The Reverend John Wilson Price

The Holy CommunionThe Celebrant says this or another sentence of Scripture.Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. For everything in heavenand on earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom, and you are exalted as head over all. 1 Chronicles 29:11If you are a baptized Christian of any tradition, you are invited to receive communion with us after the Breakingof the Bread. The bread will be placed in your outstretched hands. At this service (which may have both vaccinatedand unvaccinated people), when the chalice of wine comes to you at the altar rail, you may only carefully dip thebread in it or decline it.If you are not a baptized Christian, or your Christian tradition does not allow you to receive communion with us,we encourage you to come forward at the time of communion to receive a blessing from a priest or bishop. Simplycross your arms over your chest as the priest or bishop approaches with the bread, and they will know to give you ablessing instead of communion. In this way, everyone can participate in this part of the service.Offertory Anthem: Day by dayDavid Ashley WhiteDay by day, dear Lord of theeThree things I pray:To see thee more clearly,To love thee more dearly,To follow thee more nearly,Day by day.The Great ThanksgivingThe people stand.Celebrant The Lord be with you.PeopleAnd also with you.Celebrant Lift up your hearts.PeopleWe lift them to the Lord.Celebrant Let us give thanks to the our Lord God.PeopleIt is right to give God thanks and praise.It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty,Creator of heaven and earth, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who rose victorious from the dead, and comfortsus with the blessed hope of everlasting life. For to your faithful people, O Lord, life is changed, not ended;and when our mortal body lies in death, there is prepared for us a dwelling place eternal in the heavens.Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company ofheaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:11

Sanctus (Hymnal S-130) Schubert12

Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself; and, when we had fallen into sinand become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son,to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself in obedience to your will, a perfectsacrifice for the whole world.On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and whenhe had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: This is myBody, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drinkthis, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for theforgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:Celebrant and PeopleChrist has died.Christ is risen.Christ will come again.We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts.Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holyfood and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive thisholy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all yoursaints into the joy of your eternal kingdom.All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ. By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of theHoly Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,Celebrant and PeopleOur Father, who art in heaven,hallowed be thy Name,thy kingdom come,thy will be done,on earth as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread.And forgive us our trespasses,as we forgive thosewho trespass against us.And lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil.For thine is the kingdom,and the power, and the glory,for ever and ever. Amen.13

The Breaking of the BreadThe Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread. A period of silence is kept.Agnus Dei S-164SchubertThe Celebrant says the following InvitationThe Gifts of God for the People of God.Anthem: Ave verum corpusHail, true Body, bornof the Virgin Mary,having truly suffered, sacrificedon the cross for mankind,from whose pierced sidewater and blood flowed:Nicholas WhiteBe for us a foretaste of the Heavenly banquetin the trial of death!O sweet Jesus, O holy Jesus,O Jesus, son of Mary,have mercy on me. Amen.14

Taizé #29 “Nada te turbe”Cecilia Duarte, mezzo-sopranoTaizé “Ubi caritas”15

After Communion, the Celebrant saysLet us pray.Celebrant and PeopleAlmighty God, we thank you that in your great love you have fed us with the spiritual food anddrink of the Body and Blood of your Son Jesus Christ, and have given us a foretaste of your heavenly banquet. Grant that this Sacrament may be to us a comfort in affliction, and a pledge of ourinheritance in that kingdom where there is no death, neither sorrow nor crying, but the fullness ofjoy with all your saints; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.The CommendationThe Bishop sprinkles water over the urn as a reminder that John was baptized into the death and resurrectionof Jesus Christ. Then the Bishop uses incense, which symbolizes our prayers rising as a fragrant offering to God.BishopPeopleGive rest, O Christ, to your servant with your saints,where sorrow and pain are no more,neither sighing, but life everlasting.BishopYou only are immortal, the creator and maker of mankind; and we are mortal, formed of theearth, and to earth shall we return. For so did you ordain when you created me, saying, “Youare dust, and to dust you shall return.” All of us go down to the dust; yet even at the gravewe make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.PeopleGive rest, O Christ, to your servant with your saints,where sorrow and pain are no more,neither sighing, but life everlasting.The Bishop saysInto your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant John. Acknowledge, we humbly beseechyou, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him intothe arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saintsin light. Amen.The Bishop blesses the people.The Deacon dismisses the people with these wordsPeopleLet us go forth in the name of Christ.Thanks be to God.16

Closing Hymn 625 “Ye holy angels bright”Postlude: ToccataDarwall’s 148thCharles-Marie Widor

