A Celebration of the Life ofRita Longwill22nd January 192812th December 2014

Debenham United Reform ChurchMonday 22nd December 2014 at 12.30pmwww.longwill.net

Order of ServiceConducted by Rev. Chris Wood

Processional music: Liebestraum No. 3 In A Flat Major by Franz Liszt

Scripture Sentences / Introduction:Hymn: O Lord My God (How Great Thou Art)

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonderConsider all the works Thy hand hath made,I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,Thy power throughout the universe displayed:

Then sings my soul my Saviour God, to Thee,How great Thou art, how great Thou art!Then sings my soul my Saviour God, to Thee,How great Thou art, how great Thou art.

When through the woods and forest glades I wander,And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,And hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze;

But when I think that God, His Son not sparing,Sent Him to die - I scarce can take it inThat on the Cross, our burden gladly bearing,He bled and died to take away our sin;

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamationAnd take me home - what joy shall fill my heart!Then shall I bow in humble adoration,And there proclaim: My God, how great Thou art!

Russian Hymn [tr. Stuart K. Hine (1899 - 1989) altd.]Prayer

Psalm 139:

Lord, You have examined me and You know me.You know me at rest and in action;You discern my thoughts from afar.You trace my journeying and my resting-places,And are familiar with all the paths I take.For there is not a word that I speak but You, Lord, know all about it.You keep close guard behind and before me and place Your hand upon me.Knowledge so wonderful is beyond my grasp; it is so lofty I cannot reach it.

Where can I escape from Your Spirit,Where flee from Your presence?If I climb up to Heaven, You are there;If I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.If I travel to the limits of the east,Or dwell at the bounds of the western sea,Even there Your hand will be guiding me, Your right hand holding me fast.

How mysterious, God, are your thoughts to me,How vast in number they are!Were I to try counting them, they would be more than the grains of sand;To finish the count, my years must equal Yours.

Examine me, God, and know my mind; test me,And understand my anxious thoughts.Watch lest I follow any path that grieves You;Lead me in the Everlasting Way.

Reading: John 14: 1 6; 18 19; 27 [adapted]Set your troubled hearts at rest. Trust in God always; trust also in Me.

There are many dwelling-places in My Father's House;If it were not so I should have told you;For I am going on purpose to prepare a place for you.And if I go and prepare a place for you,I shall come again and take you to Myself,So that where I am you may be also;

And you know the way I am taking.

Thomas, known as the Doubter said: Lord, we do not know where you aregoing,, so how on earth can we know the way?

Jesus replied: I am the way, the truth, and the life;No one comes to the Father except by Me.

I will not leave you without; I am coming back to you.In a little while the world will see Me no longer, but you will see Me;Because I live, you too will live.

Peace is My parting gift to you, My very own peace,Such as the world could never give.This will set your troubled hearts at rest, and banish your fears.

Reading: 2 Timothy 3: 1 - 4: 8 [part] Last Instructions

But you have followed my teaching, my conduct, and my purpose in life;You have observed my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance,And my sufferings.You know everything there is to know about me!You know that the Lord has been exceedingly good to me,And has protected me throughout.

As for you, continue in the truths that you were taught and firmly believe.So that every person who serves God may be fully qualified and equippedTo do every kind of good deed.

As for me, the hour has come for me to leave this life.I have done my best in the race, I have run the full distance,And I have kept the faith.And now there is waiting for me the prize of victory,Awarded for a righteous life,The prize with the Lord, the Righteous Judge will give meOn the day of my resurrection and not only to me,But to all those who wait with love for him to appear in Glory.

Amen. Thanks be to God.

Hymn: Dear Lord and Father of Mankind [remain seated]

Dear Lord and Father of MankindForgive our foolish ways;Reclothe us in our rightful mind;In purer lives Thy service find,In deeper reverence, praise.

In simple trust like theirs who heard,Beside the Syrian sea,The gracious calling of the Lord,Let us, like them, without a wordRise up and follow Thee.

O Sabbath rest by Galilee!O calm of hills above,Where Jesus knelt to share with TheeThe silence of eternity,Interpreted by love.

With that deep hush subduing allOur words and works that drownThe tender whisper of Thy call,As noiseless let Thy blessing fallAs fell Thy manna down.

Drop Thy still dews of quietness,Till all our strivings cease;Take from our souls the strain and stress,And let our ordered lives confessThe beauty of Thy peace.

Breathe through the heats of our desireThy coolness and Thy balm;Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;Speak through the earthquake, wind and fire,O still small voice of calm!

