Hmm, there we go. Okay. Sorry about that. I'd like to welcome everyone this morning to Village Bible Church here for a funeral service for Gary Mooney. And just mentioning to the family that it's good and a good testimony for Gary and his family to have a funeral. Maybe you've noticed, like I have, that fewer families are having services for their loved ones. I know it's difficult. But you know, for the loved one, the world kind of just stops when our loved one passes away. And the further out you get, it affects you. And it's right for a moment that our world kind of stopped. and the rest of us set everything aside and come be with that loved one. And when we come to a service like this, it's a Christian thing to do because we're honoring the Lord. He's the life giver. Lord Jesus is our savior. And we're here for the one that we love, to support the family, those close to the one who's passed on, to kind of stop our world with them and just be with them. So I think it's the Christian thing to do, and I think it's right to have a funeral service. That's why we call it a service. We're offering ourselves up, serving to the Lord and to others. You know, I think it's a bit of a reunion, too. Billie's been surprised by a few people that she didn't know was coming from Fellowship Baptist. I think one fellow traveled up from Oklahoma. Is that right? Where's he at? Is that? Yeah? Was that a surprise I heard? I saw you greet him, and I've been able to meet a few more from Fellowship Baptist. There's some people here from Kansas City, I realize that's some family, but when you look at Kirsten, did Joe make it up? I haven't met him, he's not been able to make it. Kirsten's here, and you know, Gary and Billy's influence was widespread. So you have people coming from family from far away, you have all the time they ministered at Fellowship Baptist, and then you have your Village Bible Church family here. And people, it was eight years ago, Nine, you know, they've just been here their whole lives. It just seems that way because we've gotten to know them. Billy's come in and served. Gary found it more difficult to serve as he did when he was youth, but just part of our church family. And so you see the influence that Gary had and how widespread it was. So many testimonies of people that have been brought to the Lord and were affected by his testimony. And that's why we're here today. We're gonna honor the Lord, a life giver, Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, and we're gonna give honor to a loved one. And we're gonna be here for Billy. And so, let's stand together and let's begin our funeral service with a word of prayer. Let us stand. Let's pray. Father, we come to present ourselves before you today. And Lord, we ask your blessing. We do this in your sight. Father, you are the creator of all and the giver of life. And thank you that although humanity has fallen into sin, you also have a plan of salvation. And Lord Jesus, you have come to enter into humanity. And while you committed no sin of your own, you took our sin upon yourself. You suffered for our sin. You died to pay the penalty for our sin. And Lord Jesus, you were raised up in three days that you might be the Savior. You are Lord, and that if anyone would put their faith in you, they can be saved from sin. Father, we honor you. We honor the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit who gives us the understanding and the power of the Christ's life in us. Lord, pray that you'd be honored in this service, that Gary would be honored in this service, a loved one that you've worked and showed yourself through in so many ways. Pray for Billie and pray for her comfort and the rest of the family, Lord, as we cherish these memories and just take what you've given to us of Gary and enjoy the blessing and those things that we have seen of you in him. Lord, pray your blessing on this service. In Jesus' name, amen. You may be seated. Well, the obituary reads that Gary Allen Mooney, 87, of Salina, Kansas, passed away Sunday, October 23, 2022. Gary was born at home near Scottsville, Kansas, on June 17, 1935, a son of Charlotte Bell Hunter, and his dad is Lloyd Vernon Mooney. I looked up Scottsville. It really is in the middle of nowhere. It's a little town out there, and there's no main road through it, up in Mitchell County. Gary was raised on a farm, which what else do you do out in that country? And Gary was raised on a farm with a vibrant work ethic and didn't we see that in him? If you knew Gary you knew that he was a worker, a hard worker, got the job done. Gary was raised on a farm with a vibrant work ethic. He learned a lot of mechanical and building skills on the farm and used that throughout his life. Later in his life, he worked in sales of building materials. After he was led to the Lord by Pastor Freeman at Slina Bible Church, he attended Appalachian Bible College in Bradley, West Virginia. Gary loved to hunt and fish and did so with family and friends as often as possible. He also collected model vehicles and coins. He always kept up with the repairs of the home and vehicles while he was able. I have to say, when my son and I, Ethan, began to mow for Gary, I always felt so bad because Gary kept his place so nice, and