Memorial Service

Service Details

Memorial Service
Cameron Angus Mason
Saturday 22nd September 2007
9.00am
Artarmon Public School
McMillan Road, Artarmon

Officiating
Ben France

Speaker
Charlie Brammall

Bible Readings
1 Corinthians 15:20-28; 42-58 – Peter Mason
Revelation 21:1-7 – Mary Mason

Prayers
Mike Thompson
Jane Carroll

Musical Selection
I Cannot Tell
Oh, The Mercy Of God
You Loved Me
Beautiful Saviour

Band
Felicity Webb
Jane Carroll
Laura Blyth
Mike Thompson
Tim Webb

Projector
Alistair Carroll

Morning Tea
Artarmon Community Church

Ben’s Introduction

Good morning and welcome to the memorial service for Cameron Angus Mason. I’m Ben France, I’ve known Rick since we were about 4 (add stuff here if u want) and Rhonda since they started going out some 4 years ago.

Rick & Rhonda would like me to say that they greatly appreciate you being here and that they’ve been incredibly comforted during the last week by your calls, messages and support.

Welcome also to Artarmon Public School – this is where Rick & Rhonda go to church at Artarmon Community Church & thanks to Artarmon Community Church for organising today. Some housekeeping as we begin, the toilets are either side of the stage, men on the right, and ladies on the left. Morning tea will be served outside afterwards.

If your kids are here, that’s great – don’t feel you need to take them outside if they cry – there will probably be plenty of crying anyway!

We come together today to join with Rick & Rhonda in mourning the loss of their first son. Yet we believe that those who die in Christ share eternal life with him. So today is also a time for giving thanks to God in whose loving care we have left Cameron.

Jesus said to his disciples ‘Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 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? 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.

Please join with me in prayer for Rick and Rhonda.

Heavenly Father, We thank you for your power and control of all things, for your love and for your mercy. We know that we can trust in you. Please give Rick and Rhonda your peace as they mourn the death of their son Cameron. As their family and friends may we support them and know your comfort too. Lord God, it is times like these that we see so vividly our world is not as it should be. Lord bring us back to yourself by your Holy Spirit we pray, in Jesus name, Amen.

We’re singing 4 songs this morning. They are songs that Rick & Rhonda sang to Cameron while ‘in utero’ & on Sunday night as they held him.

The first is ‘I Cannot Tell’.

Bible Readings

1 Corinthians 15:20-28

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

1 Corinthians 15:42-58

So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“Oh death, where is your victory?
Oh death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

Revelation 21:1-7

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more,
neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”

Charlie’s Address

God never promises to shield us from the evil of this fallen world. He never promises immunity from sickness, pain, sorrow and death. But what he does pledge is his never failing presence for those who have found him in Christ. Nothing can destroy that. He is always with them. And in the long run, we need to know that. This future hope does not take away our present pain, but it does enable us to see that we are heading for something infinitely better. Our pain is not for ever. And God’s presence with us begins now. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. In God’s new world, where Cameron is now, there is no injustice or inexplicable things or sin or death or chaos or rebellion. It’s a perfect place.

But also the bride, in vs 2, who stands for God’s people, is beautiful- elsewhere she is described as being spotless. Cameron is beautiful now. He is spotless. And in verses 9-21 the city is a beautiful and pure place. It’s dazzlingly beautiful. That’s where Cameron is. Verse 27 says there is no impurity in God’s new place because he is pure. He is holy. So 4 you & me to live with God for eternity, we have to be perfect- no sin in us at all. And that is what John is looking forward to. A time when you and I, if we’re Christians, will literally be sinless. Sin and evil will never again spoil God’s perfect world. Evil is destroyed by the death of Jesus. Death is destroyed by the death of Jesus. Cameron’s death is destroyed by the death of Jesus. that’s why he’s alive again now and with Christ.. And we can be spotless and sinless if our names are written in the book of life; that is if we trust in Jesus to deal with our sin and die for us. That’s why heaven is not for good people, but forgiven people. If I’m still trusting in my own goodness to get to heaven, I will be greatly disappointed. I need to trust Christ and him alone to bring me to heaven.

