MARY FERN CHILDERS

MEMORIAL SERVICE | 10 JUNE 2023

SCRIPTURE READING & MY BRIEF PERSONAL TRIBUTE

The first time I saw and met Mary Fern was the first Sunday morning I walked into our Sunday School class as their new teacher. That was in January 2018. We had been here at our church only six months and I knew only a few of our folks. But, there was a teacher vacancy, and our pastors asked me if I would be willing to serve them as their teacher. And I said “Sure, I’d love to!”  

And so, I walked into the class that Sunday morning not knowing any of them, introduced myself, and they introduced themselves. And that’s how I met Mary Fern. She was sitting in her usual seat, over at the end of the second row to my right. She met me and introduced herself with that sweet, vibrant smile of hers – full of warmth, friendliness, and grace … full of life and love. Mary Fern smiled and laughed with her whole face. And she would look the same way every time I met her from then on … even in the most recent years when she resided at the assisted-living care facility. Even when she was losing some of her memory faculties, she never lost that smile and warm, gracious, joy of the Lord.

And then, Mary Fern would pray sometimes in our class time. She would pray for me, for the Lord’s blessing on His Word, and for others. She prayed to the Lord the same ways she would talk with us – as one would talk with her friend. Mary Fern had a distinctive intimacy with the Lord. She was always reverent, but intimate. As we have reminisced about her since her going to be with Jesus whom she loves, some have said, “She would pray the prettiest prayers.” And she did. But the ‘prettiness’ of her prayer was not the ‘prettiness’ of her words – that she was flowery or eloquent. It was the beauty of the spirit with which she prayed – it was the ‘inner ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price’ [1 Peter 3.4]. It was the ways she told the Father and Jesus that she loved Him. It was the personal, genuine, authentic ways she would say, “I love you, Jesus” and thank her Lord for all the ways He loves her.

As Peter says, “Whom having not seen, ye love…” [1 Peter 1.8]. And now she sees Him – and loves Him more perfectly! And she sees and knows His love more perfectly, too!

Over the five+ years Mary Fern and I shared our fellowship and service in our church together, she became my dear friend, a faithful and avid student of the Word in our Sunday School class, a fervent prayer warrior on my behalf, and a constant encourager to me. I thank God He brought our lives together.

And so, to honor her faith in Christ, her strong and gentle spirit, her Spirit-filled character – and especially to express the honor and praise her children and family want to give her – they have requested that I read Proverbs 31.10-31…

¹⁰ Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

¹¹ The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

¹² She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

¹³ She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

¹⁴ She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

¹⁵ She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth food to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

¹⁶ She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

¹⁷ She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

¹⁸ She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

¹⁹ She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

²⁰ She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

²¹ She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

²² She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

²³ Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

²⁴ She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth garments unto the merchant.

²⁵ Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

²⁶ She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

²⁷ She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

²⁸ Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

²⁹ Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

³⁰ Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Her obituary: https://clarklegacycenter.com/tribute/details/319241/Mary-Childers/obituary.html#tribute-start