Memorial Service For Susan Gerber Morrell April 17, 2021
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Memorial Service
For
Susan Gerber Morrell
April 17, 2021
Pre-service Video/Music
Be Thou My Vision - Music by Mercy Hospice Music Therapy Team (set to Susan’s heartbeat)
Gathering
P: The Holy Spirit, the comforter, gathers us in worship.
Welcome in the name of Jesus,
the Savior of the world.
We are gathered to worship,
to proclaim Christ crucified and risen,
to remember before God our sister Susan,
to give thanks for her life,
to commend her to our merciful redeemer,
and to comfort one another in our grief.
Thanksgiving for Baptism
P: When we were baptized in Christ Jesus,
we were baptized into his death.
We were buried therefore with him
by baptism into death,
so that as Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father,
we too might live a new life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his,
we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
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.
C: We glorify you.
1P: 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.
C: We praise you.
P: Holy Spirit, author and giver of life, the comforter of all who sorrow, our sure confidence and
everlasting hope, we worship you.
C: We worship you.
P: To you, O blessed Trinity, be glory and honor, forever and ever.
C: Amen.
Hymn Precious Lord, Take My Hand
Precious Lord take my hand
Lead me on let me stand
I am tired I am weak I am worn
Through the storm through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand precious Lord
Lead me home
When my way grows drear
Precious Lord linger near
When my life is almost gone
Hear my cry hear my call
Hold my hand lest I fall
Take my hand precious Lord
Lead me home
When the darkness appears
And the night draws near
And the day is past and gone
At the river I stand
Guide my feet hold my hand
Take my hand precious Lord
Lead me home
Greeting
P: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C: And also with you.
2Prayer of the Day
P: Let us pray.
O God of grace and glory, we remember before you today our sister, Susan.
We thank you for giving her to us to know and to love as a companion in our pilgrimage on
earth. In your boundless compassion, console us who mourn. Give us faith to see that death
has been swallowed up in the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we may live in
confidence and hope until, by your call, we are gathered to our heavenly home in the
company of all your saints; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
C: Amen.
Remembrances Brook Van Scoyoc
Rev. Jim Erdman
Kimberly Morrell Narby
Ginny Miller
Special Music It is Well with My Soul arr. Bliss
Handbells—Kelly Witt: Director, Julie Azar, Kay Boltz, Sue Kang, Robin Spence,
Suzanne Strothkamp, Dianne Unverfehrt
3Reading Psalm 121:1-8
I lift up my eyes to the hills —
1
from where will my help come?
2
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
3
He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
4
He who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5
The LORD is your keeper;
the LORD is your shade at your right hand.
6
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7
The LORD will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
8
The LORD will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time on and forevermore.
Reading Romans 8:18-27
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to
18
be revealed to us. 19For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God;
20
for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected
it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the
freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22We know that the whole creation has been groaning in
labor pains until now; 23and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the
Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in hope we
were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 25But if we hope for
what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
26
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that
very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27And God, who searches the heart, knows what
is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
4Gospel John 10:11-17
11
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand, who is
not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs
away — and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13The hired hand runs away because a hired
hand does not care for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,
15
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have
other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.
So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my
life in order to take it up again.
Sermon Pastor Josh Brecht
Song Amazing Grace, My Chains are Gone
Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now I'm found
Was blind but now I see
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
My chains are gone I've been set free
My God my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love amazing grace
The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures
My chains are gone I've been set free
My God my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love amazing grace
5My chains are gone I've been set free
My God my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love amazing grace
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God who called me here below
Will be forever mine
Will be forever mine
You are forever mine
Apostle’s Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
P: God of mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
C: Amen.
6Special Music Arioso J.S. Bach
Violinist: Sheri Berger
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who are in heaven,
hallowed by 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 form evil.
For thin is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Commendation
P: Let us commend Susan Gerber Morrell to the mercy of God, our maker and redeemer.
P: Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Susan.
Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock,
a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed
rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light.
C: Amen.
Blessing
P: The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd
of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, make you complete in everything good
so that you may do God's will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in God's sight;
through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever.
C: Amen.