I just wasn't able to come close. I tell you, if I'd have went there every day, Gary kept things immaculate. If you went into his garage, If you saw the way he kept things neat and orderly, he provided for the home in such a magnificent way. And I always apologized to him that I couldn't keep it up the way it should have been. But Gary was always humble about that, wasn't he? He understood. Gary served the Lord through his church wherever he lived and we certainly have that testimony. On March 28, 1969, Gary married Billie Jane Utterback at Crestview Bible Church in Hutchinson, Kansas. Gary served in the United States National Guard for nine years. Survivors include his wife of 53 years, sister Netta Faye Gordainier, Gordon Eyre, that's one I forgot to straighten out, Gordon Eyre, sister-in-law Renita Mooney, Kay Robinson and Carla Rains, married to Roger. Many, many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and great, great nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents and brother, Gail Mooney. Well, we take this time now to speak about Gary. One thing about Gary as I got to know him is he really never bragged on himself. He would talk about what he did and what he enjoyed. But he was not one that just spent all his time talking about himself. He'd always ask you, what are you doing? So while I heard bits and pieces of Gary's work career and some of his life, it wasn't an extensive knowledge because he didn't boast in those things. He wasn't always about talking about himself. So I've really enjoyed talking to some of you and putting together some of these pieces and the connections. And we have testimony here, a word from his sister. So we're talking about his early childhood. And she said, Netta Faye said, what a great big brother he was to me and how he took care of me. Where is she at? Right there. Yeah, there. And when we moved to Cocker City, another town in the middle of nowhere, was the great big ball of twine there in Cocker City in those days? It was? It's been there that long? Wow. Ever since Gary was a kid, since you were kids. We moved to Cocker City. I was about four years old. I remember he took an aeronautics course in high school and loved it. He was always building model planes and even flying a flying wing. Did that thing fly? Really, that's something too. I remember how very sick he was when his appendix ruptured. Do you remember how old he was when that happened? A sophomore in high school and that ruptured and probably nearly killed him. He had one of them stories. Hmm? Playing football. Now, was he as impervious to pain in those days as he was in his older years? He probably played half the game with it in pain. You know, he probably shouldn't have even been in the game. It burst in the game. But he played the game and then had to be rushed to the hospital and all. Gary was a tough man. There's no doubt about that. He made a rocket for Byron, the nephew. Is Byron here? He's the one he made the rocket for, huh? You know, those things were pretty neat back in the day, and all these model airplanes and rockets and all. He flew and returned with a parachute. That was highly prized by Byron, who was interested in aeronautics and being an astronaut. You know, that was something a lot of young boys in those days wanted to be. Ever since kindergarten, you didn't become an astronaut, but it's still an interest, huh? But you worked for Spirit Aerial Systems as an adult, so you stayed in that kind of a field. Gary led many of my children to accept Christ as Savior. And that's the testimony we're gonna hear over and over again. Gary was the first of his family to be saved, including his parents, and got saved as a young adult. That's not, you were, oh good. Oh good, you were first, good. Well, after that, then Gary was saved as an adult. and then later led his parents and some siblings and nephews and nieces to the Lord. Yeah, what a blessing to be a blessing to the family in the way God used Gary. You know, I think I concur with what Billie has said here. She wrote, those who knew him best, like myself, knew his personality and character as cheerful yet melancholy, strong yet humble, musical and poetic, Perfectionist yet self-debasing. You can see that in the way that he worked. He did do things rightly. A man can appreciate that. Artistic and creative, patriotic and generous, Christian and repentant. That shows a humility in his life. Gifted mechanically and in carpentry, he helped open the Sutherland store here in Salina. You know, I was thinking about that. Probably a lot of us men who've lived here when Sutherland was going probably met Gary that may not have met him here at Village Bible Church and probably met him and when you go back to the materials and you had questions, he was there. I'm thinking I probably did talk to him when Sutherland was open. Opened the Sutherland store, and he was there till it closed also. Is that right? He retired before it closed. Okay. He was appreciated by his manager and boss for his capabilities and reliability. He was called the preacher of Sutherlands. Yeah. He took a strong stand for the Lord and the gospel, but was often put down and ridiculed by co-workers. Isn't that the story? Yet, and I've seen this true in other