A Celebration of Life for Peggy Lee Norris



Instrumental Music as we gather: Jesus Paid It All



Welcome:



Thank you for joining us, friends and family,

As we celebrate the life and the legacy of Peggy Lee Norris.



Peggy selected the song we just heard and asked that it be used in this service.

Since she made this intentional selection,

I started my preparation for today by listening to and learning more about the hymn.



“Jesus Paid it All” is a classic song found in the traditional hymnals of many denominations.

I knew that.

But I didn’t know that it was written by Elvina Mable Hall.

A woman... born around 1818 in Alexandria, VA.



Not many hymns in the 1800s were written by women.

Isn’t it lovely that our amazing Peggy chose a hymn written by another amazing woman, Elvina.



The first verse goes like this:

I hear the Savior say,
"Thy strength indeed is small,
Child of weakness, watch... Read more and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all."



If any of us are feeling down, feeling weak, feeling low as we bear our grief today...

It's like Peggy is saying to us,

“Don’t worry, don’t be hard on yourself... turn to God and He will help you through this.”



May we take comfort in the words of Peggy’s chosen hymn and in these words from

The United Methodist Book of Worship:



Jesus said, I am the resurrection, and I am life.
Those who believe in me, even though they die, yet shall they live,
and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
I died, and behold I am alive for evermore,
and I hold the keys of hell and death.
Because I live, you shall live also.

Friends, we have gathered here to praise God
and to witness to our faith as we celebrate the life of Peggy Lee Norris.
We come together in grief, acknowledging our human loss.

May God grant us grace, that in pain we may find comfort,
in sorrow hope, in death resurrection.



Now, let us join together in another beautiful hymn...

fitting to honor Peggy and this beautiful space where we gather.



Hymn: (Lyrics provided in printed bulletin) In The Garden



Prayer: (words printed in the bulletin for everyone to pray aloud together)

Eternal God,
we praise you for the great company of all those
who have finished their course in faith
and now rest from their labor.
We praise you for those dear to us
whom we name in our hearts before you.
Especially we praise you for Peggy Lee Norris,
whom you have graciously received into your presence.
To all of these, grant your peace.
Let perpetual light shine upon them;
and help us so to believe where we have not seen,
that your presence may lead us through our years,
and bring us at last with them
into the joy of your home
not made with hands but eternal in the heavens;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.



Scripture Readings

Psalm 91

1 You who live in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,[a]
2 will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress;
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the hunter
and from the deadly pestilence;
4 he will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and defense.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night
or the arrow that flies by day
6 or the pestilence that stalks in darkness
or the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only look with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord your refuge,[b]
the Most High your dwelling place,
10 no evil shall befall you,
no scourge come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.

14 Those who love me, I will deliver;
I will protect those who know my name.
15 When they call to me, I will answer them;
I will be with them in trouble;
I will rescue them and honor them.
16 With long life I will satisfy them
and show them my salvation.



Revelation 21:1-7

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

“See, the home[a] of God is among mortals.
He will dwell[b] with them;
they will be his peoples,[c]
and God himself will be with them and be their God;[d]
4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for[e] the first things have passed away.”

5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God, and they will be my children



REFLECTION ON THE SCRIPTURES Kendra



I’m not a procrastinator, not at all...

So I’m embarrassed to share how long I put off

Actually sitting at my desk to pause and pray and prepare this part of today’s service.



I may be a clergyperson, but I’m a person too

And although I fully trust and believe that Peggy is resting in God’s loving arms

That Peggy is in a place and a state of wholeness and completeness

Where there is no suffering and no pain

Where there is joy and peace beyond our imagination

I still feel sadness and grief that in our time on earth

that we won’t hear again that gregarious laugh

and the adorable snort that sometimes came with the laughter

We won’t feel the warmth of her embrace

or hear her positive words of support and love

I grieve knowing how much Peggy’s commitment to serving at St. Paul’s UMC

and helping others through Stepping Stones Women’s Center

will be missed.

And I know her closest friends and family are feeling her absence

even more deeply than I can capture.



So... I found it hard to put the words together that I felt called to share today.

Yesterday, I knew I had to get this done, but I started the morning doing some yard work.

After yard work, I had lunch.

I still wasn’t ready to write and prepare.

So... after lunch I went to Walmart to get a few things.

And lo’ and behold, who did I bump into in the cereal aisle of WalMart?



Andy Norris.

I was focused on trying to find the right kind of oatmeal to make my kids happy

And Andy had to call my name to get my attention.

But, oh, it did my heart good to see Andy yesterday.

“How are you doing?”

He answered honestly.

It’s hard grieving the passing of a beloved spouse.

