HYMN: Lord, You Have Called Your Servant to His Rest

Comedians, artists, writers, and others who have the gift to make art often say that some of their greatest art comes from times of sadness and even depression. The past month has been tough, between the continued stress of the virus and the death of my beloved friends, Kim and Mary Scharff. Kim was my Vicarage (internship) pastor, friend, mentor, and spiritual father and brother. Mary, his wife, was a second mother to me. I’ve already written a hymn text in Mary’s memory, and it seems as if my sadness has loosed the flood gates of creativity once again, this time in Kim’s memory. The purpose of this text is to praise God and thank Him for the life and serve for a now-deceased pastor. My thinking isn’t particularly straight right now, so please, if you catch something that doesn’t sound good or right, something that needs to be fixed, please let me know.

Lord, You Have Called Your Servant to His Rest
In Memory of the Reverend Kim L. Scharff

1. Lord, You have called Your servant to his rest,
To sleep in peace, for now his race is run.
Though we will mourn, we know Your will is best,
For in Christ’s blood the vict’ry has been won!

2. You sent this shepherd forth to serve Your sheep,
To preach Your Word and give the Gifts of grace.
Help us rejoice, for, even as we weep,
You draw us also in to Your embrace.

3. With Pastor’s hands, O Christ, the Church’s Head,
You washed us clean, our new life to begin.
At Your command and serving in Your stead,
He spoke, and You forgave our wretched sin.

4. With great temptations, Satan sought his fall,
With lies and conflict strove to bring him low.
Your great compassion led him through the squall,
Safe in the peace You only can bestow.

5. Soon, soon, we pray You, bring us to that Day,
When saints are raised in light, now free from shame.
And as we wait, oh, give us joy, we pray,
To meet here at Your altar in Your name.

∆ 6. O holy Father, praise be unto You;
O Jesus Christ, our holy Shepherd King;
O Holy Spirit, Fire and Comfort true;
O Triune God, Your endless praise we sing.


(c) 2020 Alan Kornacki, Jr.
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FARLEY CASTLE (LSB 631)
Occasion: Death of a Pastor