Burrell Memorial Service

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Welcome

My name is Jack Radcliffe and I am the director and lead pastor of the Ypsilanti Friends Network of House Churches. On behalf of John, Mike, Jim and the rest of the Burrell family, I would like to welcome you as we have gathered here together today to remember Bea Burrell.

Thank you for being here today. I am sure that the family recognizes that you don’t have to be here. Your presence today is an affirmation of your love and support for them. Although they may not remember every word shared today, they will remember your presence here for the rest of their lives.

Hymn

Because He Lives

Family Sharing

Eulogy - Laura Arnold

Brian Burrell

Jessica Anderson

Mike Burrell

Obituary - Doug

Beatrice Bertelle Smith Burrell passed away on August 18, 2022 at Country Living Assisted Living in Hillsdale, Michigan. She was born August 14, 1935 at her childhood home in Willis, Michigan. Her parents were Alonzo Smith and Bertelle Wilson Smith. Bea graduated from Lincoln Consolidated Schools in 1953 and married her high school sweetheart, Leonard, in 1954. Beatrice lived in Willis her entire life. Her birthplace on McKean Rd was only a few miles from her home on Judd Road where she raised her family and lived for 66 years. Bea was known and loved for her sweet disposition. She was a homemaker and piano teacher. She played piano and sang alto for the church choir. She enjoyed gardening, walking, and God’s creation of flowers, birds, pretty sunsets, and beautiful moons. From early in life, Bea was known as BB. Her husband, Leonard, sometimes called her his Honey Bea. Later in life a fellow parishioner affectionately called her “Mother Bea”. Some of her grandchildren called her “Grandma Bea”. And her many nieces and nephews lovingly called her “Aunt Bea”. She was truly a real-life Aunt Bea. She loved and was well loved. Bea was preceded in death by her husband Leonard A. Burrell. Also preceding her were her parents, two brothers, Alonzo Smith and Bertrand Smith, and her beloved stepmother, Ethel Karnatz Smith. Beatrice is survived by her sons Alan Jon Burrell (Pamela) of Reading Michigan, Michael Evan Burrell (Patricia) of Willis, Michigan, and James Scott Burrell (Faye) of Willis, Michigan. Also surviving are her brother, Robert Smith, and her sister Patricia Freitag, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Message

I’ll be brief.

What we saw in Bea.

1 Corinthians 15:12–22 CSB

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say, “There is no resurrection of the dead”? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is in vain, and so is your faith. Moreover, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified wrongly about God that he raised up Christ—whom he did not raise up, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Those, then, who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished. If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone. But as it is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

Gospel - The reason that’s good news… In the Roman Empire, when a new emperor came to the throne, there’d obviously been a time of uncertainty. Somebody’s just died. Is there going to be chaos? Is society going to collapse? And the good news is, we have a new emperor.

Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

The Good News

The Gospel in the NT is the good news that God is at last becoming king and that Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, is the world’s true lord. The powers of evil have been defeated and God’s new world has begun. We are invited to come in, join the family by dying with Christ and being raised with him; becoming new creations; receive new life.

“The gospel is the royal announcement that the crucified and risen Jesus, who died for our sins and rose again according to the Scriptures, has been enthroned as the true Lord of the world. When this gospel is preached, God calls people to salvation, out of sheer grace, leading them to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as the risen Lord.” – Christianity Today, Ju

Turn away from the world’s corruptions

Follow the ways of Jesus

Repent - give up your way of _____ and come with me. Give up the way you’ve been going and come the way God is going.

Cultural and personal. Societal and individual.

No rez - saduccees, Gk view of separation of body and soul.

Without rez, there is no Christian faith.

If dead people don't rise, then Christ did not rise. If Christ didn't rise, there is no Christian faith. It is empty.

- The Gospel is a sham.

- We are frauds, liars.

But this is not happening. There is a clear, visible way people are escaping living corruptly (sin). It must then be true that Jesus was raised from the dead.

19 - This is our hope. His rez is a pledge and proof of the rez of his people to a restored heaven and earth.

20-24

The rez means Jesus is now king replacing all other authorities.

Inaugurated Eschatology. Everything that is destructive will be destroyed and new life will begin. Doesn't happen all at once. A taste.

Until then...

The ultimate destination is not heaven but being bodily raised into the transformed, glorious likeness of Jesus Christ. The point of this is the glory of God as we fully reflect his image.

Between the already and not yet.

This life, body, earth matter.

Mission: agents of God’s rescue of people from the corruption and decay so they can enjoy in the present, the renewal of all things which is God’s ultimate purpose. We are partners in that purpose.

1 Cor 15:58

What we do in the present will last into God’s future. Our part is to build for God’s future -where heaven and earth come together and God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven.

God made heaven and earth and at the last he will remake both and join them together forever.

We are agents of transformation, anticipating the day when the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.

Jesus followers are to be that taste of what is to come - a taste of heaven come to earth. Here. Now.

If you’re wondering what the experience of that is like, look at Bea - a Jesus follower - an agent of transformation.

Beauty - Faye Burrell

A memory I hold dear is telling Mom how much I like having bouquets of fresh flowers in the house and how I would just buy some for myself sometimes. Soon after that wonderfully creative and beautiful bouquets would appear by our patio door regularly. They would contain flowers from her garden along with Queen Ann's Lace, dill, wild Black Eyed Susan, and a variety of other wildflowers.

When I asked why she never did this before, she said she never had someone to do it for. I think she really enjoyed it and I know I certainly enjoyed receiving them. Like a kid, I would return the vases when the flowers died with the implied message, " More, please!". She never disappointed.

Serving - Holiday dinners. Conveniently located back there was also the big family table. Grandma always the last to sit, was the signal to start whichever holiday or celebration the gathering's meal had been prepared for. She'd be at the end sitting on the bench from her piano atop a pile of pillows or a phone book.

Welcoming outsiders. Daughters in law.

Making sure they felt welcomed, loved and accepted.

Song

It is Well

Closing

Instructions

Invite to the cemetary;

Meal to follow in the FH

Share stories

Benediction

The Bell

Years ago Bea and Leonard purchased a large dinner bell that was mounted on the back porch of their house. The purpose of the bell was to call Leonard in for dinner. It could be heard clearly for at least a half a mile. It was also used to call the boys home from the the neighbors. We will end this service with mom playing Jesus loves and the ringing of the bell signifying Mom being called home.

Jesus Loves Me recording

Bell recording

Interment

In John 11:25 “Jesus said, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.’” Then He asked, “Do you believe this?” It is the Christian’s belief in Christ as the resurrection and the life and its validation or proof by Christ’s own resurrection from the grave that is the basis of our faith and hope and so comforts our hearts as we mourn and celebrate Bea’s life.

In sure and certain hope that, as Christ lived and was the first to rise from the dead, we too shall have new life and will join our heavenly Father along with all the saints in the new creation. We therefore commit Bea Burrell to the earth from which he/she was made, and lay to rest this mortal body that it might in time put on immortality. The Lord bless you and keep you ; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace. Amen.

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