people's lives, when these same co-workers who would make fun of him had a crisis or a trial in their life, who do you think the person they wanted to talk to was? Who do you think was the person they knew had answers, who cared, who could tell them from the Word of God what God was doing and what God would want? Then they went to Gary. And who do you think they knew they could go to that would pray for them sincerely? They knew he had a relationship with God. So then they would go to Gary in that sense. What a testimony. That's a wonderful testimony. Well, Gary and Billy, you know, oftentimes when I was visiting Gary in the last year or two, you know, I always make comments of how well Billy took care of him. And he was smart, you know, he married a nurse. So it really paid off so many ways. But I think Billy was really his biggest treasure, his most valuable treasure. And just as you have a testimony of Aquila and Priscilla and the way that they served together, this is what all of us have known from Gary and Billy. Saint of the family, they go together like peanut butter and jelly. They're together in the way that they serve and what they do as a family for the Lord. She said, Billy says, Gary was a loving, loyal husband and friend to me. The thing I loved most about his Christian behavior was his prayer, both public and private, with me. He was so sincere to the point and faith-believing. One of his favorite verses after he was saved was Acts 16, 31. And he went right to work on his family with such desire that they know the God of his salvation. By his witness, many of his family was saved, many, many others, including me. Gary led Billie to the Lord and Gary met Billie when she was not saved. They began, it was love at first sight I think it sounds like when you hear the story. But Gary rightly gave her the gospel and God would say, Gary would say, brought Billie into his life and Billie received Christ as Savior while they were dating, before they were married. And Gary was blessed by the Lord with a Christian wife when Gary laid his own wife to the Lord in those years. Billy says he would break into song many times stimulated by happening of the moment or scripture from daily bread or just spontaneous, love to sing. The Bible says that he has put a new song in my heart and when we're saved we don't do the singing for some sort of entertainment. We do the singing in church and in worship. Christians sing because it's an expression of the joy and the worship in our heart. Psalm 40, verse three, David says, and he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God, and many shall see it in fear, and shall trust in the Lord. That was Gary. Some were secular songs, okay, like one, I got to the kitchen before I noticed I had a hole in my sock, and he broke out with, dance with the dolly with the hole in her stocking. You know, I didn't look that one up. I looked up the other one, and the other's like autumn leaves. I need to look up the dolly one. I just skipped right over it. I thought, I'm gonna look up this autumn leaves one. They're kind of old songs. I like the Nat King Cole version of Autumn Leaves. You know, it kind of fit his cheerful, melancholy personality. It was kind of a sad song, and looking back on autumn and kind of a lost love, it's kind of a nice song that way. And then Gary was a Christmas song singer, and I appreciate that. I mean, those can pop in your mind any time, not just Christmas time. But the last spontaneous song that Gary sang was, praise the Savior, ye who know him, who can tell how much we owe him. Gladly let us render to him all we are and have. And we'll be singing that later as a congregation. So about a week before he went into the hospital, when things really took a turn, Billy says they, and we never got to hear that Village Bible Church, so for those of you who did, we're blessed. Billy said they sang duets together in several churches. And he led singing, didn't get to do that here either, led singing while she played the piano. I assume they were a good team that way. He would listen to me practice and make requests and was always complimentary and encouraging. Being a people person, he was always willing to host missionaries and guest speakers in our home for meals and overnight often, and you did that even here at Village Bible Church. He always gave generously to the work of the Lord. Another thing I learned, a woman that is here, Marlene, said that Gary filled the pulpit over at Bavaria Community Church. Roger, do you happen to remember that? She thought it might have went back a little further, maybe you weren't there at that time, but Gary would go out there and fill the pulpit at Bavaria. And was it Pastor Langmay, Lang, Langmay. Is that right? He was influential in starting a lot of these Bible churches in this area of Kansas. And so Gary was trained under him, went to Appalachian, but then also ministered at Salina Bible under him. And Billy said was sent out to a lot of these small churches to preach. So I imagine there's lots of people in this central Kansas who know and remember Gary. Preaching and filling the pulpits. Just neat to connect these dots. Maryland might remember. That's why I was going to ask Maryland. Do you happen to