 |
The following is a portion of
Matt's Service of Remembrance held on June 18, 2003 in
Lancaster, Pennsylvania. After battling cancer for nearly a year,
Matt graduated from this world into the presence of the Father on
Father's Day, June 15, 2003, two months to the day before his 45th
birthday. |
(Click on the images for a larger view displayed in a
separate window)
|
Listen
with RealPlayer
Download
(right-click, save as)
|
 |
| |
Matt's Eulogy by Lindsay
Reed |
"We’ve come together this afternoon to honor the
memory of a man who touched each one
of us in many
ways. Before I share a few thoughts on Matt and the
life he lived among us, I’d like to take a couple of
minutes to identify some of the connections Matt had
to those of us here today:
If you were ever part of a class that Mr. S taught,
please stand up.
If you ever played soccer, basketball, or walleyball
with Mr. S, please stand up.
If you were ever involved in public education with
Matt, please stand up.
If you were ever involved in ministry or outreach
with Matt, please stand up.
If you were ever part of a church or fellowship with
Matt, please stand up. Thank you.
 |
|
My name is Lindsay Reed and over the past 21 years,
I’ve been blessed to call Matt Schoenfelder my friend
and brother. When I first met Matt, he was a young man
of 23 with wisdom and maturity beyond his years,
faithfully serving as director of the Christian
training school I was attending. Ever since that time,
Matt has been a continual source of strength and
encouragement - always willing to give of himself for
others. This afternoon I’d like to take a few minutes
to reflect upon the life Matt lived among us:
First of all, who was Matt Schoenfelder? I believe the answer to that question is beautifully
stated in Numbers 14:24:
“But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different
spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into
the land which he entered, and his descendants shall
take possession of it.” (Numbers 14:24)
Like Caleb, Matt was a man with a different spirit
who followed the Lord fully! In an age of misplaced
priorities and vain pursuits, Matt stood out as a man
who lived every day with the conviction that intimate
relationship with the Lord was more precious than life
itself. It was this conviction that empowered Matt to
follow the Lord with all his heart and lay down his
life for others.
Simply put, Matt’s life was all about love
relationship with the Lord. From the moment he first
bowed his knee in surrender to Jesus as a high school
senior - to the moment he entered into the Father’s
presence on Sunday morning, Matt lived his life for
the glory of God - as a faithful husband to Liz, as a
loving father to Luke and Noah, as a caring friend to
many, as a dedicated teacher to hundreds, and as a
humble servant to the Body of Christ.
|
 |
In an age when many profess allegiance to Christ and
yet live for themselves, Matt stood out as a man who
embraced the cross of Jesus Christ, denied himself,
and ultimately lived to please his Father in heaven.
In his final days, Matt persevered through pain and
suffering with tremendous grace and fortitude, never
once complaining, but always entrusting himself fully
to the goodness and mercy of God. Let us honor Matt
today by carefully considering his example.
Flowing naturally out of Matt’s passion for Jesus,
was a love for people and a burning desire to see them
experience the abundant riches of God’s love and
mercy. This love for people caused Matt to place a
high premium on relationships with others. Several
years ago, at a reunion of those who had served the
Lord together at Last Days Ministries, Matt stood up
with tear-filled eyes to address those who were so
dear to him. His message was short and simple: There
is nothing on this earth as valuable and precious as
the relationships God has given us with others.
Cherish them and treat them with the utmost care. Let
us honor Matt today by carefully considering his
words.
What would Matt say to us if he was here today?
1. Follow the Lord with all of your heart. Surrender
fully to Him and His purpose for your life. Allow His
love to fill you, heal you, and transform you. Live
every single day to the fullest, bringing glory and
pleasure to your Father in heaven.
2. Don’t allow hurts, disappointments, or
disagreements to damage or destroy the precious
relationships that God has given you. Don’t allow
bitterness, resentment, or unforgiveness to poison
your life. If someone has hurt you or offended you,
forgive them and love them.
How can we honor Matt today?
Very simply, by choosing the path that Matt chose and
honoring the One whom Matt honored each and every day
of his life - the Lord Jesus Christ.
“But My servant Matt, because he has had a different
spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into
the land which he entered, and his descendants shall
take possession of it.” (Numbers 14:24)
Today Matt is living in the land of promise - the
heavenly city that was promised to him by his Father
many ages ago. The question you and I must ask
ourselves today is this: Will I join Matt in that
heavenly city? As Matt’s descendants - those whom he
has touched and loved - let us follow in his footsteps
and take possession of the land that was purchased for
us by the precious blood of Matt’s Saviour, the Lord
Jesus Christ!
Thank you!"
|
Only One
Life
performed by John Oliver
[words by C. T. Studd (1862-1931);
bridge & music by Matt Schoenfelder, about 1982]
Only one life--’twill soon be past
And only what’s done for God will last,
When I am dying, how glad I shall be,
If the lamp of my light was burned out for Thee."
Was burned out for Thee--Lord, take me and break me.
I give my life unto You...unto You... |
"A few days after Matt’s cancer diagnosis last
November, he felt impressed to make a video recording
in which he could share openly with his family and
friends. We will continue our remembrance of Matt by
showing a brief portion of that recording, followed by
a montage of photographs chronicling Matt’s life."
Matt's Video
Message
 |
|
Play Video
with RealPlayer |
Download/Save Video
(right-click, save as) |
|
|
|
|
Play Audio Only
*
with RealPlayer |
Download/Save Audio
(right-click, save as) |
|
* The Audio Only clip has better
sound quality than the video
View Photo Montage
of Matt's Life
(compiled by John Oliver)
Requires RealPlayer
If you have a slow internet
connection, this may be sluggish. |
|
|
For a DVD of the entire Service of Remembrance,
including Matt's video message and the photo montage,
contact John Oliver at
Johnno@ptdprolog.net.
|
|
Some of the
LDM friends who attended Matt's Service of Remembrance
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Tedones, Bernie Stukenborg, Austins & Janet
Stabler |
Liz Schoenfelder
& Wayne Dillard |
David & Elizabeth
(Dellinger) Austin
(Tim Good in the background) |
Martin Bennett
& Wayne Dillard |
 |
 |
 |
Liz Schoenfelder
with LDM friends |
L-R: Janet Stabler, Liz Schoenfelder, Karen
Tedone, David Austin & Tracey Reed |
Rebekah & Tracey (Phalen)
Reed & Linda Brasie |
 |
 |
 |
 |
John & Christine
(Trombetta) Oliver |
Dee Tedone & Linda Brasie |
Elizabeth (Dellinger) Austin, Karen (Delaney)
Tedone & Janet Stabler |
Janet (Burmeister) Stabler & Tracey (Phalen)
Reed |
Photographs courtesy of Martin
Bennett
View the Schoenfelder Family's April 2003 Hawaii Vacation Slideshow
|
|