But because heaven is a sinless place, it gives you and me a challenge in the present. Which is to keep battling my sin in God’s strength, and to keep aiming for holiness. Because our true home is heaven. We are already there in one sense. We belong to another country. This world’s not our home. We’re just passing through. Cameron passed through earlier than the rest of us, but we’re passing through as well. And soon we’ll join him where J went first to lead the way. So we need to behave as citizens of that country. We forget which country it is that we are citizens of. We forget that we are citizens of heaven. But we need to be behaving according to the standards of that place and that King. So let me encourage you to keep battling with sin, keep striving for holiness. Because of our future hope.

But is this hope really going to happen? I mean, it’s already been 2000 years since Jesus ascended to heaven. Is he really coming back? Will he really bring this fantastic hope to reality? Yes. Because God has promised it, and it is impossible for him to lie. He is faithful. We can be sure he will because of his word. See verse 5 . See what he’s saying? It is done. Cameron’s there already. When God says something, it’s as good as done, because he never goes back on his word- it’s impossible. Our challenge this morning is whether we believe God’s word or not. How will we respond to it? God’s asking us whether we will be a conqueror or a coward Verse 7. We need to be the kind of people who press on, who “overcome” as God says in this passage. People who don’t slip away as Christians, people who despite the horrible ups and downs of Sepember 2007, despite the ups and downs of 2010, 2020, 2040, will still be walking with Christ at the end – because he loved us on the cross. Not to give in to sin and give up, and miss out on heaven and face an awful future. But to keep going. Comforted by the love of our christian brothers and sisters, living in the light of this glorious, future hope. To press on, because without this hope, we will perish.

On the last page of the last book in the Narnia series by CS Lewis, the last battle, Lewis says this about the children in the book: “This is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover of the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter 1 of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever; in which every chapter is better than the one before.”

Cameron’s life has only just started. We’ll have to wait a bit longer until our lives start. But once we’re there together, the staggered starting times will mean nothing.

by Reverend Charlie Brammall

Group Prayers

Christian Prayer

Heavenly Father, in your Son Jesus Christ you have given us a true faith and a sure hope. Forgive us our sins. Uphold us by your Spirit. Enable us to show your compassion. In our sorrow, give us the calm of your peace. Help us to live as those who believe in the fellowship of your people, the forgiveness of sins, and the resurrection to eternal life; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and forever.
Amen.

Prayer by Mike

Father in heaven,

Thank you so much for Rick and Rhonda: for who you’ve made them to be, that we have been given them to know and enjoy. Thank you for their love, their care of others, their warmth, and their steadfast trust in you. Father, you have worked wonderfully in their lives. We trust you will continue to do so. Even through this dark time of grief, shock, and tears, help their trust in you to remain and grow stronger; help their love for you not to be quenched, but to grow, and let their hope be established all the more firmly on your promises. Thank you for Cameron: that you made him wonderfully and fearfully, that he is yours, and that Rick and Rhonda had him for a time.

Help Rick and Ronnie in their grief, this week, next week, and in the coming years. Help us too to grieve and weep with them.

Thank you for the loving families Rick and Rhonda both come from. Thank you for their support and love for Rick and Rhonda. We pray for Rimia and Lewis, and Mary and Peter and Rick’s sisters. Knit them together during this time, and comfort them also.

Father, strangely life will go on, and in time they will once again be Bible Study leaders, graphic designers, and theology students. Help them work through their tears. Give them times of rest, give them strength to get through each day. Father let the memory of Cameron, and the grief of his death not be separated from their life, work, study, and ministry—but rather let it be integrated. Grant them deep spiritual wisdom to know how to live in all these things. Bless their marriage, and strengthen them in it, too.
Thank you that you can, and do, redeem all pain; thank you that you know pain.

We are reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words that the whole creation has been groaning, and not only the creation, but we ourselves groan inwardly as we wait for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. Indeed, the redemption of Cameron’s body.

