1150 East Montague Avenue
North Charleston, SC 29405
DEACON ED HANCOCK
February 13, 1932 - January 11, 2012 Our beloved Deacon Ed Hancock died suddenly of a heart attack on January 11, 2012. Family, friends and the parish will miss him. The following is the Eulogy from his funeral, as preached by The Rev. Jim Taylor, Rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church. |
|
We have gathered today in Celebration and in Thanksgiving for the life of Edward James Hancock. It is certainly a Celebration and Thanksgiving because his life and ministry have touched each of us here. Deacon Ed, as many of us knew him, was a person of wisdom, a person of caring, a person of love, but most of all, a person of faith and devotion to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Deacon Ed looked at his life as ministry. This is where he found his purpose, his identity, his meaning and calling in life. So much was his life about ministry that he was in training to be a Stephen Minister at Trident Regional Hospital. He lived out that ministry and identity to people who were in need, people who were hurting and suffering or people who just needed someone to listen to them. At the Ordination of a Deacon, the Bishop says this: Make him, O Lord, modest and humble, strong and constant, to observe the discipline of Christ. Let his life and teaching so reflect your commandments, that through him many may come to know you and love you. As your Son came not to be served but to serve, may this deacon share in Christ's service, and come to the unending glory of him who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen Deacon Ed through his life and ministry, in both word and deed lived out every part of his Ordination promise. He certainly served, rather than desiring to be served and through his ministry and witness showed the love of Christ to all he encountered. I met Deacon Ed and Fran in the spring, of 2008 when they came to visit St. Thomas. However, when they came to the church, Deacon Ed made two mistakes when introducing himself to a Priest or maybe just me. Upon our meeting, he said that he was an unassigned Deacon in the Diocese. When he told me this, I responded “Oh really” and my eyes got about that big.” Then I asked him did he work full-time anywhere, he said, “no I am retired.” Then my eyes got about that big and the wheels in head really started spinning. I was thinking what a gift from God today; a Deacon and a retired person as well. That Sunday started a friendship for which I knew I could develop a colleague in ministry. Moreover, I felt blest by God to have known Deacon Ed. Many of us knew him simply as Deacon Ed. However, he had other names and roles in life as well – that of husband, father and grandfather. One of the joys of my ministry is when Deacon Ed and I made pastoral calls together. It gave us time while traveling to catch up on life. We were never lacking for things to talk about. Each time the conversation always included family. Fran, he loved you tremendously. He was excited when he knew both of you were about to travel out of town. Moreover, as we know, Deacon Ed enjoyed traveling to different places. He enjoyed spending time with you and counted you as gift from God in his life. He treasured your love and he knew you loved him. You are a blessing. Deacon Ed was proud and loved each one his children and grandchildren. Like any good father and grandfather, he was concerned about the well-being of their future. That concern came from a place of love, caring and compassion. I can say this with confidence, because I heard the joy and delight in his voice when he talked about you or the activities you were participating in. Continue to work hard each day to make him proud of you. In our Prayer Book, it says this about the Burial Service “The liturgy for the dead is an Easter Liturgy. It finds all its meaning in the resurrection.” While these words are meant to be words of comfort, the resurrection does not solve all our problems about dying and death. The resurrection does not answer our curious questions about life after death, such as; How it will be? How will it look? All we know, is that it is glorious. The resurrection is God’s way of revealing that nothing that belongs to God will ever go to waste – not even our mortal bodies. Through the resurrection, God has said to Jesus, you are my beloved Son and to us God said, you are indeed my beloved children, and my love is everlasting. When I think about Deacon Ed, the words from the song “Here I Am Lord” come to mind. It says this: Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart. Because of Deacon Ed’s Love for Christ and Christ’s people, he has heard those most wonderful words. “Come ye blessed of my child, inherit a kingdom prepared for you.” Deacon Ed, I will miss your presence at the altar on Sunday; you have run the good race and fought the good fight. May you rest in eternal and glorious peace? Amen. |