Rachel Held Evans Funeral

Here's the original link to the service livestream: https://rachelheldevans.com/funeral
 (I've also included the YouTube version made of it below.)

The link also includes the bulletin pdf with the participants, hymns, etc.  Liturgical participants included Nadia Bolz-Weber preaching, Sarah Bessey and Austin Channing Brown reading, Audrey Assad singing, and Winnie Varghese celebrating (I recognized her soothing voice from General Convention before I knew she was there). There were others, but those are the ones with whom I was familiar and whose presence was somehow comforting - how much more to her family and friends. I had also become familiar with Jeff Chu through that time of prayer while Rachel was sick, and his leading of the Prayers of the People was moving.

But hearing from her little sister Amanda Held Opelt both made me laugh and moved me to tears. Plenty to think about, too. One thing she said that I don't think will necessarily get quoted seems important to me: "What was most special about her was her love. She's one of the least branded people I know. We all know, she was horrible at Instagram. She was the worst. And I think while other writers were working on their image and working on their brand, Rachel was working on her relationships. She was listening, she was leaning into people's pain, she was hearing their stories, she was being changed by their stories."  She wrote a song about her sister after she'd read Rachel's Searching for Sunday - that she never sang to her - I think it's called "Bloodlines and Intercessions." Hope someone publishes the words. Maybe she'll record it... Meanwhile, you should watch the service and listen - it's somewhere around the half hour mark. Wish I could be such a good sister to mine...

From her service (1979 Book of Common Prayer via the online bulletin):

O God of grace and glory, we remember Rachel before you and thank you for giving her to us to know and to love as a companion in our pilgrimage on earth. In your compassion, console those who mourn. Give us faith to see that death has been swallowed up in the victory of Christ so that we may live in confidence and hope until, by your call, we are gathered into the company of all your saints; by the power of your Holy Spirit we pray. Amen.



COMMENDATION

Leader: You only are immortal, the creator and maker of humankind; and we are mortal, formed of the earth, and to earth shall we return. For so did you ordain when you created me, 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.

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

Leader: Merciful Savior, we commend Rachel to you. Receive her as a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Accept her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of your saints.


And here's something from the BCP (p.507) that wasn't in the bulletin but that is really important. And it lines up well with what Nadia Bolz-Weber's sermon, which you simply must hear for yourself. It starts right about minute 50 on the video.

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.

So hold them all in your prayers, especially Dan, her husband, and her little ones.  And hold yourself gently if you, too, are grieving right now, as so many are. 

Peace be with you all.