So we cry, “Come Lord Jesus, Come.”

Amen

by Mike & Nikki Thompson

Prayer by Jane

Dear God,

Thank you that you have given us prayer as a way to talk to you, and that you understand us even when we are so grieved that we can only offer tears.

As friends of Rick and Rhonda, we thank you for the opportunity to share Cameron’s life from the very beginning. We know from the bible that you knew Cameron even before he was conceived, and we thank you that he was conceived in a marriage based on faith in you, to parents who love you and who love each other so much. I thank you for the tangible memories of Cameron that we have all shared in – the kicks, the cravings and seeing Rhonda grow as Cameron did.

I also thank you for the blessing of sharing my own pregnancy with Rhonda. Through Christ we have been given a new family, and to enjoy our babies together has been a constant encouragement and a source of joy. In loosing Cameron, we have lost a little boy that we were waiting so eagerly to meet, and already loved like a nephew. But through this pain, we thank you for the opportunity to have loved him for this short time, and for the trust we share in your decision to take Cameron to be with you.

As we all grieve with Rick and Rhonda, we also pray for other people here today who have experienced the loss of a child. It is hard to understand what place the loss of a pregnancy, a baby, or a child has in your plan, but we know that we live in a world that is corrupt with sin and loss. Even in this, we trust you that you are a God who is in control and who also knows the devastation of losing a son. I pray for people who are grieving inwardly today that you will comfort them and overwhelm them with your love.

Finally, we thank you for the way Rick and Rhonda have shown their love and trust in you over the last week. They have demonstrated a faithfulness that could move mountains and a steadfast trust in your plan for Cameron’s life. We can’t understand your reason for calling Cameron home to be with you, but whole-heartedly trust that you are holding Rick and Rhonda in your arms, and that they will find rest there.

Amen.

by Alistair & Jane Carroll

Our Eulogy

We first found out we were pregnant on the 31st Dec last year. We immediately called Rhonda’s parents in HK. Mum said ‘ai yar’ – a combination excitement and apprehension. We then called my parents to share the news. It was by now about 1.30am – fortunately mum was still up, brushing her teeth. My parents were similarly excited yet apprehensive – they knew that many things could go wrong.

Yet so much of our pregnancy had gone smoothly. Rhonda’s morning sickness was short-lived. Her feet only became swollen in the last few weeks. At every visit to our Obstetrician things seemed OK. Each ‘safety’ milestone, 12 weeks, 20 weeks, 34 weeks passed by without a hitch. At times we had felt that we were almost too fortunate. The only disappointment we had was that Rhonda was not experiencing any food cravings, something she’d been looking forward to.

When we had our week 19 ultrasound, our mums were there with us and there were tears when we learned we were having a boy. We’d chosen the name Cameron Angus already. From that moment on the pregnancy seemed real. We knew who he was, we could talk to him by name – and so we feel now that we have been the parents of Cameron Angus Mason for the past 20 weeks, rather than the parents of a baby.

I have loved seeing Rhonda being a mum. She read all the books she was given, filled a few notebooks with lists and started preparing things back in May. To my embarrassment we’ve had a change mat, nappies & aqium gel in the car since June.

As Cameron grew inside her I have caught Rhonda sitting silently with her hand on her stomach, her head bowed and a smile on her face. On a number of occasions I had thought she was speaking to me from another room, but instead she had been chatting to Cameron.

Rhonda has cared so much for Cameron. Even to the extent of exercising and doing stretches. Cameron responded with increasingly vigorous kicks and squirms. I’ve been incredibly proud of my wife. She has displayed everything you could want in a mother. Her grief now is so strong because she was so looking forward to being Cameron’s mum.

We had restrained ourselves as parents from dreaming about our son’s future. On one occasion we caught ourselves thinking of what Uni course & career he might do, and we decided to stop thinking this way. We wanted to just have him, and anything else would be OK.