remember Gary coming out there? Yeah, that would have been late 60s. To fill the pulpit at Bavaria Community Church. Of course, a small town, the church is not there anymore. Well, at Village Bible Church, we've written up a tribute Billy helped with, and Karen's written this up for what we say at Village Bible Church. I think it's similar to what he did in all other churches in this service. Gary Mooney was a member of Village Bible Church for nine years. He was a genuine, caring believer whose life reflected the love of his Savior. God was the number one priority in his life, and his example positively affected many who crossed his path. When the Moonies were searching for a church home, Gary was adamant that the church they attended have sound doctrine. When considering VBC, he was always drawn to our church because he knew the truth was being preached and practiced. He appreciated the friendliness and kindliness of our congregation. They quickly integrated themselves into our church family. Gary actively served in whatever church he was attending. Over the years, he not only led singing, but performed many specials, including duets with Billy. He filled the pulpit in many places. His servant's heart found him wherever He was needed, including teaching vacation Bible school and ushering. You know, we included that here because he didn't get to do much of that at Village Bible by the time his age and health declined a bit. Gary has always had a heart for evangelism. He loves sharing the gospel with others. He was privileged to lead several people to the Lord. This included his wife, Billy, his sister and some of her children, as well as surrogate son. He was an all-around Mr. Fix-It. He could do all kinds of maintenance as well as carpentry and was generous with his talents. He made one of the podiums we use today. Beautifully carved letters, VBC on the front, and the podium will remain a cherished part of our church here. And so it's something he made at fellowship, we said, and then he changed it from the FBC, because the fellowship unfortunately closed, and then he brought that over and said, we need to be using this, and we do. Sometimes we move this out of the way, And we appreciate having that. Even when Gary was physically not able to attend the last few years, he was still an important part of the church family. He will be missed. May his memory inspire us to live our lives with a servant's heart as he did. You know, I have a couple of testimonies here. Gary and Billy really adopted in a lot of children and were active in the Sunday school and the youth ministries in their churches when they were younger. And so, the first one I have here is a statement from Joe, who Billy considers a surrogate son. They sort of adopted him in. His family life was as such that Gary and Billy really were like a mother and a father to him. And Joe says, I saw Jesus in him the first time we met. He took me to Kentucky Fried Chicken and Home to Mills with Billy. We hunted and fished together and he helped me with my truck and adopted me as a son. You know, Kirsten is also here, and she's like a daughter to Gary and Billy and their life. And she said, when Gary and Billy came into my life, I was about five years old. Billy started babysitting me and my two younger sisters. We started attending church with Gary and Billy at Calvary Bible Church. As the years passed, we attended many youth functions at their home and learned so much about the Lord. Anytime you were around Gary, you felt the love of the Lord and the love Gary has for God. Right after my husband and I were married, we stopped by Celina and Gary was so happy. that I had found a good Christian man. Seeing Gary show my husband immediate love really touched my heart. Gary had a very special way of making people feel loved, and I have been deeply blessed to have Gary in my life for 40 years. I will miss Gary very much, but this is not goodbye. I'll see you again. I love you. From Kirsten. You know, I realize there are many more things that could be said about Gary, and I'd love to hear how the dots connect, and maybe downstairs there'll be many more stories told. Maybe some of you will meet someone else that knew Gary in a certain way, and you can connect that dot. But what we're gonna do now is we're gonna have Matthew Jerry come up, who was singing leading songs then at the time at Fellowship Baptist Church. And he was there singing a special, and he sang As the Deer. And Gary immediately went up to him and said that he wanted Matthew to sing this song at his funeral. That's some 15, over 15 years ago. Well, Matthew remembered that, and Billy remembered that, and Gary always stuck to that, and he wanted this song sang as the deer panted for the water. By the way, it's a, It's in hymn number 409 in your book if you wanted to follow along. But let's have Matthew come and do just as he did as he touched Gary's heart some 15 years ago and touch our hearts with this song now. As the deer panteth for the water so my soul longeth after thee. You alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship thee. You alone are my strength and shield. To you alone may my spirit yield. You alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship thee. You're