John G. Whittier.

The TributePoem: A Poet's Pilgrimage Read by Alison Longwill, Daughter

I could not help thinking on this fine morning how little is required to make aman happy. A small income, just enough to give a man his liberty, an eye forbeauty, an ear for sweet sounds - with these a man is capable of enjoying lifeto the full.

W.H. Davies.Music: Salut d'Amour Massenet meditation by Edward Elgar

Prayers / The Lords 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, the Power and the Glory for ever, and ever. Amen.

Hymn: What a Friend we Have in JesusWhat a Friend we have in Jesus,All our sins and griefs to bear!What a privilege to carryEverything to God in prayer!Oh what peace we often forfeitOh, what needless pain we bear All because we do not carryEverything to God in prayer!Have we trials and temptations?Is there trouble anywhere?We should never be discouraged,Take it to the Lord in prayer.Can we find a friend so faithful

Who will all our sorrows share?Jesus knows our every weakness,Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden,Burdened with a load of care?Precious Saviour still our refuge:Take it to the Lord in prayer.Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?Take it to the Lord in prayer;In His arms hell take and shield thee,Thou wilt find a solace there.

John Scriven (1819 86)

The Committal [please remain standing]Prayer: When I am Dead, Cry for me a Little Read by Silas Davis, Grandson

When I am deadCry for me a littleThink of me sometimesBut not too much.Think of me now and againAs I was in lifeAt some moments it's pleasant to recallBut not for long.Leave me in peaceAnd I shall leave you in peaceAnd while you liveLet your thoughts be with the living.

North American Indian Prayer

Hymn: Silent Night

Silent night, Holy nightAll is calm, all is brightRound yon virgin, mother and childHoly infant, tender and mildSleep in Heavenly peace,Sleep in Heavenly peace.

Silent night, Holy nightSon of God, love's pure lightRadiant beams from Thy holy faceWith the dawn of redeeming grace,Jesus, Lord at Thy birthJesus, Lord at Thy birth.

Silent night, Holy nightShepherds quake, at the sightGlories stream from Heaven aboveHeavenly, hosts sing Hallelujah.Christ the Saviour is born,Christ the Saviour is born.

Joseph Mohr (1792 1848)Irish Blessing Read by Sophie Longwill, Granddaughter

May the road rise up to meet you.May the wind be always at your back.May the sun shine warm upon your face;The rains fall soft upon your fieldsAnd until we meet again,May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

BlessingRecessional music: The Lark Ascending by Vaughan Williams

Trouser Wearing at 80 YearsI am addicted to my trousersWhich feel good with all my blousesSo comfy on these Autumn daysAnd versatile in many waysThey cover up any laddered stockingWhich otherwise would be quite shockingI wish I had worn them in previous yearsAs I now possess 6 different pairsIm not bothered if the wind does blowI can even garden in the cold and snowFor 80 years I resisted friends adviceNor realising they would feel so niceSo now Im off to post your letter (Harriet)Thinking that life could not be better!!

Rita Longwill 1928 2014

Reflections from Rita's notebooks:Life is a mirror to King and SlaveTis just what you are, and doSo give to the world the best you haveAnd the best will come back to you

Madeline BridgesMy crown is in my heart, not on my head,Not deck'd with diamonds and Indian stonesNot to be seenMy crown is called content

Wm Shakespeare, King Henry VIHad we never lov'd sae kindlyHad we never lov'd sae blindly,Never met - or never parted -We had ne'er been broken-hearted

Robert BurnsTo see a World in a Grain of Sand,And a Heaven in a Wild FlowerHold Infinity in the Palm of your handAnd Eternity in an hour

Auguries of Innocence. William BlakeHe who has no money is poor, but he who has nothing but money is poorestof all.

Nwaneri Chika NduansiThe clock of life is wound but once,And no man has the powerTo tell just when the hands will stopAt late or early hour.To lose one's wealth is sad indeed,To lose one's health is more,To lose one's soul is such a lossThat no man can restore.The present only is our own,

So live, love, toil with a will,Place no faith in "Tomorrow,"For the Clock may then be still.

Robert H. Smith

Donations in memory of Rita if wished to Family Action preferably online atwww.justgiving.com/Rita-Longwill (to enable gift aid to be recovered for UK taxpayers ) or c/o funeral directors:

Andrew Bingham Independent Funeral ServiceThe NutshellMilton Road SouthStowmarketIP14 1EZ

Our family invite you all to join us afterward for refreshment at:

Debenham Leisure CentreGracechurch StreetDebenhamIP14 6BL