fair, I am the scented evening air. I am the joy of a task well done, I am the glow of the setting sun. Do not stand at my grave and weep. I am not there. I do not sleep. Do not stand at my grave and cry. I am not there. I did not die ~ THE LORDS PRAYER All: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
COMMENDATION Let us commend Fred to the mercy of God, Our maker and redeemer. God our creator and redeemer, by your power Christ conquered death and entered into glory. Confident of his victory and claiming his promises, we entrust Fred to your mercy in the name of Jesus our Lord, who died and is alive and reigns with you, now and forever. Amen. COMMITTAL The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger and of great goodness. As a father is tender towards his children, so is the Lord tender to those that fear him. For he knows of what we are made; he remembers that we are but dust. Our days are like the grass; we flourish like a flower of the field; when the wind goes over it, it is gone and its place will know it no more. But the merciful goodness of the Lord endures for ever and ever towards those that fear him. and his righteousness upon their children’s children. We have entrusted our brother Fred to God’s mercy, and we now, commit his body to be cremated: earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust: in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our frail bodies that they may be conformed to his glorious body, who died, was buried, and rose again for us. To him be glory for ever. Amen. THE BLESSING May God give you his comfort and his peace, his light and his joy, in this world and the next; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
Fred Brackenborough Photo Taken in 1945
EXIT MUSIC ~ RAF March Donations In Memory of Fred may be given for Cancer Research
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