my friend and you are my brother Even though you are a king I love you more than any other So much more than anything You alone are my strength and shield. To you alone may my spirit yield. You alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship thee. And I long to worship Thee. And I long to worship Thee. Amen. Appreciate that. It was good that you were able to honor Gary with that request after these many years. You know, for a time of message, we honor the Lord in this. We can do this with some favorite scriptures that Gary had. We mentioned, well, we're gonna get to Acts 16, 31, verse that Gary quoted from memory the most. was Ephesians 2, 8 and 9. And so what this encompasses is a very simple plan of salvation. The same plan of salvation that Gary believed as a young man that he got saved with. It's the simple plan of salvation that a man and a war woman, mankind, has fallen into sin. And it's our sin that incurs death, that has brought upon us the penalty of death. It's the sin in the world that's brought all of the suffering in this world. And that's the answer God has given in his word for why there is evil and suffering in this world. God created the world originally in righteousness and without sin, without pain and suffering, and without death. But it was through the sin of Adam that mankind fell into sin. And it's the sin of you and I that brings upon so much misery. And when we look and cry outward and we see the evil in the world, we want to kind of point sometimes, say, look at this world and where did it come from? When what God wants us to do is reflect deep into our own heart and say the sin is in our own heart. And there's nothing that we can do to wash away sin, to appease the guilt and the shame in our life, but that God has provided a way. It's grace in that what God has given in his only begotten son, that Jesus has come into this life and he's experienced the suffering brought on by sin. He himself committed no sin, but because of our sin, because of the evil in this world, when the Father sent Jesus to the cross, he charged Jesus with our sin. And when Jesus died on the cross, it was to pay the penalty. He died because you and I have sinned. And when you think of Jesus on that cross, you need to consider your own sin, to reflect deep into your own heart and say the evil is here, but God has provided a solution. God has provided an answer. God has provided a way. God has given his only begotten son. Whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Jesus died on a cross and was raised up. It's a very simple plan of salvation. Jesus did all for us. It's by grace. It's a gift of God. It's not something we earn and you can never make up for the sin that you've committed. But you must come and repent and believe that Jesus died and rose again. Now Ephesians 2.10 is part of this same passage Gary memorized says, for we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Gary understood that when he came to the Lord that God had a plan for his life. And that plan meant that he would serve the Lord in those good things that God would intend for him to do. And for Gary, that was ministry. That was Christian service. He went to Bible college. And for Gary, it was the preaching of the gospel and the ministry. And while Gary never entered into full-time ministry, in the sense that he had a position that way. Gary was in full-time ministry because he considered himself a missionary amongst the employee co-workers he had and amongst his family and the way that he served in the church. Gary was in full-time ministry and Gary had an assurance of salvation because he knew that God had a plan for his life. He saved him and God gave him a purpose in life and it was to glorify the Lord and it was to share the gospel and tell as many people about Jesus as he could. Well one thing about Gary you learn is Gary was able to also deal with hardships in life. It wasn't just his personality but God had changed him and he knew how to depend on God through each trial and through each tribulation. Another favorite verse of Gary's of Psalm 46 10 says Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen. I will be exalted in the earth. And Gary knew that there were times in his life when difficulties arose, when there were questions he couldn't answer, that he needed to wait on the Lord, pray to the Lord, trust the Lord. Gary wrote a poem that I think encompasses this approach a Christian ought to have, this viewpoint, this trust that Gary had in the Lord through every difficulty. This is a poem Gary wrote. It's in the inside of your program if you'd like to look at that. Though darker, rougher grows the way, and cares press harder day by day, and nothing satisfies, the promise sure before me lies of that blessed place beyond the skies where Jesus waits for me. With sight too dim to visualize, the scene, though spread before my eyes, I know it will be fair. Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard the things that are prepared. that are for us prepared and Jesus will be there. Though absent I have known his love and by his mercies daily prove the wonders of his grace. He whom having not seen I love will call and in his home above I'll see him face to face. With patience in his love I'll rest and whisper that he knoweth best and I am satisfied. Then clinging to that guiding hand A weakling in his strength I'll stand, though I be sorely tried. Though burdened with a load of care, he's promised me the strength to bear the trials that appall. So hiding pain away from sight, I'll let my life be fair and bright while waiting for his call. That last stanza in this poem really encompasses Gary's life. If you asked him, he would tell you, yes, it is hard. But Gary demonstrated outwardly as a testimony that he was trusting in the Lord, and the Lord did call him. And he trusted the Lord right on through the end. You see, Gary's favorite verse to quote is in Acts 16, 31. When they asked Paul and Silas who had been beaten and put in prison and this jailer who came to the end of his life, everything had fallen apart for him. He thought that the prisoners had escaped and he knew that he would be facing a death penalty himself. He had heard Paul and Silas singing praises. I'm sure Paul and Silas witnessed to him. They asked Paul and Silas, he asked, excuse me, the jailer, Paul and Silas, in his desperation, when he realized he was lost in his sin, what must I do to be saved? And the apostle Paul responded, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. and thou shalt be saved in thy house. And Gary always believed that was true. He always lived out that verse. He saw his family saved. Gary saw others saved. He preached the gospel. If you're here today, you can believe this simple plan of salvation. Jesus died for your sin and rose again. There's nothing you can do to earn salvation. God is willing to give this to you as a gift. If you'd but repent of your sin and ask Jesus, call upon his name. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Let's have a time of silence and silent prayer If you're here ask you to bow your head if you're here Today, and maybe there's some doubt about your salvation maybe you've prayed to be saved before but You weren't. Maybe this is a time you need to make this right and call upon the name of the Lord and just as Gary did, and you can have assurance of salvation so that when you come to the end of your life, you will know you'll live again. You'll know you'll be resurrected with Christ. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Let us have a time of silent prayer. I urge you, just as Gary would, the Lord is urging you. Believe on the Lord Jesus and be saved. Let us pray. Lord Jesus, you have accomplished all of salvation in your life, death, burial, and resurrection. You've done all. It's for us but to recognize, oh, that your spirit would open the eyes of blinded hearts today, recognize that Jesus, you are the Lord who has died and been raised up to give forgiveness and new life, that we must receive, we must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved. Thank you for Gary's testimony of salvation. Lord, this simple good news gospel message may it be on the lips of every believer here. May we give you praise. And Lord, no matter what hardships come, Lord, we know one thing, Jesus died and rose again, and we have an assurance of salvation through our faith in him. Lord Jesus, thank you for what you've done. Thank you that Gary trusted you. Lord, pray for any soul here that they might be certain of their salvation and receive Christ as Savior today. In Jesus' name, amen. But this time what we want to do is sing some congregational hymns. And we want to start off with Gary's, one of his favorites, this is one of the last spontaneous songs that he sang. It must have been in his mind, it must have been in his heart. It's one I like a lot. You have your hymnals there, let's take our hymnals and let's turn to hymn number 22. Let's all stand together, let's do this as we stand together and sing hymn number 22. 22, and for this hymn, let's sing all four verses. Praise the Savior, just as Gary did in the final weeks of his life. Let's stand together, praise the Savior. ♪ Praise the Savior ♪ All to Him we sing ♪ For our next hymn, let's turn to hymn number 600. These are songs that Billy has picked out. We as Christians have something to sing about. Sing about the Lord, but we can also sing about the glory of our heavenly home, the glory of the resurrection, the glory that awaits us past the suffering and death of this life. That's where our hope is. That's where Gary placed his hope, and Gary is with the Lord even now. Let's sing face to face. Let's sing the first two verses, hymn number 600, face to face. you ♪ I hear the stormy skies ♪ ♪ Facing places I must go ♪ It is coming, it is coming, it is coming, we shall not be seen. It is coming, it is coming, it is coming, we shall not be seen. Yeah, that's the way to sing that. I gotta slow that down a little bit. It'd be nice if Gary could lead these songs and Billie could play. And I know she would be itching to get at the piano. And we've been blessed that she's been able to come back and play for us. Let's turn now to our third hymn, 586. 586, the Christians are singing. We're filling this room, this sanctuary with the joyful songs of praise, singing about the glory of the resurrection and being with Christ. 