THE LITURGY OF THE RESURRECTION

A Requiem Holy Eucharist for The Very Rev. Dr. William Petersen February 13, 1941 - June 5, 2025

The Rt. Rev. Kara Wagner Sherer, Presiding The Rev. Dr. Elise Feyerherm, Preaching The Rev. Richard Krapf, Deacon Thursday, June 26, 2025 Two o’clock in the Afternoon Christ Church, Rochester NY

The liturgy for the dead is an Easter liturgy.

It finds all meaning in the resurrection.

Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we too, shall be raised.

The liturgy, therefore, is characterized by joy, in the certainty that
“neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present,
nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else
in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in

Christ Jesus our Lord."

This joy, however, does not make human grief unchristian. The very love
we have for each other in Christ brings deep sorrow when we are parted
by death. Jesus himself wept at the grave of his friend.

So, while we rejoice that one we love has entered into the nearer presence of our Lord,
we sorrow in sympathy with those who mourn.

Welcome to Christ Church

Interim Rector The Rev. Dr. Julianne Buenting

Director of Music and Organist Stephen Kennedy

Crucifer Deborah VanderBilt

Thurifer Jim Ford

Torchbearers Dave Jutsum & Meg Love

Ushers Kathy Brennan, Tom Foster, & Bill Soleim

Livestream Val Jutsum

Voluntary Improvisation on St. Columba Stephen Kennedy

Please stand, as able and comfortable.

Reception of the Urn   

The ministers meet the immediate family in the back of the nave.

Presider:

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were

baptized into his death? Therefore, we have been buried with Jesus by baptism into

death so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so

we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Christ in a like

death, we will certainly be united in a resurrection like his.

Water is sprinkled on the urn as a remembrance of Baptism.

Presider:

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.

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.

Holy Spirit, author and giver of life, the comforter of all who sorrow, our sure confidence and everlasting hope, we worship you.

To you, O Blessed Trinity, be glory and honor for ever and ever. Amen.

Processional Hymn 525 The Church’s one foundation

Collects

Presider: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Presider: Let us pray

Eternal God, your mercy is without end, and your steadfast love never ceases:

Accept our prayers for Bill and receive him into the land of light and joy,

into the company of your saints; for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Most merciful God, whose wisdom is beyond our understanding, deal graciously with

Priscilla, Erik, Daphne, Fletcher and all Bill’s friends in their grief. Surround them

with your love, that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss, but have confidence

in your goodness, and strength to meet the days to come; through Jesus Christ

our Lord. Amen.

Please be seated.

First Lesson   Isaiah 25:6-9

On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food,

a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained

clear. And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples,

the covering that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever.

Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his

people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on

that day, “See, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us.

This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

Reader The word of the Lord.

People Thanks be to God.

Gradual Psalm  63:1-8 

Deus, Deus meus

Cantor:

1 O God, you are my God; eagerly I / seek you; *
    my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you, as in a barren and dry land where there / is no water. 

All:

2 Therefore I have gazed upon you in your / holy place, *
    that I might behold your power / and your glory. 

3 For your loving-kindness is better than / life itself; *
    my / lips shall give you praise. 

4 So will I bless you as long / as I live *
    and lift up my / hands in your Name. 

5 My soul is content, as with marrow and / fatness, *
    and my mouth praises / you with joyful lips, 

6 When I remember you u-/pon my bed, *
    and meditate on you in / the night watches. 

7 For you have been my / helper, *
    and under the shadow of your / wings I will rejoice.

8 My soul / clings to you; *
    your / right hand holds me fast.

Second Lesson  I Corinthians 13

If I speak in the tongues of humans and of angels but do not have love, I am a noisy

gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers and understand all

mysteries and all knowledge and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains but do

not have love, I am nothing.  If I give away all my possessions and if I hand over my

body so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant  or rude. It

does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable; it keeps no record of wrongs;  it does

not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth.  It bears all things, believes all

things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they

will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know only in part, and we

prophesy only in part, but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end.

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.

