Shirley Williams Lowery Eifert
September 20, 1934 - August 11, 2023
Shirley L Eifert of Atlanta, GA. passed away on Friday, August 11, 2023, at the age of 88. Shirley was born in Charlotte, NC on September 20,1934 to Roy Hartwell Williams and Lucille Martin Williams. She will be dearly missed for her wonderful sense of humor, her enthusiasm and positive outlook for life, and her enduring love and dedication to her family. Shirley was married to the love of her life, Donald Linze Eifert, for thirty-four years. Shirley loved her children and their spouses: John (Malinda) Lowery, Jeff Lowery, Joel (Shirley) Lowery, Elaine (John) Boyer, Janet (Tony) Preston, and Stephanie (Jeffrey) Sands. Shirley also loved her grandchildren: Jennifer Gibson, Johnathan Lowery, Justin Lowery, Joshua (Elizabeth) Lowery, Jordan Lowery, Jarrett (Isabella) Lowery, Sarah (John) Herron, Rebecca (Philip) Creviston, Susannah (William) Gaskins, Reed Haury, Mary Clara Haury, Trevor Bass, and Olivia Bass. Her great grandchildren are Annagrace Gibson, Jacob Lowery, Jayne Lowery, Josie Kate Lowery, Jacqueline Herron, and Ryan Creviston.
Shirley had a great career on her own and helped her husband Don, build his own business, Sunbelt Printing, in Marietta, GA. Don and Shirley were faithful and involved members of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer for 10 years until retirement. After retiring to The Villages, FL, Don and Shirley were active members of Hope Lutheran Church, the German American Club, and their golf team, The Worm Burners. They returned to Atlanta in October 2021 to be closer to family.
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PRELUDE GATHERING
Standing
Welcome in the name of Jesus the Savior, who died and was raised to new life by the grace of God. We are gathered here to worship, to remember before God our sister, Shirley Eifert, to give thanks for her life, to commend her to our merciful redeemer, and to comfort one another in our grief.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of all mercy and the God of all consolation. He comforts us in all our sorrows so that we can comfort others in their sorrows with the consolation we ourselves have received from God. | Thanks be to God.
THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM
When we were baptized in Christ Jesus, we were baptized into his death. We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live a new life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
ACCLAMATION
Eternal God, maker of heaven and earth, who formed us from the dust of the earth, who by your breath gave us life, we glorify you. | We glorify you.
Jesus Christ, the resurrection and the life, who suffered death for all humanity, who rose from the grave to open the way to eternal life, we praise you. | We praise you.
Holy Spirit, author and giver of life, the comforter of all who sorrow, our sure confidence and everlasting hope, we worship you. | We worship you.
To you, O blessed Trinity, be glory and honor, forever and ever. | Amen.
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HYMN There's a Land That is Fairer than Day (In the Sweet By and By)
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GREETING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. | And also with you.
Hymn 785 When Peace Like a River
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PRAYER OF THE DAY
O God of grace and glory, we remember before you today our sister, Shirley. We thank you for giving her to us to know and to love as a companion in our pilgrimage on earth. In your boundless compassion, console us who mourn. Give us faith to see that death has been swallowed up in the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we may live in confidence and hope until, by your call, we are gathered to our heavenly home in the company of all your saints; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. | Amen. Seated
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FAMILY REMEMBRANCES
SCRIPTURE READINGS
John 11:25
Joshua Lowery
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”
Word of God, Word of Life | Thanks be to God
Psalm 23 (read responsively)
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 forever.
1 Thessalonians 4: 13-14
Jordan Lowery
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.
Word of God, Word of Life | Thanks be to God
Standing GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
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THE HOLY GOSPEL
John 14:1-7
Jarrett Lowery
Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."
The Gospel of the Lord | Thanks be to God
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Seated
Standing HYMN 623 Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me
HOMILY Pastor Mark H. Larson
APOSTLES' CREED
God has made us his people through our Baptism into Christ. Living together in trust and hope, we confess our faith.
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Kneeling or Seated PRAYERS
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Let us pray to our Lord Jesus Christ who said, “I am the resurrection and the life.”
Jesus, full of compassion, you consoled Martha and Mary in their distress; draw near to us who mourn for Shirley and dry the tears of those who weep. In your mercy, | hear our prayer.
Jesus, man of sorrows, you wept at the grave of Lazarus your friend; comfort us who mourn. In your mercy, | hear our prayer.
Jesus, firstborn of the new creation, you raised the dead; give to our sister, Shirley, life eternal. In your mercy, | hear our prayer.
Jesus, friend of sinners, you promised paradise to the repentant thief; bring Shirley to the joys of heaven. In your mercy, | hear our prayer.
Jesus, wellspring of life, you washed our sister in baptism and anointed her with the Holy Spirit; give her communion with all your saints. In your mercy, | hear our prayer.
Jesus, bread of life, you nourished Shirley at your table on earth; Welcome her at your table in the realm of heaven. In your mercy, | hear our prayer.
Jesus, bright morning star, comfort us in our sorrows at the death of Shirley: let our faith be our consolation, and eternal life our hope. In your mercy, | hear our prayer.
God of all grace, we give you thanks because by his death our Savior Jesus Christ destroyed the power of death and by his resurrection opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. Make us certain that because he lives we shall live also, and that neither death nor life, nor things present nor things to come shall be able to separate us from your love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. | Amen.
Standing PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you always. | And also with you.
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Please share a sign of blessing with your fellow worshipers in whatever way is comfortable for you.
Standing GREAT THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you. | And also with you. Lift up your hearts! | We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. | It is right to give our thanks and praise.
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
You are holy, O God of majesty, and holy is your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. He lived as one of us, and knew our joy, our pain and sorrow, and our death. By his death on the cross you revealed that your love has no limit. By raising him from death you conquered the last enemy, crushed all evil powers and gave new life to the world.
In the night in which he was betrayed our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.
Remembering your gracious acts in Jesus Christ, we take from your creation this bread and wine and joyfully celebrate his death and resurrection, as we await the day of his coming.
Gracious God, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us, and upon these gifts of bread and wine, that the bread we break and the cup we bless may be the communion of the body and blood of Christ. By your Spirit unite us with the living Christ and with all who are baptized in his name.
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Remember our sister Shirley, whose baptism is now complete in death. Bring her into your eternal joy and light, together with all who have died in the peace of Christ; through whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor are yours, almighty God, now and forever. Amen.
Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray…
LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be 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, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
The risen Christ dwells with us here. All who are hungry, all who are thirsty, come.
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Seated HYMNS DURING COMMUNION
HYMN 733 Great is Thy Faithfulness
Text and music © 1923, Ren. 1951 Hope Publishing Company, Carol Stream, IL 60188. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Onelicense.net #A725004
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The Old Rugged Cross
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HYMN
Standing POST COMMUNION PRAYER
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace. | Amen
Let us pray. | Almighty God, we thank you that in your great love you have given us a foretaste of your heavenly banquet. Grant that this sacrament may be to us a comfort in affliction and a pledge of our inheritance of life eternal where there is no death, neither sorrow nor crying, but the fullness of joy with all your saints; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. | Amen.
COMMENDATION
Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Shirley. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. | Amen.
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HYMN 779 Amazing Grace
DISMISSAL
Let us go forth in peace. | In the name of Christ. Amen.
Please join the family in the Sims Atrium for a time of fellowship and refreshment
POSTLUDE
Liturgy from Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2013 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #21979.
Officiants: Pastors Mark H. Larson, Jenny McLellan, Ronald S. Bonner, Jonathan Trapp
Organist: Sarah Hawbecker
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