But then he added,

“But if Peggy couldn’t be 100%, then I feel sure she’d be ready to go on to be with God in heaven.”





Andy captured what I want to say today, what I was having trouble putting into words...

It was almost like the Holy Spirit didn’t lead me to sit down and seriously prepare

Until I could cross paths with Andy yesterday.

What I heard Andy saying and what I want to say to you is that

It’s ok to grieve

It’s ok to be sad and shed tears

It’s ok if you don’t have energy at the moment to tend to a lot of other things

When you love someone, grief is the appropriate response at their passing.



AND at the same time,

Even as we acknowledge our sadness

We can fully trust that Peggy is free from all pain, all worries, all concerns

That Peggy is in a place of laughter and joy and wholeness

Peggy is where she would want to be.



Yes, we are sad, very sad

But yes, we know Peggy is not sad... Peggy is resting and rejoicing in heaven.



We are balancing the truth of our grief and loss

And the truth of our faith and trust.



So... how do we balance this? How do we move forward into the days ahead of us?

We take our guidance from Peggy...



Peggy’s witness to all of us,

Not letting breast cancer get her down

But instead using her experience to inspire, support, and help others

This witness doesn’t die...

It lives on in the work of Stepping Stones and so many groups that Peggy supported

It lives on in all of us as we step up and fill other roles that Peggy used to fill

whether that’s at church,

in volunteering with meaningful groups making a difference,

in your family gatherings,

in your kitchen or in your garden

The spaces where her joyful and generous spirit is missed...

we are called to embody the same spirit she did

and to continue her good work and her love for others.

And as we do the good work and build friendships like she did,

your memories and appreciation of Peggy will not fade away

they will grow and blossom and bear new fruit!



This morning in my Sunday School class,

A class member started talking about learning to bake sourdough bread

And how she prepares the yeast and creates a starter

And how every loaf of bread she makes is connected to the ones before

and how they have the same active yeast in common.

And I thought of Peggy... and how she has affected and influenced all of us

And how the seeds she’s planted in us

The starter she stirred into us

Will continue to grow, to bear from, to spread joy, and to make a difference in our world.



The Peggy stories you will tell

that inspire love and laughter

will never end

until you are with Peggy again



Peggy’s faith in God’s love and providence can guide and sustain us too...

Remember the first verse of the hymn Peggy chose for today said:

I hear the Savior say,
"Thy strength indeed is small,
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all."



It is ok for us to feel sad or even weak...

God made us with emotions and hearts that can feel things deeply

And God reminds us that when we trust in Him

We find our “all in all”

We find peace

We find comfort.

We can get through this



And the last verse of the hymn JESUS PAID IT ALL... it goes like this:



And when, before the throne,
I stand in Him complete,
"Jesus died my soul to save,"
My lips shall still repeat. [Refrain]





It’s a message of love,

That God loves us so much that He left the glory of heaven to come to earth in human form

Not to reign as king

but to be the One who washed the feet of others

who sat down at the table with sinners

who cared not only about the most religious or the most popular people

but he cared about the strangers and the outcasts



Jesus came to earth to show us that the way to life

Is all about loving others



Peggy Norris lived a life of love...

Of sharing, serving, smiling...

And we, too, are called to live like Peggy lived,

To keep the light shining.

To spread joy and love and laughter and generosity to everyone we meet.


The line in the song that says “I stand in Him complete...”

That's what we need to hear today

Thank you, Peggy, for selecting this hymn

It reminds us that you are made whole

You are complete and at peace in God’s loving arms

And we too shall be when our time comes.

We will rest in God’s loving arms

Right next to you, and your love, and your laughter.


Hymn “The Old Rugged Cross”


Commendation:

God of us all, your love never ends.
When all else fails, you still are God.
We pray to you for one another in our need,
and for all, anywhere, who mourn with us this day.
To those who doubt, give light;
to those who are weak, strength;
to all who have sinned, mercy;
to all who sorrow, your peace.
Keep true in us
the love with which we hold one another.
In all our ways we trust you.
And to you,
with your Church on earth and in heaven,
we offer honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.



O God, all that you have given us is yours.
As first you gave Peggy Lee Norris to us,
now we give her back to you.

Into your hands, O merciful Savior,
we commend your servant Peggy.
Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you,
a sheep of your own fold,
a lamb of your own flock,
a sinner of your own redeeming.
Receive Peggy into the arms of your mercy,
into the blessed rest of everlasting peace,
and into the glorious company of the saints of light. Amen.



The Lord’s Prayer

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.

Lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil

For thine is kingdom, and the power and glory, forever. Amen.


