Text: Rom 6:3-10 (English Standard Version)
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3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Dear friends, family and loved ones of our beloved Heinz.
It has been a blessing to know Heinz and Erika over these last 20 years of my life here at Peace and to be blessed to serve them as pastor for the last 8 years.
God’s love is certainly made know to us in his son Jesus.
It is also made know to us in the lives of family and especially in the life of Heinz Hoffman and his love for Jesus, this congregation, and his beloved wife Erika and their love one for another.
So though we grieve at Heinz’s passing we can also have comfort as well. Jesus tells us in the Gospel of John in Chapter 10 that:
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
Heinz Hoffmann trusted Jesus.
This is a funeral and service of remembrance for Heinz but he and Erika have been so connected to one another over the last 65 plus years that it is hard to speak about one without the other.
The Hoffman’s came to Peace in April of 1972 and the blessing to this congregation through their servant hearts and hands began and continues to this day.
45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45
Heinz’s service began as he left his native Germany, becoming an immigrant and refugee in this country after WWII.
Heinz became a citizen and enlisted and served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany during the Korean War where he and Erika reconnected and were married.
Following the war they returned to the U.S. to make a home and life for themselves where Heinz had a long time landscape business with customers that he continued to serve even into his 80’s.
As Heinz would say,
“I have some customers that still call me so I go and do the work!”
The Love of God is made known in the person and work of his son, our Lord Jesus Christ. God makes this known to us by the revealing of his Spirit made know to us in Holy Baptism.
Heinz was marked in Baptism’s as redeem by Christ and adopted into God’s family as his beloved child – even as a foreigner adopted into his new home and country.
He and Erika were united in Holy Matrimony on July 23, 1955, and in the presence of God the two became one.
That is:
65 years as husband and wife,
65 years in loving devotion to each other, and
65 years together as God’s servants and ambassadors to a world that needs Christ and his love.
Much of this would not have happened had Heinz, many years ago, not uttered three very important words.
As a youth in Germany the Nazi’s had come to the farm where Heinz and his family lived. Among their meager possessions they had a horse, and when an officer grabbed the reins of the horse to lead it away Heinz protested, “Hey, what are you doing, that’s my horse!” The officer pulled out his gun and aimed it at Heinz and asked, “Whose horse is it?” to which Heinz answered with those important words, “That’s your horse!”
In this life we are all born to die, but by our Lord’s gracious love and will he is in charge of that time and for Heinz, the Lord has seen fit to call him to his eternal rest. I assume that the trees in glory might need a bit of trimming and Heinz and his service was required.
God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 1 John 4:16b
Clearly God’s love abided in Heinz, first for Christ as we know, and for Erika as the two became one united together as husband and wife and living in that love.
Blessed with their children Sylvia and Doris, those blessings continued with their families, with grandchildren, and now with three great grandchildren as well.
Heinz and Erika have been greatly blessed in this life and now Heinz has departed and is resting in the arms of his savior. Their marriage vows of long ago ring true:
For better for worse,
for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health
to love and to cherish,
til death do you part
The Lord has made us new in the waters of Holy Baptism and in his hands Jesus has promised to hold us and never let us fall and that promise was for Heinz’s as his child made in his image.
During this past fall Monica had a Sunday afternoon that we spent with Heinz and Erika at their home. Heinz talked about the years in the house and acreage he had purchased around the house that stretched out all the way to Williams Lake rd. He was thankful for the blessings of the Lord to his this immigrant to the U.S. He said it was undeveloped land but he liked to go out in the middle of it and just stand and admire my kingdom, and as Heinz said it with a laugh and a smile - knowing that all of his blessings had come from the hand of the Lord.
Now, death causes tears to fall.
Death’s sting has been swallowed up in victory by our Lord Jesus Christ and we can have comfort in His blessed work and this blessed Good News that in and through Jesus Christ God and man have been reconciled.
As we together grieve the loss of our dear Heinz and think about this frail existence we all inhabit here in this world, we can still have peace.
The words of the apostle John ring true in Chapter 14 of his gospel:
14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Heinz knew the way of Christ prepared for him.
You too have this home waiting for you. The blessed Good News that Jesus died for your sins is the wonderful Gospel message you can trust.
Jesus has forgiven your sin and by the power of the Holy Spirit, in you, has given you the faith to believe in His saving work. That’s a place prepared for you, forgiven in Christ, and an eternity with our Lord and savior Jesus that you can trust.
May the Lord comfort you with this blessed good news now and forever!
