Lord, we remember DENNIS
HAMM and all that he meant to us, his friends, and his family, and we thank you
for all that you have done in and through his life.
We thank you for all that You meant to
DENNIS and all that DENNIS means to you. Lord I thank you for the number of
times that I personally have been blessed by You through my conversations and
time spent with DENNIS. Thank you Lord for the opportunities that I have had
and that everyone here has had to experience Your grace and love through the
life of DENNIS HAMM.
Amen.
1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (NIV)
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the
intelligent I will frustrate.”
20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where
is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the
world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not
know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save
those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we
preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of
God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human
wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were
called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were
influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things
of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame
the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised
things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that
no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ
Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness,
holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts
boast in the Lord.”
Swift
Current, the Swift Current Salvation Army, his friends and family and I will
never be the same after having met Mr. Dennis Hamm. Dennis was a good friend.
As I was
preparing for this time today I received an e-mail from Salvation Army
Headquarters reminding us about an upcoming men’s camp and fishing trip this
September. Dennis was already planning to be on that fishing trip. Dennis will
be missed on that fishing trip and Dennis will be missed around The Salvation
Army.
Again as I
was typing my thoughts for today on my computer I heard the ride-on lawn mower
come by my window. I stopped and looked over my shoulder almost expecting to
see Dennis riding the mower like he did so many times before.
There is so
much that the Lord has done through Dennis around The Salvation Army. Dennis
would volunteer to do whatever he could do. I am sure that Dennis has been
welcomed into heaven with open arms and I imagine that as soon as Dennis
entered through the gates of heaven he must have turned to the Lord and right
then volunteered - to drive the bus.
He then
probably inquired as to whether anyone needed dog food and proceeded to see if
there was a lawn up yonder needed cutting or a mower fixing; no doubt enlisting
as many friends as he could find to help. Such was the heart of Dennis Hamm.
The
Scriptures Harvey read from 1 Corinthians said in part:
26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you
were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not
many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the
foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the
world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the
despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29
so that no one may boast before him.
Dennis was
no more of wise and noble birth than most of us here. He was neither saddled
with wealth nor a university degree. He
was no closer to the halls of power and authority than most of us here…But you
would be hard pressed to find too many people who were willing to do more for
God than Dennis did through The Salvation Army in Swift Current. He really was
a fixture here. God used Dennis to help in many food drives and special events
and you could always count on him to be there when volunteers were needed. He
was a fixture at Bible study, fellowship time, men’s breakfast, fishing trips,
Sunday service and just about everything else that God did through The
Salvation Army here. I know God more through having met my friend, Dennis Hamm.
It came as
such a shock to me when we received the news of his promotion to Glory this
past Sunday. That morning he was better than I had seen him in a long time – it
had been a rough couple of weeks. He was happy. He was on the door that Sunday
morning covering for our usual church greeter and then, in the service, he
covered for our audio-visual person who was away. Dennis pitched in everyway he
could – even on his very last day here with us. If we can all spend our last
day serving the Lord and our neighbour in this way! What an example the Lord
has provided for us all through Dennis on his very last day here with us all.
Dennis was
a part of so many people’s lives in the community. He never shied away from
controversy or calamity. He had his opinions and he shared them and if someone
near didn’t share those opinions, I can still hear his ‘whatever’ ringing in my
ears. He could have a great sense of humour and if I made a comical remark to
him, he would often raise his arm, and with a wide smile say, ‘Let’s step
outside: One of these days, Captain, one of these days’. I will miss Dennis. I
always looked forward to meeting Dennis and I do look forward to meeting him
again in Glory.
Dennis was
a soldier in The Salvation Army with all the rights, privileges, and
responsibilities accorded to Salvation Army Soldiers. Dennis was my friend and
I will miss him. I will miss his stories. I will miss his adventures. I will
miss the excitement. I will miss his ready willingness to offer his advice and
his desire to volunteer with anything he could. I will miss my friend DENNIS
HAMM.
I will miss my friend but it will not be
forever: we can meet again. Because of this, for those of us here who do serve
the Lord as Dennis did, today can be a time of celebration because Jesus has
already won the victory through our Lord’s death and resurrection so that we
each have the opportunity to be with Him forever. Dennis was a faithful soldier
in The Salvation Army and in The Salvation Army we have a phrase for when a
loved one passes on and that phrase is a ‘promotion to Glory’ and promotions,
they are good things aren’t they? I pray that each of us, as we serve the Lord,
will receive our own promotions and at that time, may we all meet again.
Let us pray:
Lord we thank you for sending your only begotten Son so none of us need to
perish and we thank you that, everyone who calls on Your name is saved. We
thank and praise you for Your love that shone in and through Dennis’ life. Amen
.
.
Benediction:
Now may we go now in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in
joyous anticipation of the resurrection, at which time may we all meet again.