Blessing:

May the peace of God which passes all understanding
keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God,
and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

Elizabeth and Marhalee will share personal comments

Music: Holes in the Floor of Heaven and Butterly Release Read less

A Celebration of Life for Peggy Lee Norris



Instrumental Music as we gather: Jesus Paid It All



Welcome:



Thank you for joining us, friends and family,

As we celebrate the life and the legacy of Peggy Lee Norris.



Peggy selected the song we just heard and asked that it be used in this service.

Since she made this intentional selection,

I started my preparation for today by listening to and learning more about the hymn.



“Jesus Paid it All”... Read more is a classic song found in the traditional hymnals of many denominations.

I knew that.

But I didn’t know that it was written by Elvina Mable Hall.

A woman... born around 1818 in Alexandria, VA.



Not many hymns in the 1800s were written by women.

Isn’t it lovely that our amazing Peggy chose a hymn written by another amazing woman, Elvina.



The first verse goes like this:

I hear the Savior say,
"Thy strength indeed is small,
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all."



If any of us are feeling down, feeling weak, feeling low as we bear our grief today...

It's like Peggy is saying to us,

“Don’t worry, don’t be hard on yourself... turn to God and He will help you through this.”



May we take comfort in the words of Peggy’s chosen hymn and in these words from

The United Methodist Book of Worship:



Jesus said, I am the resurrection, and I am life.
Those who believe in me, even though they die, yet shall they live,
and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
I died, and behold I am alive for evermore,
and I hold the keys of hell and death.
Because I live, you shall live also.

Friends, we have gathered here to praise God
and to witness to our faith as we celebrate the life of Peggy Lee Norris.
We come together in grief, acknowledging our human loss.

May God grant us grace, that in pain we may find comfort,
in sorrow hope, in death resurrection.



Now, let us join together in another beautiful hymn...

fitting to honor Peggy and this beautiful space where we gather.



Hymn: (Lyrics provided in printed bulletin) In The Garden



Prayer: (words printed in the bulletin for everyone to pray aloud together)

Eternal God,
we praise you for the great company of all those
who have finished their course in faith
and now rest from their labor.
We praise you for those dear to us
whom we name in our hearts before you.
Especially we praise you for Peggy Lee Norris,
whom you have graciously received into your presence.
To all of these, grant your peace.
Let perpetual light shine upon them;
and help us so to believe where we have not seen,
that your presence may lead us through our years,
and bring us at last with them
into the joy of your home
not made with hands but eternal in the heavens;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.



Scripture Readings

Psalm 91

1 You who live in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,[a]
2 will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress;
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the hunter
and from the deadly pestilence;
4 he will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and defense.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night
or the arrow that flies by day
6 or the pestilence that stalks in darkness
or the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only look with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord your refuge,[b]
the Most High your dwelling place,
10 no evil shall befall you,
no scourge come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.

14 Those who love me, I will deliver;
I will protect those who know my name.
15 When they call to me, I will answer them;
I will be with them in trouble;
I will rescue them and honor them.
16 With long life I will satisfy them
and show them my salvation.



Revelation 21:1-7

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

“See, the home[a] of God is among mortals.
He will dwell[b] with them;
they will be his peoples,[c]
and God himself will be with them and be their God;[d]
4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for[e] the first things have passed away.”

5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God, and they will be my children



REFLECTION ON THE SCRIPTURES Kendra



I’m not a procrastinator, not at all...

So I’m embarrassed to share how long I put off

Actually sitting at my desk to pause and pray and prepare this part of today’s service.



I may be a clergyperson, but I’m a person too

And although I fully trust and believe that Peggy is resting in God’s loving arms

That Peggy is in a place and a state of wholeness and completeness

Where there is no suffering and no pain

Where there is joy and peace beyond our imagination

I still feel sadness and grief that in our time on earth

that we won’t hear again that gregarious laugh

and the adorable snort that sometimes came with the laughter

We won’t feel the warmth of her embrace

or hear her positive words of support and love

I grieve knowing how much Peggy’s commitment to serving at St. Paul’s UMC

and helping others through Stepping Stones Women’s Center

will be missed.

And I know her closest friends and family are feeling her absence

even more deeply than I can capture.



So... I found it hard to put the words together that I felt called to share today.

Yesterday, I knew I had to get this done, but I started the morning doing some yard work.

After yard work, I had lunch.

I still wasn’t ready to write and prepare.

So... after lunch I went to Walmart to get a few things.

And lo’ and behold, who did I bump into in the cereal aisle of WalMart?



Andy Norris.

I was focused on trying to find the right kind of oatmeal to make my kids happy

And Andy had to call my name to get my attention.

But, oh, it did my heart good to see Andy yesterday.

“How are you doing?”

He answered honestly.

It’s hard grieving the passing of a beloved spouse.

But then he added,

“But if Peggy couldn’t be 100%, then I feel sure she’d be ready to go on to be with God in heaven.”