John Wilson Price departed this life on August 5, 2021 in HoustonTX. He was ready for this journey and had done his best to prepareanyone who would listen to his reminder GOD LOVES YOU. Hemade the most of his 82 years, leaving a legacy of love, friendship, andaccomplishment. John is survived by his wife of 55 years, the formerArlene Bruchmiller, who appreciated his sense of humor and neverbalked at the responsibilities of a man devoted to his profession. Heis also survived by his son Robert Price with his wife Pansy and theirchildren Alexander, Geoffrey, Kate, Mina, and Sawyer, by his sonRick Price and his son William, and by his daughter Catherine Beebewith her husband Mark and their children Helen and Lucy.John was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, on November 24, 1938, toEvelyn Tyson Wilson and Dr. William Armstrong Price. He graduatedfrom St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Austin, Texas, in 1957, andfrom the University of Texas (Plan II) in 1961. He received a Masterof Divinity degree from Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria,Virginia in 1964 and was ordained an Episcopal priest in 1965. HePhoto by Len Wehrungserved at Trinity Episcopal and St. Mark’s Episcopal churches in SanAntonio, Texas. On Sunday evenings John hosted a radio programcalled “Theological and Religious Patterns in Sacred Music” on San Antonio’s only FM station. He joined theTexas Army National Guard and did military service simultaneously with parish work for 30 years, retiringas State Area Command Chaplain, Colonel, 1995.John served as Rector at St. George’s Episcopal Church in Austin, Texas, for 20 years (1968-88) and was activein numerous other diocesan projects. He was on its Building Committee for Camp Allen, a new DiocesanCamp and Conference Center. Over the years, he carved three crosses for the new camp identical to the crossthat washed away from the original Camp Allen in Baytown in the 1938 hurricane. He directed a particularlymemorable STARS WARS camp. Before any camp session, he patrolled the grounds with a machete anddispatched a total of 64 copperhead snakes over the years. He helped launch the Cursillo movement in thediocese of Texas, Cursillo #1 in January of 1980. He continued to develop his own spirituality and spent sixweeks at Pecos Benedictine Monastery, NM at their School for Spiritual Directors. Following this experience,he led retreats encouraging lay people to pursue spiritual development.During the years at St George’s, he participated in two parish exchanges, one with St. Mary’s, Hanwell,London, UK, 1975-76 and the other with St. Andrew’s, Chapala, MX, July 1986. In 1984, he secured a HUDgrant and founded St. George’s Court in Austin, a 60-unit apartment community for low income seniors andthe disabled. As John had opportunities, he held the door open for others. He hired the first woman priestin Austin who served part-time at St George’s and as chaplain to St George’s Court. He provided counselingto the Gay community and welcomed their members as an active and open part of St George’s.From 1988 to 1996, John served as rector of Holy Comforter Episcopal Church in Spring, Texas. During thistime, he worked with lay and clergy to develop a diocesan program to train spiritual directors. This programbecame FIND: Focus in Direction where John was the primary lecturer on The Psychology of Spiritualityand its components. Twenty-three years later, he taught his final class in June 2021.

After 32 years in parish ministry, John was ready to use his gifts in a different direction. While serving as ahospital chaplain at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in the Texas Medical Center ministering to patients on thetransplant floor, he found that niche. He began collecting accounts of those who had near death experiences(NDE) while clinically dead and combined many of these accounts into his book revealing HEAVEN,published by Harper Collins in 2013. The book and recordings of his associated lectures are proudly sharedby friends, family and other readers with those in need of comfort as they face death. His family and friendspolitely requested that he stop “researching” this material with such depth after a NDE of his own two yearsago. Everyone who loves John has cherished these bonus days with him.In retirement, John readily found other ways to pursue his calling. He assisted with services at PalmerMemorial Episcopal Church and served as Chaplain to Palmer Boy Scout Troops 511 and 1511 (a new BSAtroop for girls). He was awarded the St George’s Award of the Episcopal Church and the Inclusive ScoutingAward. Aware of his military and hospital background, the Federal Bureau of Investigation recruited him asChaplain, where he was “paid” in shooting range time with agents and held his own against them for the next16 years. After getting his Captain’s license, John had time to expand his love of sailing from inland lakes tocharter sailing in the US & British Virgin islands and the Adriatic. Always the storyteller, he injected humorevery opportunity he had, being partial to puns, “the highest form of humor.”Donations may be made in John’s memory to the Endowment Fund of Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church,to Camp Allen Scholarship Fund (18800 FM 362, Navasota TX 77868), or to a charity of your choice.For JohnDeep calls to depth [Psalm 42:7]The Presence calls like a magnet pullsThe Prompting is ceaseless limitless, total.Curiosity is it’s own resolvement.Love knows Love. Love serves the other.Beauty calls darkness into illumination.Light emits joy.Now You John belong fully.The Eternal Reigns True.All is healed-all forms transformed to release.Grace is everywhere. Depth calls to the deep.No slumber but the Great Awakening grants sight.Our friend, brother, father, teacher guide is Born Anew.Father John is also brother lightbulb incessantHis shining only grows more intense in the radiance of Christ’s nearer Being.The Beloved is ever and always now.Thank You sir for the example of brightness.Amen.— The Reverend Dub Brooks

6221 Main Street Houston, Texas 77030 713.529.6196 PalmerChurch.org

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of G