We have loved sharing our growing excitement and growing bump with our family and friends. It’s been such fun for me to see Ronnie each week at church with her friends and seeing people put their hands on her bump. We have felt the growing sense of anticipation as the time drew near for us all to meet our boy.

Even the last 20 weeks Cameron had taken on a real identity. He was always awake and moving at 2am. He was so real and alive. It’s only been nine months, yet we have many special and powerful memories of our son.

These last nine months have been the best in our lives. Except for this last week, which has been the saddest week of our lives.

A week ago this morning, I woke up early to feel Cameron moving inside me as always. He was due to come at any time, and I was just so excited as I put my hands on him as I always did to enjoy every moment of feeling his little body inside me. I didn’t realise at the time that it would be one of the last times that I would ever feel his movements again.

Looking back, I’m so thankful to God that every time Cameron moved I always stopped what I was doing to feel his kicks and squirms. I loved seeing my tummy move up and down and in all sorts of directions as he wriggled away inside me. Feeling these movements established such a strong bond between my son and myself. He was an active little boy. I truly treasured those moments and I will forever store them up in my memory.

Everyone was looking forward to meeting him.

In the days before he died, we were expecting him at any minute. When we drove to the Hospital on Saturday evening concerned because he hadn’t moved for a few hours, we were worried, but I at least felt sure that we’d get a heartbeat in seconds. We didn’t, and an ultrasound confirmed that his heart had stopped.

In the last 7 days we’ve faced the shock of the loss of our child. I’ve seen my wife give birth to our dead son – and she was so strong. We held Cameron for 7 hours & I kept expecting him to wake up. We’ve organised his funeral, carried his casket & now today, we are remembering him. As his parents we’ve taken care of our son from conception to his grave. It just doesn’t feel long enough. This time 7 days ago he was still moving.

Last Saturday night when we couldn’t sleep, Rhonda asked me how God comforts people – since we believe that he does. We’ve experienced his comfort this week through our families, through our friends, through fantastic medical staff. We’ve experienced his comfort through sms’, conversations, meals, cards and flowers.

We’ve also seen that God has done many good things as a result of Cameron’s death, but we’d rather have him and for the good things to have happened another way.

God prepared us to face suffering at Katoomba Easter Convention this year & we’ve found the words spoken then by Robert Ames to be helpful, maybe not comforting, but helpful. He said that in the light of eternity we cannot impugn God’s wisdom. While we can say ‘we don’t understand’ and ‘how can this be for our good’, we cannot say ‘this isn’t fair.’ We cannot quarrel with God’s arrangement of circumstances or his divine provision. Our perspective is different to Gods and mysteries to us are no mysteries to Him.

We know that God works all things for the good of those who love him. Romans 8:28 says that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. We can’t accept good things from God and not the bad things. We must continue to trust him.

Rhonda reminded me on yesterday morning that ultimately the only reason we have the hope of seeing Cameron again is because of Jesus – Ultimately we must praise God for the forgiveness he provids in Jesus and for the hope we have of eternal life to be with our Lord and our son. God is totally deserving of our praise.

We love you Cameron and we miss you so very much. Our lives will never be the same without you.

Musical Selection

I Cannot Tell

I cannot tell how he whom angels worship
should stoop to love the peoples of the earth,
or why as shepherd he should seek the wanderer
with his mysterious promise of new birth.
But this I know, that he was born of Mary,
when Bethlehem’s manger was his only home,
and that he lived at Nazareth and labored,
and so the Savior, Savior of the world, is come.

I cannot tell how silently he suffered,
as with his peace he graced this place of tears,
or how his heart upon the cross was broken,
the crown of pain to three and thirty years.
But this I know, he heals the broken-hearted,
and stays our sin, and calms our lurking fear,
and lifts the burden from the heavy laden,
for yet the Savior, Savior of the world, is here.

I cannot tell how he will win the nations,
how he will claim his earthly heritage,
how satisfy the needs and aspirations
of east and west, of sinner and of sage.
But this I know, all flesh shall see his glory,
and he shall reap the harvest he has sown,
and some glad day his sun shall shine in splendor
when he the Savior, Savior of the world, is known.