586, let's sing the first and the last. Oh, that will be glory. ♪ I know I'm single and you're dearly small ♪ ♪ Trust in my hand and hold my hand, oh Lord ♪ ♪ Will all the ages be glory for me? ♪ All right, that's number one, roll down the notes. Verse number three. ♪ I choose to be where I belong ♪ ♪ Where I belong, where I belong, where I belong ♪ ♪ My spirit must go, my spirit must go ♪ ♪ Through the ages before me, before me, before me ♪ ♪ I will be holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, Gary must have loved to hold those notes out. I'm sure at home he must have really cut loose on those kind. Let's turn now to our last hymn, number 602. Number 602, for those who know Christ as Savior, you're going to see Gary again. There's going to be great rejoicing. I think songs even way above and beyond, heavenly songs that really are going to be better than these, I have to say. better than these, songs that we'll learn. He's given us a new song. But you know, while we're here, this song means so much to us. When we all get to heaven, that's where our hope is. That's where we trust the Lord. And we're going to be looking up and looking forward. When we all get to heaven, those who have died in Christ will be together with the Lord. Let's sing the first, the third, and the last. First, third, and the last of when we all get to heaven. you I think everybody's doing well, but no matter if you think you can sing or not, everybody be singing on this last verse and everybody be singing out loud. Let's sing it out from the heart loudly and with great joy, the fourth stanza. Let's go. Amen. It's wonderful to be singing God's songs in a place, call it God's house, with many, many Christians to honor the Lord and Gary this today. Let's be seated now and we close our service here. We want to take time for something that was important to Gary and important to our country. And Gary served for nine years with the National Guard. And so today with us, we have the Army Military Honors. I thought it fitting we close with some words that was penned here by Kirsten. 1 Thessalonians, she wanted this verse read, 1 Thessalonians 4, 16 and 18, for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. So shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words. At a later time, Gary will be laid to rest in Caldwell, Kansas. But when we lay our loved ones, Christian loved ones to rest, the Bible calls it sleeping in Jesus. And there's this great expectation that no other religion, that nothing out of humanity could ever give hope for. It's what God has revealed to us. It's what Jesus Christ has brought to reality for us. And that is a resurrection. When you put your faith in Christ, if you do die before his return, it says the dead in Christ shall rise first. And we will be given resurrected bodies at the return of Jesus Christ. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. That's where we find the comfort. I've seen that comfort in Billy. seen that comfort in others around Gary, Gary himself experienced that comfort. And boy, he would urge you, if you're here today and have not trusted Christ as Savior, to do so, so that you could have this hope of resurrection and eternal life in Christ Jesus. Kirsten said, as Christians, we are not saying goodbye to Gary, but very simply, we will see you later, Gary. As we say goodbye and grieve for the physical loss, we should rejoice and give praise for the reunion in eternity. Revelation 21 verse says, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away. Let's bow our heads and have a time of silent prayer in these last moments and then I'll close this service in prayer. Let's have a time of silent prayer and then we'll close. Well, God, we take this moment to honor you as the creator, the creator of life, the giver of life. Lord, we thank you for the life of Gary. Lord, let it be that everything good, everything right, everything that we've come to know as being biblical according to the word of God, we saw in Gary was a gift from you, your grace at work in his life. Lord, the love that we have experienced through Gary He would testify as God's love, your love, that you have shown to him and through him. Thank you for his life. Thank you for his friendship. Lord, I pray that you'd be with Billie, help her and the family this time with a comfort that only you can give. Give them a testimony of how you have strengthened them and comforted them in this time. Again, your grace. Lord, thank you that we've had this time to honor you and to honor Gary. And Lord, we pray that you'd bless as we depart and take these memories with us. In Jesus name, amen. Well, as we close, Billy would like to invite everyone down. If you'd like to stay, the church has prepared a meal downstairs. And what we'll do is we'll dismiss. And Billy would like to greet every one of you, if you'd like. And she will be standing at the back of the sanctuary. And you can greet her on your way out. And then just head right on downstairs. And someone will be there to show you the line. You can get right in line. And we'll keep this thing moving. And we'll enjoy a nice fellowship, a nice meal together. You're welcome to stay and enjoy that. Billy would like for you to do that. and let's be dismissed now and thank you for coming. We're dismissed. Yeah.