The Celebration Service/Reading #2

The Celebration Service
Monday, May 7, 2001
6:30 PM
Papago Park
Phoenix, Arizona

The Order of Service

Prelude:
   Keyboard Selections played by Ken Reeves
Welcome and Opening Prayer:
   Pastor Paul Sorenson
Song #1:
   Amazing Grace by Cecilia
   From: Voice of the Feminine Spirit
Reflections on Noel's Life & God's Love:
   Pastor Paul Sorenson
A Father's Message:
   John Schuderer
A Mother's Letter:
   Marna Chvarak
   [Not Shared Publicly at Service]
Song #2:
   Tears In Heaven by Eric Clapton
   From: Eric Clapton Unplugged
Reading #1:
   Barbara Schuderer (Stepmother)
   Excerpt from A Return to Love: Reflections
   on the Principles of A Course in Miracles by
   Marianne Williamson
Song #3:
   A Place in the World by Mary Chapin Carpenter
   From: A Place in the World
Reading #2:
   Ryan Schuderer (Brother)
   On Joy and Sorrow
   From: The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
Song #4:
   Bourée by Johan Sebastian Bach
   Performed by Jethro Tull
   From: Standup
Email and a Love Poem:
   Heather Burns (Partner)
Song #5:
   Dante's Prayer by Loreena McKennitt
   From: The Book of Secrets
Open Sharing:
   by Family and Friends
Closing Comments and Prayer:
   Pastor Paul Sorenson
Postlude/Song #6:
   Standing in Motion by Yanni
   From: In Celebration of Life
Reception
Spreading of Ashes

On Joy and Sorrow
An Excerpt from The Prophet
by Kahlil Gibran
Read by Ryan Schuderer
Noel's Brother

I didn't think I was going to make it up here but someone left this little book [The Prophet] on my desk last night...

Then a woman said, Speak to us of Joy and
Sorrow.
     And he answered:
     Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.
     And the selfsame well from which your
laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your
tears.
     And how else can it be?
     The deeper that sorrow carves into your
being, the more joy you can contain.
Is not the cup that holds your wine the very
cup that was burned in the potter's oven?
     And is not the lute that soothes your spirit,
the very wood that was hollowed with knives?
     When you are joyous, look deep into your
heart and you shall find it is only that which
has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
     When you are sorrowful look again in your
heart, and you shall see that in truth you are
weeping for that which has been your delight.
     Some of you say, "Joy is greater than
sorrow," and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the
greater."
     But I say unto you, they are inseparable.
     Together they come, and when one sits
alone with you at your board, remember that
the other is asleep upon your bed.

     Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.
     Only when you are empty are you at
standstill and balanced.
     When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh
his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or
your sorrow rise or fall.

Ryan's personal comments after the reading were:

I read this a few time this morning. I was trying to think of something to say to you all. You know, obviously, it is a very, very, very bad time for us all. But, along with what I've read here, we are all sad that Noel is no longer with us but we've all pulled together. There are people here I haven't seen in I don't know how long! It's part of the joy, besides reminiscing and laughing at times, all together and hopefully, someday, we'll be able to experience more joy than sorrow. I'd like to thank you all for coming.

For excerpts about children and death from Kahlil Gibran's book The Prophet, click here.

The reading above was suggested by Becky Shook, Noel's aunt.