Long my imprisoned spirit lay, fast bound in sin and nature’s night; thine eye diffused a quickening ray; I woke, the dungeon flamed with light; my chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed thee. My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed thee. No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in him, is mine; alive in him, my living Head, and clothed in righteousness divine, bold I approach th’ eternal throne, and claim the crown, through Christ my own. Bold I approach th’ eternal throne, and claim the crown, through Christ my own. *BENEDICTION *POSTLUDE
* Please stand as you are able
LEADERS OF WORSHIP Rev. Jessica LaGrone Dean of Chapel, Asbury Theological Seminary Dr. Stacy Minger Associate Professor of Preaching, Asbury Theological Seminary Dr. Steve Elliott Senior Pastor, First Alliance Church, Lexington, KY Dr. Matthew Sleeth, M.D. Executive Director of Blessed Earth Rev. David Kalas Lead Pastor, First United Methodist Church of Green Bay, Green Bay, WI Organist: Dr. Albin C. Whitworth Organist of the Chapel, Asbury Theological Seminary Song Leader: Dr. Bill Goold Professor Emeritus, Church Music and Worship, Asbury Theological Seminary
A Service of Celebration and Thanksgiving for the Life of
J. Ellsworth Kalas FEBRUARY 14, 1923 – NOVEMBER 12, 2015
Soloist: Virginia Bergquist Bowles Visiting Professor of Voice, Asbury Theological Seminary INVITATION TO THE RECEPTION Please join the family for a reception following the service in the Sherman Thomas Student Center.
Estes Chapel Asbury Theological Seminary November 20, 2015 Two O’Clock in the Afternoon
A Service of Celebration and Thanksgiving for the Life of
J. Ellsworth Kalas February 14, 1923 – November 12, 2015
PRELUDE INTROIT
Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled
GREETING AND THE WORD OF GRACE
Young
Rev. Jessica LaGrone
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
Refrain
Refrain
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
PRAYER
Dr. Stacy Minger Dr. Steve Elliott
A WORD FROM THE FAMILY
Come, thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace; streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above. Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it, mount of thy redeeming love. Here I raise mine Ebenezer; hither by thy help I’m come; and I hope, by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God; he, to rescue me from danger, interposed his precious blood. O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be! Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; here’s my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above.
And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll; the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, even so, it is well with my soul. (Refrain)
Refrain
NEW TESTAMENT LESSON Philippians 2:1-11
*OPENING HYMN Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Psalm 103
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest, sun, moon, and stars in their courses above join with all nature in manifold witness to thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.
SOLO
Rev. David Kalas Meditation on the Good Shepherd
SERMON Singing Our Way Home
Rev. Jessica LaGrone
HYMNS OF REFLECTION There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy There’s a wideness in God’s mercy like the wideness of the sea; there’s a kindness in God’s justice, which is more than liberty. There is welcome for the sinner, and more graces for the good! There is mercy with the Savior; there is healing in his blood.
Dr. Matthew Sleeth
*HYMN Great is Thy Faithfulness Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father; there is no shadow of turning with thee; thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not; as thou hast been, thou forever wilt be. Refrain: Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; all I have needed thy hand hath provided; great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
For the love of God is broader than the measure of our mind; and the heart of the Eternal is most wonderfully kind. If our love were but more simple, we should rest upon God’s word; and our lives would be illumined by the presence of our Lord. It is Well with My Soul When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul. Refrain: It is well with my soul, it is well, it is well with my soul.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING *HYMNS OF CELEBRATION Marching to Zion Come, we that love the Lord, and let our joys be known; join in a song with sweet accord, join in a song with sweet accord and thus surround the throne, and thus surround the throne. Refrain: We’re marching to Zion, beautiful, beautiful Zion; we’re marching upward to Zion, the beautiful city of God. Then let our songs abound, and every tear be dry; we’re marching through Emmanuel’s ground, we’re marching through Emmanuel’s ground, to fairer worlds on high, to fairer worlds on high. Refrain And Can it Be And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior’s blood! Died he for me? who caused his pain! For me? who him to death pursued? Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me? Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me? He left his Father’s throne above (so free, so infinite his grace!), emptied himself of all but love, and bled for Adam’s helpless race. ‘Tis mercy all, immense and free, for O my God, it found out me! ‘Tis mercy all, immense and free, for O my God, it found out me!