I cannot tell how all the lands shall worship,
when, at his bidding, every storm is stilled,
or who can say how great the jubilation
when every heart with perfect love is filled.
But this I know, the skies will thrill with rapture,
and myriad, myriad human voices sing,
and earth to heaven, and heaven to earth, will answer:
‘At last the Savior, Savior of the world, is King!’

Oh, The Mercy of God

Oh, the mercy of God, the glory of grace,
that you chose to redeem us, to forgive and restore
and you call us your children, chosen in him
to be holy and blameless to the glory of God.

To the praise of his glorious grace,
to the praise of his glory and power,
to him be all glory, honour and praise,
for ever and ever and ever, amen.

Oh the riches of grace, the depths of his love,
in him is redemption, the forgiveness of sin.
You called us as righteous, predestined in him
for the praise of his glory, included in Christ.

To the praise of his glorious grace,
to the praise of his glory and power,
to him be all glory, honour and praise,
for ever and ever and ever, amen.

Oh the glory of God expressed in his Son,
his image and likeness revealed to us all;
the plea of the ages completed in Christ,
that we be presented perfected in him.

To the praise of his glorious grace,
to the praise of his glory and power,
to him be all glory, honour and praise,
for ever and ever and ever, amen.

You Loved Me

You loved me
When you spun the stars into motion
And you loved me
When you parted land and sea
Before night and day
Before time and space
You had chosen me
Set aside a place in heaven
That bears my name

You loved me
When my heart was turned against you
And you loved me
Even though my eyes were blind
You called me your child
Led me by the hand
Made yourself be known
Let me understand forgiveness
That comes from you

O Lord you are worthy of all praise
O Lord, O Lord.

You love me
Through your son I am forgiven
And you love me
By his death you purchased me
My Lord Jesus Christ
You were crucified
But returned alive
To the Father’s side forever

O Lord you are worthy of all praise
O Lord, O Lord

Beautiful Saviour

All my days I will sing this song of gladness,
Give my praise to the Fountain of delights;
For in my helplessness You heard my cry,
And waves of mercy poured down on my life.

I will trust in the cross of my Redeemer,
I will sing of the blood that never fails;
Of sins forgiven, of conscience cleansed,
Of death defeated and life without end.

Beautiful Saviour, Wonderful Counsellor,
Clothed in majesty, Lord of history,
You’re the Way, the Truth, the Life.
Star of the Morning, glorious in holiness,
You’re the Risen One, heaven’s Champion,
And You reign, You reign over all!

I long to be where the praise is never-ending,
Yearn to dwell where the glory never fades;
Where countless worshippers will share one song,
And cries of ‘worthy’ will honour the Lamb!

Beautiful Saviour, Wonderful Counsellor,
Clothed in majesty, Lord of history,
You’re the Way, the Truth, the Life.
Star of the Morning, glorious in holiness,
You’re the Risen One, heaven’s Champion,
And You reign, You reign over all!

Ben’s Conclusion

No death is good. The death of a child is terrible. Rick and Rhonda hope that it’s been clear today that they grieve for Cameron with hope. Because of Jesus’ resurrection they know they will see Cameron again.

On behalf of Rick and Rhonda, I want to thank you for supporting them and sharing in their grief by being here today. Please stay for morning tea outside.

Our message to Cameron on the memorial postcard

To our dearest Cameron,

We were so looking forward to meeting you and taking you home with us so that we could look after you and watch you grow up.

Instead, God has chosen to take you home with Him. We don’t understand why, but we continue to trust His decision, as hard as it is.

We loved every moment of having you inside your mum’s tummy. You were so strong and active, always moving and keeping your mum company late at night. We loved talking and singing to you, poking you and reading to you. We have prayed for you from the day we were married and even more once we knew you existed.

We love you so, so much and we miss you terribly. We will always treasure those few hours we had together after you were born. You will always be our first little boy.

We can’t wait till we see you again.

Love always,
Mum & Dad xoxoxo