Friday 22 June 2012:
The Viewing ~ 5:00pm - 7:00pm
It was a sweltering hot day in Brooklyn, New York with the mid-morning temperatures hovering around the high 90 degrees mark. By mid-day, the temperatures rose to dizzying heights. For the family of Gennifer Canfield Cross, it was preparation day. The day we begin to say farewell, thou good and faithful servant. Farewell, dear mother! Apart from the heat wave, it was a rather serene day until the early evening. The skies suddenly became angry, the clouds darkened, lightening flashed, thunder rolled and a torrent of showers poured down. Showers of blessings! The dazzling fireworks continued to light up the heavens for quite a while, much like a precursor to a significant event to come.
@The Funeral Home
Shortly before 5:00pm a small crowd was milling around engaged in hushed reverent conversations; exchanging greetings and well wishes. The mood was somber but not necessarily sad. The small crowd started to grow exponentially, morphing into a steady stream of mourners, queuing up to pay their last respects to Gennifer Canfield Cross. Mom seemed ready for the entourage; resplendently dressed in white and peacefully poised in the coffin, which was decked with a stunningly beautiful flora of red and yellow roses. The immediate perimeter of the coffin was also decorated with huge and equally beautiful bouquets of flowers. Mom looked a bit different, but still beautiful nonetheless and more than anything else, she was definitely at peace.
The viewing needed every minute of the two hours allotted and then some.
The Vigil ~ 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Prelude…………………....................................…………...….Inspirational Music
Opening Prayers….…......................................……Canon Llewellyn Armstrong
In a solemnly rousing vigil officiated by the Reverend Canon Llewellyn Armstrong, the services celebrating the life of our beloved Gennifer Canfield “BB” Cross were held at Frank J. Barone Funeral Home Chapel to a standing room only crowd of approximately 400 people. The services commenced with an inspiring musical prelude by the resident organist. He surely knows how to tickle the ivories and work us into a musical frenzy.
The program began in earnest with a powerfully uplifting opening prayer by Cannon Armstrong. During the prayer, when Cannon Armstrong said "let us pray for the soul of our dearly departed Gennifer Canfield Cross”, reality started to hit us like a sledgehammer! Mom, our sweet mother is no longer with us; she has gone to the other side. We were overcome with emotions, the tears welled in our eyes and our knees buckled; but we had to stand firm and be strong. We had to hold it together.
"Oh death where is thy sting, O grave where is thy victory!"
Opening Hymn…………….................................….…….Jesus Lover of My Soul
The rites continued with the opening hymn, a classic written by Charles Wesley, “Jesus Lover of My Soul”, which is one of Mom’s favorite songs. The audience sang angelically accompanied by some brilliantly savvy strokes from the organist.
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 61: 1-3….......................................…......Keat Cross
The first of three scripture readings was taken from The Old Testament, the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 61: Verses 1-3 (NIV) and was ably read by Keat Cross, Mom’s brother.
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, the Lord has anointed me… to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”
Scripture Reading: Psalms 23…...................................................Darrius Cross
The scripture reading continued with Mom’s favorite Psalms: Psalms 23 (KJV); inspiringly read by her grandson Darrius (begotten of Samuel).
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil;
my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Hymn………………..............................….....Guide Me Oh Thou Great Jehovah
With a sweet fusion of falsettos, altos, tenors, basses, baritones and other voices, the second hymn; "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah"; another one of Mom’s favorite, was resonantly rendered by the audience and again the organist was virtuosos.
Scripture Reading: St. John 14: 1-6..…….......................……Tawana Campbell
In a comforting voice, Gennifer’s first granddaughter, Tawana (begotten of Lowell), read the New Testament scripture from the Gospel of Saint John, Chapter 14: Verses 1-6. (NIV).
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
Tribute.........................................................................Rev. Edith S. Drummond
Immediately following the scripture reading, the Rev. Edith S. Drummond, Mom’s pastor; delivered a spine tingling emotionally charged prayer, then she segued into a moving tribute that underscored a life well lived. She spoke passionately and with great sincerity about Mom’s strength, her character, her faith in God; her virtues and her enduring spiritually. Rev. Drummond, who prayed via telephone with Mom during her waning moments in the hospital, unequivocally assured us that Mom left this world in peace; and that she is going home to be with the Lord. There's no doubt about that.
Solo ("For Always - CeCe Winas")........…............………..…………Aretha Taylor
The next item on the program was a solo by our family friend Aretha Taylor who is blessed with a famous musical first name, a wonderful personality and a fabulous voice to boot.
Aretha can sing and sing she did, in an enthralling a capella interpretation of “For Always” by CeCe Winas. The entire audience was in the palm of her hands as she hit those high notes with perfect cadence.
Yes, Aretha blew the rafters off of the chapel. The encomiums followed with wide-mouth smiles, wild applause and revival infused amens. What a talented young lady and such an inspiringly beautiful song.
