The Service in PDF format is at: January-21-2023 – Bob Glathar Service

Video of service is at: YouTube

AS WE GATHER

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Today we gather in the valley. Grief rising on one side, pain rising on the other. The valley can be lonely, treacherous, and all encompassing. I will fear no evil. Ahead lies a mountain, a mountain of hope. Joy and peace envelop all who pass through the valley and ascend the mountain. Today we make that journey to the mountaintop.

PRESERVICE MUSIC by Colleen Schulze

† Celebration of Life †

Robert William Glathar

January 7, 1950 to December 30, 2022

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION

PEACE CHORAL ARRANGEMENT

“A Servant in Your Heavenly House”

CALLING ON GOD Psalm 23

Pastor: In the name of the Father, the † Son, and the Holy Spirit.

People: Amen.

Pastor: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

People: He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

Pastor: He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

People: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,

Pastor: for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

People: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Pastor: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen.

OPENING SONG “Down to the River to Pray”

Sung by Autumn Smith

PRAYER

Pastor: Let us pray. O God of grace and mercy, we give thanks for Your loving-kindness shown to Bob and to all Your servants who, having finished their course in faith, now rest from their labors. Grant that we also may be faithful unto death and receive the crown of eternal life. We pray these things through Jesus, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

People: Amen.

Bob’s Life in Words

Bob Glathar passed away peacefully on December 30, 2022, in Orlando, Florida at the end of a fun filled vacation with family.

Robert William Glathar was born in Medford, Oregon on January 7, 1950, to Robert Leroy Glathar and Georgina (Thompson) Glathar. He was third in a family of 7 children. Bob grew up in Medford and enjoyed hiking, backpacking, climbing, and cross-country skiing. Bob earned his green thumb helping with the huge family garden and helped raise enough cattle to feed the family. Bob was involved in FFA and showed black angus cattle at the fair. In high school he built a rock garden and added a room onto the garage where he could play his guitar. Bob loved music throughout his life, and especially loved to sing. He sang in the choir while in high school. He graduated from Medford Senior High School in 1968.

After graduation Bob attended Oregon State University where he majored and graduated in religious studies. It was also at OSU that he met his wife, Kay Smith. They were married in Medford, Oregon on June 24, 1972. When Bob decided not to go to seminary, he worked at Paul Barber Hardwoods in Philomath and then Sears in Albany until he decided to study computer programming and electronics at Linn Benton Community College. During this time he also earned a private pilot’s license, something he had always yearned to do.

While Bob was finishing his Associate Degrees at LBCC he was offered a position at Hewlett Packard as a computer programmer. He continued with HP finishing his degrees and becoming a network engineer. He worked for HP for 26 years and retired at the age of 52.

While at HP, Bob had the privilege of setting up an office for HP in Dublin, Ireland and was later offered a two-year position in Leixlip, Ireland as a network engineer. Bob, Kay, and Anthony relocated for the duration of the position and all three loved their time in Ireland. They attended Lucan Presbyterian Church and Bob sang in a gospel choir.

To his family, Bob was “Papa.” Bob and Kay had two children, Andrea and Anthony. Bob and Kay enjoyed sharing their home with others who became extensions of the family. The Glathars hosted three exchange students which encouraged a thirst for travel, with destinations across the US and Europe. Bob and Kay also opened their home many times for a roommate or student to join them.

Throughout his adult life, Bob was a very active and faithful member of Peace Lutheran Church in Philomath. He served as an Elder and Treasurer for many years. He sang in the choir and was chairman of the building committee when the church added a fellowship hall.

When Bob retired, he learned how to weld and bought a shop in which to build furniture and complete metalworking projects. He and Kay continued to travel and enjoy their kids and grandkids. He was sure to communicate how much he loved his family, and how proud he was of them. It was not uncommon to hear him say “you know, I’ve lived a good life.”

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Georgia, his sister Patricia, and his brother Gordon. Bob is survived by his wife, Kay, daughter, Andrea Johnson (Matthew), son Anthony Glathar (Sarah), sister- in-law Karen Beaman, brother Tom Glathar, sisters Tammy Freudenthaler and Donna Glathar, six grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Peace Lutheran Church in Philomath.

BOB’S LIFE IN PICTURES

Music from Luccan Gospel Choir, Ireland.

FIRST READING Romans 8:31-39

³¹What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

³²He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

³³Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

³⁴Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

³⁶As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

³⁷No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

³⁸For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,

³⁹nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

GOSPEL John 14:1-6

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. ²In 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?

³And 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. ⁴And you know the way to where I am going.”

⁵Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ⁶Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

SONG OF TRUST “It is Well With My Soul”

Ben Fielding, Horatio Gates Spafford, Philip Paul Bliss, Reuben Morgan; 2011 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

When peace, like a river,

attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot,

thou hast taught me to say,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

Chorus: It is well (it is well)

with my soul, (with my soul)

It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet,

the trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded

my helpless estate,

And hath shed his own

blood for my soul.

Chorus

My sin oh, the bliss of

this glorious tho’t:

My sin not in part,

but the whole

Is nail’d to the cross

and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,

O my soul.

Chorus

And, Lord, haste the day

when the faith shall be sight,

The clouds be roll’d back as a scroll,

The trump shall resound

and the Lord shall descend,

“Even so,” it is well with my soul.

Chorus

WORDS OF COMFORT

Pastor Lucke

Part 1

Part 2

Prayer by Kevin and Claire Hargaden

Pastor: We gather today through a mighty strength – the invocation of the Trinity – in gratitude to God for the love we shared with Bob. In the midst of our pain, we can see a glorious ‘nearness by resemblance’ to heaven itself in the days we enjoyed with him and we boldly declare – standing amidst the prayers of the patriarchs, the predictions of the prophets, the preaching of the apostles and the faith of the confessors that Bob rests now with the righteous and will arise in glory when that trumpet sounds.

Pastor: Ever-loving God, we need your counsel, we hunger for your peace within. May you remind us in our grief of the good things we can treasure and open us to the infinite possibilities that are born in faith.
Most of all, Lord, we ask for your help in remembering well:

In his attention to craft and his delight in well-made things, Bob’s life directs us towards the Creator God who rejoices over the birds in the air and the flowers in the field, has counted every hair on our heads and numbered each of our days.

In his commitment to his family and his generosity to his friends, Bob’s life directs us towards the Sustaining God whose abundance is never-ending and who is intent on turning enemies into neighbors and neighbors into friends.

In his love of travel and adventure, Bob’s life directs us towards the Redeeming God, who is not content to leave this world as it is – so often a vale of tears – but has promised to restore that which is cracked, heal what aches, and make all things new.

We go on today through:
God’s strength to pilot us,
God’s might to uphold us,
God’s wisdom to guide us,
God’s eye to look before us,
God’s ear to hear us,
God’s word to speak for us,
God’s hand to guard us,
God’s shield to protect us,
God’s host to save us.
We summon today all these powers between us and the evils that afflict us.
And we pray with thanks for the witness of our dear friend Bob. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

People: AMEN.