St. Stephen Lutheran Church and School A member of the Church of the Lutheran Confession (clclutheran.org) 320 Moorpark Way - Mountain View, California 94041-1600 A CHRISTIAN MEMORIAL VICTORY SERVICE December 20, 2018 In loving memory of Baptized into Christ: October 1, 1922 Departed to be with Christ: November 27 th, 2018 Officiant: Pastor Luke Bernthal Organist: Prof. John Reim Soloist: Eileen Holt St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Mountain View, CA Pre-Service Song: I Know that My Redeemer Liveth Immanuel Lutheran Tour Choir recording Soloist: Rebecca Buck Director: John Reim For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! Job 19:25-27 1
THE INVOCATION & OPENING PRAYER (Pastor) P We begin this victory service in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. C Amen P We have come together to seek God s comfort in our sorrow, but also to rejoice in the promise of the resurrection. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who said, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Let us join our hearts in prayer Hymn: God s Own Child I Gladly Say It LSB 594 2
1991 Robert E. Voelker. Used by permission: CCLI #2222647. Public domain RESPONSIVE READING From the Resurrection Chapter: 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, 19-23, 42-44, 51-57 (NIV) P Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: C that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, P If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. C But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 3
P For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. C For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. P But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; C then, when he comes, those who belong to him. P So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. C The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; P it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; C it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; P it is sown a natural body, C it is raised a spiritual body. P Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- C in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. P For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. C For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. P When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." C "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" P The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. A But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Hymn: Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness LSB 563 4
5 When from the dust of death I rise To claim my mansion in the skies, This then shall be my only plea: Jesus hath lived and died for me. 6 Jesus, be endless praise to Thee, Whose boundless mercy hath for me, For me, and all Thy hands have made, An everlasting ransom paid. Public domain First Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-9 (RSV) These verses hold a special place in the hearts of the Reim family. Ruth taught these verses to the children one summer while Rollin was away at the church convention. When he returned, to his delight, the children recited these verses to him by memory. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God s power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, 7 so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy. 9 As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls. 5
Hymn: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing LSB 380 Public domain 1 Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King; Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled! Joyful, all ye nations, rise, Join the triumph of the skies; With the_angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem! Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King! 2 Christ, by highest heav n adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord, Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin s womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the_incarnate Deity! Pleased as Man with man to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel! Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King! 3 Hail, the heav n-born Prince of Peace! Hail, the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, Ris n with healing in His wings. Mild He lays His glory by, Born that man no more may die, Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth. Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King! Second Reading: Romans 3:21-25a, 27-28 (EHV) These words from the Apostle Paul are a good summary of Rollin s ministry. He preached and taught the Gospel ( Good News ) message that we are justified (declared not guilty; innocent ) by God s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. 21 But now, completely apart from the law, a righteousness from God has been made known. The Law and the Prophets testify to it. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all and over all who believe. In fact, there is no difference, 23 because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God publicly displayed as the atoning sacrifice through faith in his blood. 27 What happens to boasting then? It has been eliminated. By what principle by the principle of works? No, but by the principle of faith. 28 For we conclude that a person is justified by faith without the works of the law. 6
Hymn: Faithful Shepherd of My Sheep (Soloist v. 1-2; Congregation v. 3-4) - Words: Grace Reim - Music: John Reim - Soloist: Eileen Holt. 7
Sermon Text: John 14:1-6, 19b, 27 (NKJV) "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know." 5 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me 19 Because I live, you will live also... 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Theme: Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled READING OF THE OBITUARY Rollin Arthur Reim was born on September 11, 1922 in Fox Lake, WI to Edmund and Selma (Schaller) Reim. He was baptized on October 1, 1922 at St. John s Lutheran Church, Fox Lake, WI. Rollin attended Northwestern College, Watertown, WI and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, WI. On July 8 th, 1950, Rollin married Ruth Engelhardt at St. James Lutheran Church, Wauwatosa, WI. Rollin was ordained into the pastoral ministry on July 3, 1949 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Mapleview, MN. During his ministry he also served congregations in Sioux City, IA, and New Ulm, MN. Rollin was installed as the CLC missionary and pastor of the San Francisco Bay Area on September 12 th, 1965. Pastor Reim became the founding pastor of both St. Stephen Lutheran Church of the San Francisco Peninsula (Mountain View), and St. Stephen Lutheran Church of the East Bay (Hayward) and at times in his ministry helped serve members in the Central Valley as well as Southern California. Rollin s ministry spanned more than 50 years of full-time service. He fully retired from the public ministry in 2007, but remained very active in the congregation and faithfully helped further Christ s kingdom through his words and actions until the day His Savior called him home. 8
The Lord blessed Rollin and Ruth with four children: Sue (Michael) Slattengren of Danville, CA; Jean, now with the Lord; John (Carolyn) Reim of Eau Claire, WI, and Grace of San Carlos, CA. They were also blessed with 6 grandchildren, and 6 great grandchildren. Rollin was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth, and daughter, Jean. He will be remembered for his encouraging spirit, his friendly, outgoing nature, and the exemplary way he lived out the Gospel of Jesus Christ in his life and ministry. He dearly loved his family, his Savior, and all the people he was called by God to serve. His life serves as a good example for all of us. He endured his pain patiently, trusting in the Lord s gracious good will for him. In His mercy, the Lord answered Rollin s prayers and delivered his soul from this world to his eternal home with Him in heaven on Tuesday, November 27 th, 2018, at the age of 96. Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints. Psalm 116:15 The family has made a booklet that was originally produced in celebration of Rollin s retirement from the ministry. One copy per family will be available after the service for those who would like one. PRAYER LORD S PRAYER C 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. 9
Hymn: As You Journey Onward - Words: Grace Reim Music: John Reim 10
Benediction The blessing given by God for the blessing of His people (Numbers 6:24-26). P The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. The Doxology LSB 805 Public domain Closing Hymn: We close with a hymn verse that was a favorite of Rollin s: Hymn 423 v. 6 (TLH) Public domain Haste, then, on from grace to glory, Armed by faith and winged by prayer; Heaven's eternal day's before thee, God's own hand shall guide thee there. Soon shall close the earthly mission, Swift shall pass thy pilgrim days, Hope soon change to glad fruition, Faith to sight, and prayer to praise. Announcements A reception will be held in our fellowship hall following the victory service. All are invited to attend and share in a time of fellowship and memories with Rollin s family. 11
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