Encil A. Mizer, Funeral Sermon July 31, 1999 Amen In the Prayer of the Day this morning, we thank God for giving Encil to us, to know and to love as a companion in our pilgrimage on earth. I want to begin this sermon by also thanking Encil’s family: Eileen, Wayne, Myrna and Vicky for sharing Encil with us here at Faith Lutheran. For no congregation has ever had a more loyal, faithful and dedicated member than your husband and father. And no Pastor has ever enjoyed a more supportive and faithful church member and friend. Thank you for sharing your husband and your father with this parish, and with me, personally. He was a gift from God to us, and he was also a gift from you. But having said that, you and me now face a real problem. You see, there is a lot that could and should be said about Encil; a lot that could and should be said for you and by me, but if there is one thing Encil himself would not want right now, he would not, in his own words, want “to be fussed over.” I have not only lost a faithful church member. Encil was also my most honest sermon critic. And I appreciated that. Encil would not go up to the restaurant and complain or stand back in the back of the church and criticize. If I said something he disagreed with, he came to me with it. And after another funeral sermon I delivered some time ago Encil came to me and said, “That was quite a sermon you gave at that funeral. For a moment I thought Jesus had died again.” And then Encil added, “When you do my funeral, don’t get all flowery. The folks that’ll be there know me too well for that stuff.” So with all due respect to Mr. Mizer, and fully expecting to hear a critique of this sermon from him someday in God’s kingdom, I believe Encil Mizer’s life was based on three things: love for his country, love for his family, and love for his God. We are gathered here today to remember a particular individual, Encil Mizer, but I want to also ask you to remember Encil’s generation, for it is a generation we are losing. A generation of eye-witnesses and participants in one of the greatest conflicts in the history of mankind, the Second World War. Encil was one of a generation of eye-witnesses, participants in that war. And as we lose him and the members of his generation, we are at risk of forgetting their service and sacrifice for us and our way of life. Freedom is not free. In fact, freedom demands great sacrifice. A sacrifice made by Encil and the members of his generation. And as we lose that generation, we dare not lose sight of their service. Me. Mizer was a patriot in the best sense of the word. Few Americans loved this country as much as he did. Politicians in Delta and Wauseon and Columbus and Washington are going to get a lot less mail now, because Encil knew whose country this is, and when they got out of line, Encil let them know it. And if you would remember him the way he would want to be remembered, remember that the freedom we enjoy was paid for by others, and it needs to be guarded by each and every one of us. Mr. Mizer stopped-in here to see me often. And when it wasn’t to play “stump the pastor” with a question about some obscure verse from the Bible. Years ago I would call the Old Testament Department at the Seminary with Encil’s questions, like, “Was Abraham’s second wife Moses’ great niece?” The theologians at seminary would listen to Encil’s questions and say, “Where does he come up with this stuff?” But when he was not talking about the Bible, he talked about you, his family, especially his grandchildren. I hope you know how very much he loved you and how very proud he was of you. And if you could do anything for him now, strive to care as much for each other as he did for you. Mr. Mizer loved his country and his family, but as his pastor and friend I can tell you without reservation, that the greatest love of his life was his Lord. That great love, that abiding faith is his greatest legacy and example to us all. It has been said that the greatest gift God can bestow on a human is hunger for the Word; a love for Scripture. That was God’s gift to Encil Mizer. You who knew him well know well that not a day went by that he was not reading and studying and meditating on the Bible. Myself and a number of other “professionals” in this business were awed by his devotion to and knowledge of the Bible. And if you, his children and grandchildren, inherit anything from him. If you his friends would remember and emulate him - ask God to give you that greatest of gifts that he bestowed on Encil. Pray to God for a love of the Bible. And it was a love for the Scripture, a faith that he lived. I said before no parish has ever had a more faithful churchman. You cannot look anywhere around here without seeing something Encil built, fixed, or cleaned. Unlike a lot of you lay folks who I have to beg, plead with and threaten to get things done. With Encil I had the opposite problem. All I had to do was hint that something needed doing, and he was on it. I have no doubt that had I said, “Encil, I think the church needs to be moved a few yards to the west.” That next day that little white pick-up truck would have been backed up to the building while Encil hooked it up with chains he had salvaged from somebody. His was a faith that was not simply believed. It was lived. And now, because I do know I will meet again with Mr. Mizer some day, now I must conclude his funeral sermon as he would wish. So I close by asking you not to dwell on what a loyal patriot, loving father, and faithful churchman Encil was. And I ask you not to spend the days ahead mourning his loss. Instead, strive to make the love of his life the object of your attention and affection. For in the end it matters not what kind of lives we have led. In the pages of the Bible Encil Mizer knew God in Christ; a God who died and rose again for Encil and for you. And then I stopped myself and I apologized first to God and then I apologized to Encil. For the God who sustained Encil in this life did not abandon him in death, rather death is the way to Encil’s new and better life in heaven. And this same God will also sustain us until we join Encil there. |
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