Remembering so well,
the day that I met you
You took me in your arms
and caused dreams to come true
From the fear of what would be
You came and rescued me
Lord I pray today
for the rest of my life
live inside my heart
please stay
for always
til that timeless place
when we're face to face
and we'll embrace
for always
I look ahead and see
the hills that I must climb
some high and some low
but if you lead I'll go
and at the end I'll see
You were always there with me
Lord I pray today
for the rest of my life,
live inside my heart
please stay
for always
till that timeless place
when we're face to face
And we embrace
for always.
The song may have ended but the melody still lingers on.
Thank you Aretha.
Tributes & Reflections (2 Minutes)…….........................…....…Family & Friends
After such fantastic singing, we had to lower the tempo a bit and cool the place down. The tributes by family and friends were next. In a spontaneous showing, all seven of Gennifer's children strode in unison to the podium. One by one in birth order (1-7), we bared our souls in an emotional outpouring of love for our dear mother. We spoke eloquently, fluidly and nervously. We regaled our mother, with unscripted words, impromptu singing, poesy and a chorus of tears. We were a united band of brothers and sisters and a collective pillar of strength for each other during the weak moments. We were together; we bonded and we made our Mom proud. Canon Armstrong later remarked during his sermon that this was one of the most poignant tributes he has encountered.
The tributes continued with some extolling and delightful words from Mom's brother Keat, grandson Darrius, nephew William, "adopted" son Robert, and several of her colleagues, neighbors and friends.
When we thought, we heard it all, there was more in store. Unarguably, Ms. Mary, a dear friend of Mom, delivered the most resonant and thrilling tribute of the evening.
Ms. Mary recounted how Mom embraced and befriended her, when she was a lonely immigrant and stranger to the United States. She proudly testified how Mom taught her to read. We listened in awe as Ms. Mary vividly reminisced about the lessons of voice, diction, pronunciation and comprehension that she learned under Mom’s tutelage. We gleaned that Mom was a stern no-nonsense tutor, a trait that runs in the family lineage.
With her voice breaking at times, Ms. Mary grasped the podium for support. She spoke affectuously about her Bible reading lessons with Mom. Miss Mary recalled a time while reading the bible and she mumbled over a big word that was difficult to pronounce. Mom of course, caught on and had Miss Mary re-read the passage until she mastered the pronunciation of that word.
In closing Ms. Mary attested that Mom gave her wings and taught her to believe in herself. As a result of this friendship, this warm embrace from a stranger, she was able to make a better life for herself and her family and to successfully assimilate in America.
What a tribute! The congregants were awed by such a genuinely moving testimonial.
This was a story that Mom never really shared...a trust she never betrayed. A story that epitomizes her character, her kindness and her sense of confidentiality. But above all this is a story right out of the scriptures; a story about a woman's love for her neighbor.
'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
Oh well, so much for bringing down the tempo!
Obituary/Eulogy…………….........................................……………….Philip Cross
The eulogy was next and undoubtedly Uncle Philip had a tough act to follow. If you know anything about Uncle Philip, he is organized; he likes predictability; he relishes preparedness and prepared he was. He did his homework, through thorough research, talking with family members, Mom's colleagues and harnessing various bits and pieces of data. He also knew Mom very well; after all, he is her brother.
At the end of the day, everything coalesced into a cogently succinct, yet detailed and balanced eulogy. We listened with rasp attention as Uncle Philip told Mom’s life story from her birth at Victoria Jubilee Hospital in Kingston; her family life growing up in James Hill; her education; her children; her career; her travels and ultimate settlement in America.
We got some much needed laughter with stories about Mom’s mischievous side as a child as well as her protective nature and her disciplinarian side.
Well done Uncle Philip, you were an excellent eulogist. That was beautiful. Thank you for encapsulating Mom's life so superbly, so splendidly.
Solo ("My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion").........................……Alexandra Philip
If Aretha blew the rafters off the chapel roof, you could say that Alexandra set the roof on fire with the next item on the program. In a rapturous rendition of the Celine Dion classic, "My Heart Will Go On" of Titanic fame; Alexandra permeated the place with her euphoniously powerful voice. This was a professional performance, delivered to perfection in sweet a capella. "The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire, we don’t need no water...”
During the last few verses of the solo, the organist couldn’t resist participating. He did so quite dexterously by blending in a few complementary bars that polished the ending without overshadowing the soloist. We were transfixed in a musical trance as we pleaded silently, don’t stop Alexandra, please don’t stop the music, sing some more.
