Funeral Homily for Nelda Allinson

Nelda J. Allinson was born Saturday, May 27, 1911 in Indiana. She was received into the Church Triumphant on Monday, July 23. Nelda was the daughter of Emil and Marie Polzin and attended Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Nelda was a professional pianist starting at the age of 6 playing for her minister father for church services. She will be remembered as a truly vivacious lady.

Nelda is survived by one son-in-law: Robert Szczesny of Thornville; granddaughters: Sue & Phil Peters of NY; Jill Marie & Tim Salzler of Plain City, Jana & Bob McCarthy of Granville, Jenifer & Paul Schildwachter of Fallston, MD and Sandra Smith of Somerset; two grandsons: Robert & Cynthia Szczesny of FL and Jonathan &Ya-Fen Szczesny of Wisconsin and 32 great grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, Nelda was preceded in death by her husband: Stanley Allinson; one son: Allen G. Wem; one daughter: Gail Szczesny; and one grandson: Stephen Christopher Szczesny.

Imagine the changes that have taken place over the past one hundred and one years. Nelda didn’t have to imagine; she was an eyewitness, and a sharp-eyed one at that, observant to the end. She could tell you how much has changed and how much has stayed the same, and would not be shy about giving you her take on things. That’s just one of the qualities that I’m sure you’ll miss in her.

In a world of change and instability, there are some things that remain the same, no matter what. One of those things, the chief thing, is the Word of God. It is especially at a time such as this that we need the permanence of God’s Word; we need to be reminded of what’s true; we need the unchangeable realities that God speaks to us to break through our grief and minister to us. The great hymns of the church are an outgrowth of God’s Word, like sermons that we sing; the combination of music and message makes a deposit deep within us. So to honor Nelda’s memory and her beginnings as a church musician, and to give the gospel of Jesus Christ entrance into our troubled hearts, let’s consider some of the hymns that meant so much to her, hymns which she played, hymns that convey God’s truth to us.

The first is “I Know That My Redeemer Lives,” which we have sung today. It is a triumphant hymn that I recall from my earliest Easters, a hymn that gives voice to faith in a risen, living Savior. For me, it doesn’t really feel like Easter unless we sing this, and the converse is true too: singing it brings Easter here today. How we need to hear it: Jesus, my Redeemer--He lives and grants me daily breath; he lives and I shall conquer death. The brilliant and surprising thing about this hymn is that the portion of Scripture on which it is based is from the Old Testament, not the New, and what’s more, it’s from one of the oldest books of the Old Testament. “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end, he will stand on the earth” comes directly from the book of Job. In fact, it is Job who speaks these words of hope, in the midst of a terribly bleak situation. How amazing to consider—the thing that kept Job moving forward was the expectation that he would see his Redeemer in a resurrected body, and he held to this conviction centuries before Jesus emerged from his tomb! You see, a physical resurrection from the dead is not a New Testament innovation—it has been the Spirit-led outcome of faith from the very beginning! This was Nelda’s faith, the faith her father preached, the faith we cling to today; in the face of death, risen life is coming. It is coming because Jesus rose in a physical body, never to die again.

It is said that a seminary professor was once asked: “Over the course of his studies and academic career, what was the most profound thing you’ve ever heard?” He thought for a moment, and then replied sincerely: “Jesus loves me, this I know; for the Bible tells me so.” Nelda evidently thought so, too, as it was her wish that we sing this simple hymn today. Let’s be clear; it’s not easy to make things simple, but “Jesus Loves Me” does it. By singing it we are reminded that God’s fundamental posture toward me and all humanity is love. How do I know? The Bible tells me so. Yes, sin is real; it is deeply serious; and it must be punished. Yet in love, Jesus is the one to bear our punishment. The little and the weak belong to Jesus, and it is no matter; He is the strong one. And then the wonderful clarity of the second verse: “Jesus loves me, He who died/heaven’s gates to open wide/He will wash away my sin/Let His little child come in.” Nelda has entered in through heaven’s gate, the gate thrown open only by Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection. She has joined the white-robed multitude that the apostle John glimpsed in his vision of revelation: the white-robed multitude waving palm branches, surrounding the throne of the Lamb with endless praise. How do we know? The Bible tells us so. Another of our hymns for today, “How Great Thou Art,” captures the majesty of this experience, saying: “Then I shall bow in humble adoration, and there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art.”

We have gathered in this hour not only to grieve Nelda’s death, but to give thanks to God for her life among us and for her eternal life now with God.

We have gathered, not only to mourn over how different life will be without her, but to give thanks to God for how full life was when she was here with you.

We have gathered not only to think about the shortness and uncertainty of life, but to give thanks to God for His gift of eternal life, offered to all who are washed in baptismal water; upon whom He writes His holy Name; who thereby believe in Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection.

May this good news come to you through the songs of the Church. May these songs lead you to the One about whom they sing: the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, Jesus Christ. May these songs prepare you to say, as Simeon did, as he held the infant Jesus in his arms, “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace; your Word has been fulfilled, for my eyes have seen your salvation.” And may these songs ready your heart for the day when you will sing at Nelda’s side; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.