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We will not render you invisible, or different to who you were
And no, we will not patronise you
With artificial words of joy, laughter and affectation.
Instead, we will stand here, in the space you allowed for us.
We will accept you for the man you were able to be.
We will remember you and the life that you had the capacity to live.
And we will shed tears for the many ways you touched our lives
In raw, real, joyful, painful, and sometimes complicated ways.
Father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin, friend.
Strong yet vulnerable, your imperfections more openly
displayed to the world
Life, innate and experienced formed you into the man
we must bid farewell.
We too stand imperfect and do not dare to judge, but hope that your soul
has now passed peacefully to the heavens above.
And that you know beyond doubt that through it all, you have been loved.

Hymn

Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,
whose trust, ever childlike, no cares could destroy,
be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,
your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.

Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,
whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe,
be there at our labours, and give us, we pray,
your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.

Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,
your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace,
be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,
your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.

Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,
whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm,
be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,
your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.