When I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways.  For now we see only a

reflection, as in a mirror, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part;

then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.  And now faith, hope, and

love remain, these three, and the greatest of these is love.

Reader The word of the Lord

People Thanks be to God.

Please stand, as able.

Sequence Hymn 625 Ye holy angels bright

The Holy Gospel John 6:37-40

Deacon: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.

People:   Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away, for I have come down from

heaven not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all

that he has given me but raise it up on the last day. This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may

have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day.”

Deacon: The Gospel of the Lord.

People:  Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon The Rev. Dr. Elise Feyerherm+

Please stand, as able, for the prayers.

Prayers of the People  Read by the Rev. Kenneth Pepin

Reader: Let us pray to God our Creator saying, Holy One, hear us. Loving God,

you have called your people together in the mystical body of Jesus Christ our Savior.

Give to your whole Church in heaven and on earth your light and your peace.

People: Holy One, hear us.

Grant that all who have been baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection may die

daily to sin and rise to newness of life, and that we, with our Redeemer, may pass

through the gate of death to our joyful resurrection.

People: Holy One, hear us.

Grant to us who are still on our earthly pilgrimage, and who walk as yet by faith, that

your Spirit may lead us in holiness and righteousness all our days.

People: Holy One, hear us.

Grant to your faithful people pardon and peace, that we may be cleansed from all

our sin and serve you with a quiet mind.

People: Holy One, hear us.

Grant that Bill, increasing in the knowledge and love of you, may go from strength

to strength in a new life of perfect service.

People: Holy One, hear us.

Grant to all who mourn, a sure confidence in your tender mercy, that, casting all

their sorrow on you, they may know the consolation of your love.

People: Holy One, hear us.

Give courage to all who are bereaved, that in the days ahead they may hold fast to the

comfort of a holy hope, and the joyful expectation of eternal life with those they love.

People: Holy One, hear us.

Help us entrust Bill to your never-failing care and love. Receive him into the arms

of your mercy, and remember him according to the favor you bear for your people.

People: Holy One, hear us.

Presider: Gracious God, you alone are the source of all life. May your life-giving Spirit

flow through us, so that we may be ministers of your compassion to one another;

in our sorrow give us the calm of your peace, and kindle our hope, and in your good

time, let our grief give way to joy, through Jesus Christ our Deliverer. Amen.

The PEACE

Presider:  The peace of Christ be always with you.

People:   And also with you.

Presentation Hymn Lo! He Comes, with Clouds Descending

The Great Thanksgiving

Please stand, as able and comfortable. EP D-Expansive Language

Sursum Corda

It is truly right to glorify you, Holy One, and to give you thanks; for you alone are

God, living and true, dwelling in light inaccessible from before time and for ever.

Fountain of life and source of all goodness, you made all things and fill them with

your blessing; you created them to rejoice in the splendor of your radiance. Countless

throngs of angels stand before you to serve you night and day; and, beholding the

glory of your presence, they offer you unceasing praise. Joining with them, and giving

voice to every creature under heaven, we acclaim you, and glorify your Name,

as we sing:

SANCTUS

We acclaim you, holy God, glorious in power. Your mighty works reveal your wisdom

and love. You formed us in your own image, giving the whole world into our care, so

that, in obedience to you, our Creator, we might rule and serve all your creatures.

When our disobedience took us far from you, you did not abandon us to the power

of death. In your mercy you came to our help, so that in seeking you we might find

you. Again and again, you called us into covenant with you, and through the prophets

you taught us to hope for salvation.

Holy God, you loved the world so much that in the fullness of time you sent your

only Son to be our Savior. Incarnate by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,

Jesus lived as one of us, yet without sin. To the poor he proclaimed the good news of

salvation; to prisoners, freedom; to the sorrowful, joy. To fulfill your purpose Jesus

gave himself up to death; and rising from the grave, destroyed death, and made the

whole creation new. And that we might live no longer for ourselves, but for Christ

who died and rose for us, you sent the Holy Spirit, your own first gift for those who

believe, to complete your work in the world, and to bring to fulfillment the

sanctification of all.