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Dear friends, family and loved ones of our beloved Heinz.
It has been a blessing to know Heinz and Erika over these last 20 years of my life here at Peace and to be blessed to serve them as pastor for the last 8 years.
God’s love is certainly made know to us in his son Jesus.
It is also made know to us in the lives of family and especially in the life of Heinz Hoffman and his love for Jesus, this congregation, and his beloved wife Erika and their love one for another.
So though we grieve at Heinz’s passing we can also have comfort as well. Jesus tells us in the Gospel of John in Chapter 10 that:
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
Heinz Hoffmann trusted Jesus.
This is a funeral and service of remembrance for Heinz but he and Erika have been so connected to one another over the last 65 plus years that it is hard to speak about one without the other.
The Hoffman’s came to Peace in April of 1972 and the blessing to this congregation through their servant hearts and hands began and continues to this day.
45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45
Heinz’s service began as he left his native Germany, becoming an immigrant and refugee in this country after WWII.
Heinz became a citizen and enlisted and served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany during the Korean War where he and Erika reconnected and were married.
Following the war they returned to the U.S. to make a home and life for themselves where Heinz had a long time landscape business with customers that he continued to serve even into his 80’s.
As Heinz would say,
“I have some customers that still call me so I go and do the work!”
The Love of God is made known in the person and work of his son, our Lord Jesus Christ. God makes this known to us by the revealing of his Spirit made know to us in Holy Baptism.
Heinz was marked in Baptism’s as redeem by Christ and adopted into God’s family as his beloved child – even as a foreigner adopted into his new home and country.
He and Erika were united in Holy Matrimony on July 23, 1955, and in the presence of God the two became one.
That is:
65 years as husband and wife,
65 years in loving devotion to each other, and
65 years together as God’s servants and ambassadors to a world that needs Christ and his love.
Much of this would not have happened had Heinz, many years ago, not uttered three very important words.
As a youth in Germany the Nazi’s had come to the farm where Heinz and his family lived. Among their meager possessions they had a horse, and when an officer grabbed the reins of the horse to lead it away Heinz protested, “Hey, what are you doing, that’s my horse!” The officer pulled out his gun and aimed it at Heinz and asked, “Whose horse is it?” to which Heinz answered with those important words, “That’s your horse!”
In this life we are all born to die, but by our Lord’s gracious love and will he is in charge of that time and for Heinz, the Lord has seen fit to call him to his eternal rest. I assume that the trees in glory might need a bit of trimming and Heinz and his service was required.
God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 1 John 4:16b
Clearly God’s love abided in Heinz, first for Christ as we know, and for Erika as the two became one united together as husband and wife and living in that love.
Blessed with their children Sylvia and Doris, those blessings continued with their families, with grandchildren, and now with three great grandchildren as well.
Heinz and Erika have been greatly blessed in this life and now Heinz has departed and is resting in the arms of his savior. Their marriage vows of long ago ring true:
For better for worse,
for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health
to love and to cherish,
til death do you part
The Lord has made us new in the waters of Holy Baptism and in his hands Jesus has promised to hold us and never let us fall and that promise was for Heinz’s as his child made in his image.
During this past fall Monica had a Sunday afternoon that we spent with Heinz and Erika at their home. Heinz talked about the years in the house and acreage he had purchased around the house that stretched out all the way to Williams Lake rd. He was thankful for the blessings of the Lord to his this immigrant to the U.S. He said it was undeveloped land but he liked to go out in the middle of it and just stand and admire my kingdom, and as Heinz said it with a laugh and a smile - knowing that all of his blessings had come from the hand of the Lord.
Now, death causes tears to fall.
Death’s sting has been swallowed up in victory by our Lord Jesus Christ and we can have comfort in His blessed work and this blessed Good News that in and through Jesus Christ God and man have been reconciled.
As we together grieve the loss of our dear Heinz and think about this frail existence we all inhabit here in this world, we can still have peace.
The words of the apostle John ring true in Chapter 14 of his gospel:
14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Heinz knew the way of Christ prepared for him.
You too have this home waiting for you. The blessed Good News that Jesus died for your sins is the wonderful Gospel message you can trust.
Jesus has forgiven your sin and by the power of the Holy Spirit, in you, has given you the faith to believe in His saving work. That’s a place prepared for you, forgiven in Christ, and an eternity with our Lord and savior Jesus that you can trust.
May the Lord comfort you with this blessed good news now and forever!
Amen
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