Home: A Memorial Service Sermon for Rhea Sprecher

This sermon was preached at Grace Lutheran Church (River Forest, IL) at the memorial service for Rhea Sprecher on May 2, 2026. You can view the livestream recording and the bulletin.

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

Friends in Christ, grace be unto you and peace in the name God the Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

1. Rhea, as we all know, was one of a kind. She was larger than life. Her life was too big for just one home. Not that she owned multiple properties, but that she insisted on maintaining her membership and very active involvement at Grace, in spite of living in an entirely different state. Why not move closer? Well, there are any number of reasons, but I believe that she just couldn’t bear to move away from her beloved Green Bay Packers. When she was prevented from making the drive to Grace on Sunday mornings, first by the pandemic and later by her health, she would sometimes send me brief emails after worship: “Good sermon, Pastor; let’s go Packers.” And yes, Rhea, I am wearing the Packer socks you gave me. Of course, Rhea’s home was about more than location. She was always at home in the world of art, and, more amazingly, had the knack for making students of all ages at home there, too. What a treasure she has been for the people of Grace, opening our eyes to see what might have remained hidden from us. But even more, wherever she was, in Wisconsin or Illinois, in Iowa or Michigan, or the museums and vineyards of Europe, Rhea was always at home with the God who makes God’s home with us.
2. We gather this morning in our grief that our friend, Rhea, is no longer here. Our tears are holy, our memories treasured. In the midst of our sorrow, Jesus speaks: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” In the way she lived her life, Rhea helped us to her these words, helped us to see the beauty of God’s presence. Not because she lived a life without trouble or difficulty, but because she knew from where her hope and help would always come. Jesus goes on to say, “Believe in God, believe also in me.” Rhea’s life was a life of unwavering faith, painted in baptismal waters, lived in the rich palette of her Creator and Redeemer. Rhea was steadfast, holding fast to the God who was holding on to her. In all places and through all things.
3. We gather in this Eastertide, two worlds visible to us. Yes, we still see the old, sad colors of sin and evil and death. But with eyes of faith, we see a new work coming to fruition and fulfillment. A new vision of grace and hope, mercy and love. A world of joy and peace in which all people are invited into the joy of the Master. For Jesus himself has come among us. In our doubts and questions, we wonder: Where are you going Jesus, and what will happen to us? Jesus speaks to us as he spoke to Thomas: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. I am the presence of God the Father. I am your home and I make a home for you forever. I am the One who sets out the feast of the world to come, with rich foods and champagnes even better than the best of Europe. I am the One who is present for you here, now, in this feast of my own body and blood. As Jesus speaks these words to us today, we rejoice that in the resurrection Rhea hears now these words no longer mediated through the gift of the church, but directly from the voice of her Savior and Shepherd, in whose presence she now dwells forever in the glory of God.
4. Rhea helped us to see, but she also helped us to show. Each Christmas, our worship bulletins feature the artwork of the children of Grace. Scenes of angels and shepherds gather around the Virgin and her newborn baby boy. Rhea helped the students understand and love this art, and made the children believe that they could be artists, too. She helped them share the good news of Jesus with others. In the same way, her steadfastness and perseverance show us a way forward even in our grief in this work-in-progress world.
5. Today, we gather with grief and sorrow, but we also catch a glimpse of the life of resurrection that is unfolding for us. Here, in this place she loved so much, with people who loved her so much, we are reminded that we are met by the crucified and risen Lord Jesus. He has come into this world to make a home with us, and to be for us the way home forever. In the truth of that life, abundant and eternal, we give thanks for Rhea and unleash our Alleluias to God. Death is dead and Christ is alive. Death is dead and, in Christ, Rhea is alive. Death is dead and we, too, shall live. In the hope and artistry of our God, we go forward from this moment with hope alive in our hearts. Amen.

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed. Alleluia!

And now may the peace that passes all understanding keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, this day and forever. Amen.