{"id":826,"date":"2009-07-21T18:53:40","date_gmt":"2009-07-21T18:53:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/?p=826"},"modified":"2010-12-22T12:51:08","modified_gmt":"2010-12-22T17:51:08","slug":"7205","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2009\/07\/21\/7205\/","title":{"rendered":"Bernice P. Brandel Remembered for Her Faith, Generosity"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Don Meyer<\/p>\n

NORTHBROOK, IL (July 21, 2009) \u2013 It was a mixture of celebration, sadness, humor and warm reflection as family and friends gathered Monday at Northbrook Covenant Church to remember the life and contributions of Bernice P. Brandel, who died July 8 at age 95.
\n
\nBernice and her late husband, Paul W. Brandel, were well known throughout Evangelical Covenant Church circles and beyond not only for their generosity, but for their powerful witness of faith in Christ.<\/p>\n

\"Walles\"Born May 10, 1914, in Chicago, Bernice married Henry F. Stege in 1943. Following Henry\u2019s death in 1975, she married Paul in 1976.<\/p>\n

Paul Brandel died in 1986 and since that time, Bernice devoted her life to continuing that legacy of generosity, especially causes that support children and students, as well as Covenant Ministries of Benevolence (CMB), North Park University and Theological Seminary, the denomination, her local Covenant church, Covenant camps and others.<\/p>\n

Bernice had been planning for this day since 2003, said Covenant Village of Northbrook Chaplain Richard Bergstrom of Monday\u2019s memorial service. She planned every detail, from soloists and songs to be sung to the specific version of the Bible to be used for the reading of scripture (King James version).<\/p>\n

\u201cDeep inside her were thoughts that planning one\u2019s own memorial service should not be so much fun,\u201d Bergstrom mused, \u201cbut it was.\u201d Despite the many accomplishments of both Paul and Bernice, the chaplain stressed that Monday\u2019s service was intended to lift up Christ and to celebrate Bernice\u2019s commitment to God and the important work of the church.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe would not want this homily to focus on her,\u201d said Derek Walles, pastor of Thomas Church in Stockholm, Sweden, who Bernice asked four years ago to preach her funeral sermon. Rather, she would want the message to \u201cfocus on Jesus and the gift of life and his saving love,\u201d Walles explained. \u201cThat is what she would want remembered.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walles (shown speaking in top photo) is the son of Charles and Darlene Walles, – the Brandel and Walles families have been close friends over the years. Chuck Walles serves as president of Covenant Trust Company.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer faith drove her curiosity,\u201d the pastor noted. \u201cGod was her focus.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Dwight\"He recalled one time when Bernice called him in Sweden and asked, \u201cYou\u2019re not preaching to the choir over there, are you? There are a lot of people who need to hear about Jesus Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walles shared a conversation he had with Bernice not long ago. \u201cShe asked God, \u2018Why as I still here?\u2019 She felt God answered, \u2018To do what you were created for \u2013 to enjoy me.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that\u2019s the challenge,\u201d Walles noted, \u201cto continue enjoying God. We forget what we were truly created for. Bernice knew that there was nothing more important that receiving and enjoying God. She knew that God has done for us and given to us more than we could ever repay. In her 95 years of life, the most important lesson was not about who or what she knew or what she had accomplished or where her treasures went, but about knowing who God is and enjoying him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Earlier in the service, two of her grandchildren, Kristine Classen and Robert Anderson, shared what became a familiar theme throughout the several reflections that were offered \u2013 a person who believed deeply that what God had given was to be shared with others, and her devotion to her family and encouraging them to live lives similarly devoted to Christ and his work on this earth.<\/p>\n

Reflections also were shared by LeRoy Johnson, who described Bernice as a \u201cspunky lady \u2013 you never had to wonder what she was thinking.\u201d He spoke of her deep concern for young people, including those in Sweden, and her gifts of books to pastors attending the annual Midwinter Pastors Conference as a way to help them continue their education. \u201cHer passion was deep and contagious,\u201d Johnson observed. \u201cShe was a difference-maker.\u201d<\/p>\n

David Dwight (lower photo), CMB president, shared three qualities he observed in her life that left a lasting impression on him: her inquisitive mind, her generous heart, and her passionate faith. Although she enjoyed sharing memories of the past, Dwight noted that her focus was always on the future, even at age 95.<\/p>\n

Special vocal music was provided by Arthur A.R. Nelson, parish associate pastor at Winnetka Covenant Church in Wilmette, Illinois, and James Hawkinson, executive minister emeritus of Covenant Communications, from White Bear Lake, Minnesota.<\/p>\n

To read a previously published story, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Report This Post<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NORTHBROOK, IL (July 21, 2009) \u2013 It was a mixture of celebration, sadness, humor and warm reflection as family and friends gathered Monday at Northbrook Covenant Church to remember the life and contributions of Bernice P. Brandel, who died July 8 at age 95.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-826","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nBernice P. 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