7Song The Battle Belongs
When all I see is the battle You see my victory
When all I see is a mountain You see a mountain moved
And as I walk through the shadow Your love surrounds me
There's nothing to fear now for I am safe with You
So when I fight I'll fight on my knees with my hands lifted high
O God the battle belongs to You
And every fear I lay at Your feet I'll sing through the night
O God the battle belongs to You
And if You are for me who can be against me
For Jesus there's nothing impossible for You
When all I see are the ashes You see the beauty
When all I see is a cross God You see the empty tomb
So when I fight I'll fight on my knees with my hands lifted high
O God the battle belongs to You
And every fear I lay at Your feet I'll sing through the night
O God the battle belongs to You
An Almighty Fortress You go before us
Nothing can stand against the power of our God
You shine in the shadows You win every battle
Nothing can stand against the power of our God (repeat)
So when I fight I'll fight on my knees with my hands lifted high
O God the battle belongs to You
And every fear I lay at Your feet I'll sing through the night
O God the battle belongs to You
O God the battle belongs to You
8Susan Gerber Morrell
June 17, 1959—March 24, 2021
Susan Gerber Morrell, 61, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 24, 2021 surrounded by her
loving family after a courageous battle with brain cancer.
A wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and sister, Susan loved bringing together the people she
cared about, capturing special moments in photographs she displayed prominently around her home
and office. She was extremely proud of all three of her children and their significant others, always
supporting and encouraging them to follow their hearts and dreams. Susan saw the best in everyone
she met, lifting the spirits of everyone she talked to with her bright smile and heartfelt laugh, a piece
of their favorite candy, or a funny story. She generously gave the perfect gifts while treasuring every
gift she was ever given. Ever a pet-lover, Susan loved and cared for her childhood pets, her
children’s gerbils, fish, dog and cats, and the pets of all her friends and neighbors that were cared for
over the years, embracing their quirks and diverse personalities.
Susan was a wonderful friend and colleague to those who knew her through the church and her
career. As a teenager, Susan volunteered at the Racine addiction center where her compassion for
others was evident. After graduating with degrees in biology and chemistry from Macalester College,
she joined Monsanto as an environmental chemist, where she met her husband. While raising her
three wonderful children, Susan switched her ambitions to helping people and churches uncover
their talents and purpose: locally as the director of Lay Ministry at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, as
9the development coordinator for the ELCA Metro Coalition - uniting Saint Louis-area ELCA
churches in pursuing growth and mission, and as the Mission Interpreter Coordinator for the ELCA
Central States Synod - developing a communications model that all 65 US Synods embraced. When
her children were independent, Susan was excited to return to science, rejoining Monsanto/Bayer in
roles that leveraged her extraordinary attention to detail and increased the quality, accuracy, and
efficiency of the regulatory permit application process, supporting thousands of field trials in the US
and Latin America.
Susan was also a talented musician, playing piano, violin, and flute. But her real musical passion and
gift was in the art of handbell ringing. As a player, director, or both, of handbell music at four area
churches (Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Overland Christian Church, Manchester United Methodist
Church, and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church) Susan instilled in her choirs the joy that comes with
combining the talents of many into a magnificent whole in celebration of the glory of God.
A cherished gift to all she met, Susan will be missed by many.
Born in Racine, Wisconsin, to Ralph and Mary Haban Gerber, Susan is survived by Jim, her husband
of 37 years, children Kim (Mark) Narby, Ginny (Cody) Miller, Tom (Leah) Morrell, sisters Patricia
Gerber (Daniel Grimm), Linda (Charlie) Johnson, Jan (John) Kinar, many cousins, nephews, and 3-
week-old granddaughter Delaney June Miller whom she fortunately had an opportunity to meet,
hold and love before passing.
In lieu of flowers, friends may honor Susan
with a commemorative gift
to
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
goodshepherdlutheran.com
327 Woods Mill Road
Manchester Mo 63011
or
or the Missouri Botanical Garden
www.missouribotanicalgarden.org.
10CCLI License #687587
Battle Belongs
By Phil Wickham, Brian Johnson
• © Phil Wickham Music |
• Simply Global Songs |
• Sing My Songs |
Bethel Music Publishing
Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)
Chris Tomlin | John Newton | Louie Giglio
© 2006 Vamos Publishing
Precious Lord Take My Hand: Text copyright 1938, 1966 Unichappell Music OneLicense #A713395.
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