Every night in my dreams
I see you, I feel you
That is how I know you go on
Far across the distance
And spaces between us
You have come to show you go on
Near, far, wherever you are
I believe that the heart does go on
Once more you open the door
And you're here in my heart
And my heart will go on and on
Love can touch us one time
And last for a lifetime
And never let go till we're gone
Near, far, wherever you are
I believe that the heart does go on
Once more you open the door
And you're here in my heart
And my heart will go on and on
You're here, there's nothing I fear
And I know that my heart will go on
We'll stay forever this way
You are safe in my heart
And my heart will go on and on.
Wow!
For a New York minute, the audience was silent as if sound was taken hostage. Then the deafening silence transmogrified into prolonged applause, amidst amens and a sprinkling of hallelujahs.
Awesome job Alexandra! Take a bow. Thank you so much for honoring our Mom with your talent.
Hymn………………..............................…..….Lead us Heavenly Father Lead Us
That was a great inspiration for the next "act", which was the third Hymn, "Lead Us Heavenly Father Lead Us". The Architect and Surveyor, James Edmeston wrote this hymn and it is another favorite of Mom. The congregants sang heartily and you could feel the presence of God in the Chapel. "Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us; O'er the world's tempestuous sea..."
Sermon………………..……...........….....................…Canon Llewellyn Armstrong
Closing Prayers……....................................……......Canon Llewellyn Armstrong
"I heard me a sermonette, have you heard it yet?
With that soulful message, that you won't soon forget
And so to have no regrets and to find what you are missin'
Bow your heads and listen to this sermonette.”
Canon Llewellyn Armstrong was next on center stage to deliver the sermon. What is he going to tell us? Will we soon forget? It was a memorable evening thus far and the stakes were high, the bar was raised. It is show time.
Immaculately dressed in a well-tailored flowing off-white robe, Canon Armstrong stepped to be podium with deliberate haste. Steps he has taken countless times over several decades of his illustrious priesthood. He took a furtive glance at Mom's body laying in the coffin and then his gaze purposely shifted to Mom's children and grandchildren seated in the front row and then panoramically to the entire audience. It was a practiced yet spontaneous gaze, a gaze that said, "don't worry, everything is gonna be all right". It was also a gaze that demanded attention and respect; it is time for the Word.
He had everyone’s undivided attention and we were ready to receive the Word. Canon Armstrong did not disappoint. He delivered a great and profound sermon. A memorable sermon indeed. A Christian sermon, which was ultimately about Christ and the promise held for those who die and for those who live.
After his customary prayer for guidance and strength, Canon Armstrong began his sermon by acknowledging the loss of our dear mother. Using excellent elocutionary skills, the Canon weaved in snippets from the program; the scriptures read; the tributes; the hymns and the solos into a literary tapestry. He gave thanks to God for placing Gennifer Canfield Cross in our lives, to know and to love. He reiterated, the promises of God in Christ; which is the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life.
It is fair to say that no funeral sermon is worth preaching without reminding the congregants about their own mortality. Canon Armstrong did so bluntly and with scriptural certainty when he said, "one day all of us are going to die". He then followed-up with the very relevant and recondite question, "and how do you want to be remembered?”
He paused, to let the question sink in…"and how do you want to be remembered?”
The Canon brilliantly answered the question with the humorous story of the cab driver and the preacher who went to heaven. The story goes like this:
"A cab driver reaches the Pearly Gates and announces his presence to St. Peter, who looks him up in his Big Book. Upon reading the entry for the cabby, St. Peter invites him to grab a silk robe and a golden staff and to proceed into Heaven.
A preacher is next in line behind the cabby and has been watching these proceedings with interest. He announces himself to St. Peter. Upon scanning the preacher's entry in the Big Book, St. Peter furrows his brow and says, "Okay, we'll let you in, but take that cloth robe and wooden staff."
The preacher is astonished and replies, "But I am a man of the cloth. You gave that cab driver a gold staff and a silk robe. Surely I rate higher than a cabby."
St. Peter responded matter-of-factly: "Here we are interested in results. When you preached, people slept. When the cabby drove his taxi, people prayed."
In closing, Canon Armstrong articulated that the moral of the story is about tangible results. A life well lived, a life worth living, a life that is worthy of heaven; is life that yielded tangible results.
Gennifer Canfield Cross was an exemplar of a life well lived; a life of tangible results. May her soul rest in peace.
Closing Hymn…….....................................…Praise My Soul the King of Heaven
After the closing prayers, Canon Armstrong led us into singing the final Hymn, "Praise My Soul the King of Heaven". This is a lovely hymn, written by Rev. Henry Francis Lyte, for his congregation at Lower Brixham in Devon, England and another favorite of Mom.
Prior to the recessional, there was another viewing of the body and the family members got an opportunity to greet everyone. There was an overflow of love in the chapel as we shook hands, exchanged hugs and received more condolences and kind words.
Recessional.............................................................………….Inspirational Music
As we made our exit from the chapel, the faint background music rose into a crescendo to close the evening's event with the few remaining bars of "When the Saints Go Marching In".
Oh what a night!
