Couple of points to bring up on the bulletin. The rose cover art was a picture that Cheryl made for Kathy's birthday and used for an entry in the Olmsted County fair. She took a picture of a bunch of red roses and then using a filter, photo editor and her new drawing tablet, Cheryl created the image she wanted. The photo was an easy choice for Kathy & I to select. It also impressed others as Macken's will be using it for future services and will be crediting Cheryl for the cover art.
Outside cover
The second inside page was one of her casual graduation pictures. We liked the relaxed look and her smile in this picture vs others we had to chose from.
Inside left
The third page has the service details. Pastors Wahl and Woodward officiated and both were great in delivering a memorable tribute to Cheryl. We were very fortunate to have Dale Mundahl and Lori Ehlenfeldt participate in the memorial service, I have always loved the way Dale plays piano or the organ on Sundays. Lori Ehlenfeldt delivered a moving rendition of Hymn Of Promise. She has such a beautiful voice and Cheryl and her were also close friends. The scripture readings selected were taken from a book Cheryl had started prior to creating her blog. On each page of that book she had a verse from the bible that introduced the topic. There were more verses than entries in the book, the blog was a better way to communicate with her friends. Kathy & I selected the honorary pallbearers from our extended family.
Inside right
In Loving Memory Of
Cheryl Lynn Tri
DATE OF BIRTH
September 19, 1987 - Rochester, Minnesota
DATE OF DEATH
January 24, 2008 - Rochester, Minnesota
MEMORIAL SERVICE
12:00PM - Saturday, February 2, 2008
Bethel Lutheran Church
Rochester, Minnesota
OFFICIANTS
Rev. Norman W. Wahl
Rev. Mark Woodward
ORGANIST SOLOIST
Dale Mundahl Lori Ehlenfeldt
Hymn Of Promise
CONGREGATIONAL HYMN
On Eagles Wings
CD MUSICAL SELECTION
You Are Loved "Don't Give Up"
HONORARY PALLBEARERS
Greg Tri Ben Hammel Jeff Tri
Brian Tri Paul Thicke Craig Stanbro
All of our friends are invited to a luncheon at the
church immediately following the service.
The final page is a poem written by Cheryl and her interpretation of her poem. We initially were looking at some other nice poems (most were posted in her blog recently) but knew Cheryl would have one that fit the occasion at home if we could find the book. After a bit of searching it did turned up and Pastor Wahl used the book to help deliver his sermon.
Back Page
Beneath a timeless light,
A valley spreads,
Cast in subtle tones.
An endless ocean
Of sweet prairie grasses
That ripples in the wind.
Within the valley,
A lambent city lies,
A carillon at its heart.
I walk to its gates
And smile as I hear
The bells start ringing.
They welcome me there,
to the hallow city;
I revel in their sound.
"The City" is my interpretation of heaven. My goal was to paint a beautiful landscape in the mind's eye. The first two stanzas give sight to what a person would see when they first enter heaven; a pleasant valley covered in sunlight and soft green grasses. I used the phrases "timeless light" and "subtle tones" because I wanted the reader to feel as if they were in a dream and just getting a glimpse of heaven. The poem continues by describing a brilliant city sitting in the valley. I thought "lambent" was the most appropriate adjective for describing the city since it started with the word "lamb" which reminded me of Jesus' title of "Lamb of God" and nicely says how the city sparkles. A carillon is another name for a bell tower. Since I greatly enjoy music, it was only fitting that there be music in heaven. The last two stanzas tell how the bells ring when a person enters the gates of the city, like a fanfare celebrating every individual. Heaven is said to be a beautiful place. "The City" was my attempt at creating a soft, beautiful image filled with music and belonging through a simply phrased poem.
By Cheryl Tri
Finally, here is Cheryl's Memorial sermon, delivered expertly, as all his sermons are, by Pastor Norman Wahl:
Funeral for Cheryl Tri;
2 Corinthians 4:16-17.
Dear Friends in Christ, Grace to you and Peace, from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. AMEN.
Striving for perfection. Those are the first words that came from Cheryl’s dad’s mouth when I asked for words that would best describe Cheryl. Striving for perfection.
Clearly there is plenty of evidence of that character trait in her life. Having been asked to put together an anthology of a few poems and interpretations, Cheryl put together a 31-page book of photos she had taken, along with interpretive poems and her understanding of those poems. The very first picture is of bells in
This poem gathers up many themes in Cheryl’s life. She uses this poem to describe her vision of heaven—a valley of light; of soft, green grass. She then describes a lambent city—lambent, a word that means soft light, but, more importantly for Cheryl, a word whose first four letters are “lamb”, conjuring up Jesus’ title—“Lamb of God”. Finally, the bells evoke Cheryl’s love of music—how the bells ring as a person enters the city, or enters heaven.