When the hour had come for Jesus to be glorified by you, his heavenly Father, having

loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end; at supper with them

Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his

disciples, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you.

Do this for the remembrance of me.”

After supper Jesus took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to

them, and said, “Drink this, all of you. This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which

is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it,

do this for the remembrance of me.”

Almighty God, we now celebrate this memorial of our redemption. Recalling Christ’s

death and descent among the dead, proclaiming Christ’s resurrection and ascension

to your right hand, awaiting Christ’s coming in glory; and offering to you, from the

gifts you have given us, this bread and this cup, we praise you and we bless you.

Presider and People:

We praise you, we bless you, we give thanks to you,

and we pray to you, Lord our God.

God our Creator, we pray that in your goodness and mercy your Holy Spirit may

descend upon us, and upon these gifts, sanctifying them and showing them to be

holy gifts for your holy people, the bread of life and the cup of salvation, the Body

and Blood of our Savior Jesus Christ. Grant that all who share this bread and cup

may become one body and one spirit, a living sacrifice in Christ, to the praise of

your Name.

Remember, Lord, your one holy catholic and apostolic Church, redeemed by the

blood of your Christ. Reveal its unity, guard its faith, and preserve it in peace.

Remember Bill and all who have died in the peace of Christ, and those whose

faith is known to you alone; bring them into the place of eternal joy and light.

And grant that we may find our inheritance with the Blessed Virgin Mary, with

matriarchs, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and all the saints who

have found favor with you in ages past.

We praise you in union with them and give you glory through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Through Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, all honor and glory are yours,

Almighty God and Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. AMEN.

The Breaking of the Bread

Presider: Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;

People: Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.

Fraction Anthem S-170 Whoever eats this bread will live for ever

Invitation to Holy Communion

Presider: The gifts of God for the people of God.

You are welcome to share in the Holy Communion whatever your faith tradition.

Gluten free bread is available if it is better for you, please tell the minister

when you come up to receive communion.

If you do not wish to receive communion, you are welcome to come forward

for a blessing at communion time, signaling this request

by placing each hand on its opposite shoulder.

Everyone, without exception, is welcome to receive Holy Communion.

If a gluten free wafer is better for you, please tell the minister when you come forward.

The Bread and the Cup are given with these words:

The Body of Christ, the bread of heaven.  Please Respond: Amen.

The Blood of Christ, the cup of salvation. Please Respond: Amen.

Please stand, as able.

Post-Communion Hymn 645 The King of love my shepherd is

Prayer after Communion

Please stand or kneel, as able.

Presider: Let us pray,

All pray together:

Loving God, we thank you that you have fed us with the Body and Blood of

our Savior Jesus Christ, giving us a foretaste of your heavenly banquet. We

pray that this Sacrament may be for us a comfort in affliction, and a sign of

our inheritance in that place where there is no death, neither sorrow nor crying,

but the joy of true homecoming, through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen.

The Commendation

Presider: Give rest, O Christ, to your servants with your saints,
People: where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting.

Presider:     You only are immortal, the creator and maker of all; and we are mortal,

formed of the earth, and to earth shall we return. For so you ordained

when you created us, saying, “You are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

All of us go down to the dust; yet even at the grave we make our song:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Presider: Give rest, O Christ, to your servants with your saints,

People: where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting.

Presider: Merciful Savior, we commend Bill to you. Receive him as a sheep of your

own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Accept

him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and

into the glorious company of your saints. Amen.

The Presider continues

Blessed Jesus, Son of the Living God, we pray you to set your passion, cross,

and death between your judgment and our souls, now and in the hour of our

death. Give mercy and grace to the living, pardon and peace to the dead;

to your holy Church peace and concord; and to us sinners everlasting life and

glory; for with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God,

now and for ever. Amen.

Hymn 473 Lift high the cross

Blessing and Dismissal

Presider: The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus

Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting

covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in

you that which is well-pleasing in his sight; and the blessing of God Almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always. Amen.

Deacon: Let us go forth in the name of Christ.

People: Thanks be to God.

Postlude  Improvisation on In Paradisum              Stephen Kennedy