EPILOG
by Howard E. Wright (Arlene's fellow pilgrim for 28 years)
You would have thought with all of the problems Arlene went through she would have been down cast. Such was not the case.
She keep the faith and the victory right down
to the last. It was a very hard struggle for Arlene the last 2 or 3 years of her life here on this earth. She had one physical problem after another. She went very peacefully into "The Brightness of His Glory" on
November 28, 1995 at 7:40 PM.
Arlene lived what she
preached. She loved the Lord with all of her heart, mind, soul and strength. The last two years of her life were filled with a lot of pain. She fell in a hospital on February 24, 1993. Five weeks later, after getting out of that hospital and going to another one, we discovered she had a compound fractured hip. She never did recover from this. She was mostly bedfast as a result of this. She was in various hospital some 15 to 17 times after this. This never stopped her from doing what she could. She was an accomplished pianist and would go play for the church services when she could barely motivate. Her last sermon was on October 8, 1995 in the morning
worship service. This was a little over a month and one half before she went into "The Brightness of His Glory." She preached on the "I Am's of Jesus!" What a message. During this time it looked like she was on her way up. Her strength was coming back. She had graduated to a four prong cane. She was beginning to feel better. She was able to do more. We
were encourage with her progress. Then she got pneumonia and had two more hospital stays before she went to be with the Lord.
Arlene was a real pray
warrior. She had a long prayer
list she went through every day. She loved God's Word. She lived
to preach and witness for Jesus. She had a real influence on the
people at the various hospitals she went to. She would tell them
how wonderful Jesus was to her and get them talking about their
experiences and cares. She would pray for them when she was so
sick she could hardly talk. The nurses, at the hospital she was
at the most, dearly loved her. She was always kind to them
regardless of how sick she was. They treated her like a queen.
Arlene's funeral was not a
sad occasion. It was a time of
celebration. A time when one of God's children went to be with
Him. God was there in a wonderful way. We were all blessed with
His presence. It was His way of saying, "Arlene is all
right. She is here with Me." Here is the order of her
funeral service.
Funeral Service
Rev. Arlene R. Wright
December 3, 1995
Welcome Rev. Vince Flippo, pastor of the
Mason City Church of the Nazarene in Mason City, Iowa.
Extinguish One Candle Representing the
"Body", Allow the Candle Representing the
"Spirit" to Burn.
Opening Scripture: Some Favorite Passages
which were meaningful to Arlene:
John 14:13 "Let not your heart be
troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 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. And if I go and prepare a
place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself;
that where I am, there ye may be also."
Romans 8:28 "And we know that all
things work together for good to them that love God, to them who
are the called according to his purpose."
1 Corinthians 15:58 "Therefore, my
beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding
in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is
not in vain in the Lord."
Psalm 23
Invocational Prayer
Congregational Hymn #85 "Amazing
Grace"
Scriptural Passage: Psalm 34
Special: "It Took a Miracle" --
Kay Schumaker
Biography/ Eulogy -- Rev. Glen Moore,
Arlene's Brother
Special: Arlene's Favorite: "The Love
of God"-- Kay Schumaker
Scriptural Passage: Arlene's Favorite, Psalm
103
Pastoral Message: Dr. Pal L. Wright,
District Superintendent (Joplin District Church of the Nazarene)
Pastoral Prayer: Dr. Pal L. Wright, District
Superintendent (Joplin District Church of the Nazarene)
Scriptural Passage: Psalm 91
Special: How Great Thou Art -- Cathy
Christensen
Scripture Meaningful to Arlene:
1 John 4:4 "Ye are of God, little
children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is
in you, than he that is in the world."
1 John 5:4 "For whatsoever is born of
God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh
the world, even our faith."
Transfer of Membership to Glory...to the
Church Triumphant
Congregational Hymn 677 "Blest Be the
Tie That Binds"
Closing Prayer
Announcements:
1. The Committal Service will be tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. at Memorial Cemetery
2. All are welcome to the After Service
Fellowship in the downstairs fellowship hall.
This little poem, by one of Arlene's friends sent to her husband, sums up the whole thing very well.
GOD ONLY TAKES THE BEST
God saw that she was getting tired,
And a cure was not to be,
So He put His arms around her
and whispered "Come with Me"--
With tearful eyes we watched
Her suffer and fade away--
Although we loved her dearly,
We could not make her stay.
A golden heart stopped beating,
Hard working hands were laid to rest,
God broke our hearts to prove to us,
He only takes the best.
sent to pastor Wright by Retta Sheeley
May the Lord bless you as you labor to enter into
"THE BRIGHTNESS OF HIS GLORY".
Arlene is greatly loved and missed by her husband, family and
friends, but none of us would want her to have to come back to
this world of sin and woe. We look forward to joining her some
day in "The Brightness of His Glory"! In the mean time
I don't think she is to far away from us. She is one of those who
are of the great company of the saints who are cheering us on to
enter into "THE BRIGHTNESS OF HIS
GLORY"!
© 1997 Howard E. Wright
Notice
All funds received from the sell of this book is going
toward scholarship funds to help Indian Christian Workers
who are studying for the ministry and to help advance the
Christian ministry in mission projects around the world.
If the Lord should lead you to give a donation to Arlene's
memorial fund you are encouraged to do so.
Just make your check payable to:
"The Arlene Wright Memorial Fund".
Address: Arlene Wright Memorial Fund
407 E Wilson - Yates Center KS 66783-1575.
Thank you very much. Pray for me as I administer this
fund. If there is any mission project you want your
donation to be awarded, please let me know.
My E-mail address: hewright@iolaks.com or you may write
me at the address listed above. Howard Eugene Wright
Contents Window 16 The Brightness of His Glory
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The Winds of the Spirit The Voice of the Nazarene