Are you as impressed as I am with a young woman, yet tender in years, who can have such a beatific and complete vision of heaven? Most of us struggle to understand nursery rhymes. Cheryl struggled with describing the essence of a kingdom that has been dreamed of and studied for millennia.
Oh, that perfection thing. You who were her friends saw it often. Clearly it manifested itself in her perfect grade point average in high school—a perfection generously shared with three others, and nearly another! Greg saw that perfection often and was able to bring balance to Cheryl’s life, helping her to see that there were some things that could slide without the world coming to an end. Ben experienced that perfection in many ways, even as he joined Cheryl’s family in
That was the Cheryl that everyone knew and loved. But some of you also knew the flip side of that coin. Cheryl knew that she was not perfect. She was a wise confirmation student and took seriously the Bible’s teaching that we have all fallen short of God’s glory. Strive as she might for perfection and using her God-given gifts to the best of her ability, she knew that there was something more.
I can’t illustrate that any better than pointing back to the Bible verses Cheryl chose from Corinthians and Ephesians. Paul, in Second Corinthians, talks about our outer nature being wasted away. He describes it as a momentary affliction preparing us for eternal glory. Most of us have afflictions that are far more than momentary. I think of a mother and father, Steve and Kathy, and a brother, Greg, who will carry this affliction of losing their daughter and sister for a lifetime. I think of an illness that was battled, battled for 18 months. Yet, Cheryl would point out to us through Paul—while we might be imperfect in this world, there is perfection to come—an eternal glory of which she writes in her poem—softness and light and beauty and music is Cheryl’s vision.
Or think of the Ephesians verses: we are dead through our trespasses (that includes Cheryl and us), but we are made alive in Christ—we are made perfect—in God’s time. Why would Cheryl think so highly of those verses? Finally, two of the passages point us to the love of God in Christ Jesus, and to the hope that we have as inheritors in Christ. From the imperfection of this world we move to the perfection of the next.
Many of you visited with Cheryl in the time of her affliction. Especially her classmates would come home from college and talk of your lives with her. Oh, she was strong and rejoiced with you. She lifted up her earthly strength and perfection in spite of her weakness. But it was when you left that her earthly weakness showed. She had so wanted to join in that time of discovery and education. Her family would often pick up the pieces of despair following those visits. Cheryl wasn’t perfect after all, and she knew it.
The only reason we can gather we confidence in this place today is the perfection of the one we worship! Many of you sitting here today are 18, 20, 22 years old, and you might be saying, this could happen to me. I’ve got news for you; it will happen to you. Oh, it might not be for another 40 or 60 or even 80 years, but it is going to happen to you. Cheryl knew that—something about the body wasting away. But Cheryl also knew that there was a hope and love that transcends our earthly afflictions. She put her trust in that heavenly city. And she would want you to know that fullness of God, no matter your current or future afflictions.
Not perfect, but striving for perfection. Let me give you one more piece of evidence. In the last stretch of her life, Cheryl was declining in strength. One night Greg called, and she summoned all that she had to visit with him, and she even sang a song to him and to her parents. Even though her strength was sapped beyond reasonable human expectation, she wanted to pray with her parents. Do you know what she prayed for? She prayed for you. She prayed for her family and friends. Even though she would have been in the most desperate shape of anyone in those prayers, she looked outside of herself. You may have prayed for Cheryl and her family in these last 18 months. But she was also praying for you.
This memorial service is not for Cheryl. The church’s care for her ended nine days ago. We believe that she has already entered into her heavenly vision—she has the soft light, the green grass, the music of bells and angels. No, this service is for you, especially for Steve, Kathy, Greg, Ben. It is Cheryl’s one last opportunity to pull you all together and let you know of Christ’s great love for you. Are you perfect? No. But you are perfectly loved. AMEN.
Per Cheryl's wishes, she was cremated. She wanted her ashes released on a windy day like music notes on the wind. We will wait for a warm sunny day to do this. We are saving some of her ashes in a beautiful lead crystal urn that has a orchid in the center.
Again, our thanks to all who follow the blog and were touched by Cheryl...
Steve & Kathy
*You are Loved (Don't Give Up) Josh Groban - music from the service