Andy captured what I want to say today, what I was having trouble putting into words...

It was almost like the Holy Spirit didn’t lead me to sit down and seriously prepare

Until I could cross paths with Andy yesterday.

What I heard Andy saying and what I want to say to you is that

It’s ok to grieve

It’s ok to be sad and shed tears

It’s ok if you don’t have energy at the moment to tend to a lot of other things

When you love someone, grief is the appropriate response at their passing.



AND at the same time,

Even as we acknowledge our sadness

We can fully trust that Peggy is free from all pain, all worries, all concerns

That Peggy is in a place of laughter and joy and wholeness

Peggy is where she would want to be.



Yes, we are sad, very sad

But yes, we know Peggy is not sad... Peggy is resting and rejoicing in heaven.



We are balancing the truth of our grief and loss

And the truth of our faith and trust.



So... how do we balance this? How do we move forward into the days ahead of us?

We take our guidance from Peggy...



Peggy’s witness to all of us,

Not letting breast cancer get her down

But instead using her experience to inspire, support, and help others

This witness doesn’t die...

It lives on in the work of Stepping Stones and so many groups that Peggy supported

It lives on in all of us as we step up and fill other roles that Peggy used to fill

whether that’s at church,

in volunteering with meaningful groups making a difference,

in your family gatherings,

in your kitchen or in your garden

The spaces where her joyful and generous spirit is missed...

we are called to embody the same spirit she did

and to continue her good work and her love for others.

And as we do the good work and build friendships like she did,

your memories and appreciation of Peggy will not fade away

they will grow and blossom and bear new fruit!



This morning in my Sunday School class,

A class member started talking about learning to bake sourdough bread

And how she prepares the yeast and creates a starter

And how every loaf of bread she makes is connected to the ones before

and how they have the same active yeast in common.

And I thought of Peggy... and how she has affected and influenced all of us

And how the seeds she’s planted in us

The starter she stirred into us

Will continue to grow, to bear from, to spread joy, and to make a difference in our world.



The Peggy stories you will tell

that inspire love and laughter

will never end

until you are with Peggy again



Peggy’s faith in God’s love and providence can guide and sustain us too...

Remember the first verse of the hymn Peggy chose for today said:

I hear the Savior say,
"Thy strength indeed is small,
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all."



It is ok for us to feel sad or even weak...

God made us with emotions and hearts that can feel things deeply

And God reminds us that when we trust in Him

We find our “all in all”

We find peace

We find comfort.

We can get through this



And the last verse of the hymn JESUS PAID IT ALL... it goes like this:



And when, before the throne,
I stand in Him complete,
"Jesus died my soul to save,"
My lips shall still repeat. [Refrain]





It’s a message of love,

That God loves us so much that He left the glory of heaven to come to earth in human form

Not to reign as king

but to be the One who washed the feet of others

who sat down at the table with sinners

who cared not only about the most religious or the most popular people

but he cared about the strangers and the outcasts



Jesus came to earth to show us that the way to life

Is all about loving others



Peggy Norris lived a life of love...

Of sharing, serving, smiling...

And we, too, are called to live like Peggy lived,

To keep the light shining.

To spread joy and love and laughter and generosity to everyone we meet.


The line in the song that says “I stand in Him complete...”

That's what we need to hear today

Thank you, Peggy, for selecting this hymn

It reminds us that you are made whole

You are complete and at peace in God’s loving arms

And we too shall be when our time comes.

We will rest in God’s loving arms

Right next to you, and your love, and your laughter.


Hymn “The Old Rugged Cross”


Commendation:

God of us all, your love never ends.
When all else fails, you still are God.
We pray to you for one another in our need,
and for all, anywhere, who mourn with us this day.
To those who doubt, give light;
to those who are weak, strength;
to all who have sinned, mercy;
to all who sorrow, your peace.
Keep true in us
the love with which we hold one another.
In all our ways we trust you.
And to you,
with your Church on earth and in heaven,
we offer honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.



O God, all that you have given us is yours.
As first you gave Peggy Lee Norris to us,
now we give her back to you.

Into your hands, O merciful Savior,
we commend your servant Peggy.
Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you,
a sheep of your own fold,
a lamb of your own flock,
a sinner of your own redeeming.
Receive Peggy into the arms of your mercy,
into the blessed rest of everlasting peace,
and into the glorious company of the saints of light. Amen.



The Lord’s Prayer

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.

Lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil

For thine is kingdom, and the power and glory, forever. Amen.


Blessing:

May the peace of God which passes all understanding
keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God,
and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

Elizabeth and Marhalee will share personal comments

Music: Holes in the Floor of Heaven and Butterly Release Read less