Funeral Program for Ella Marie Solomon Capers Hoskins (1933-2023)
Burial Office & Holy Eucharist for
Ella Marie Solomon Capers Hoskins (1933-2023)
Saturday, February 18, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.
Celebrant and Preacher: The Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda
Deacon: The Rev. Ella Roundtree-Davis
Pianist: Mr. Rufus Jones
Soloist: Ms. Laiken Williams
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In lieu of flowers, the family requests that charitable contributions be made to the Greenbriar Children’s Center. Checks can be made payable to Greenbriar Children’s Center, at 3709 Hopkins Street, Savannah, GA 31405. Donations may also be made online to their website at www.greenbriarchildrenscenter.org. Donors may mention in the note section that the gift is in memory of Mrs. Ella Marie Solomon Hoskins.
The Burial of the Dead
The people's responses are written in black bold and italics.
Unspoken instructions are written in red italics.
The Opening Anthem
[BCP, p. 491 / Hymn S-381]
I am Resurrection and I am Life, says the Lord. Whoever has faith in me shall have life, even though he die. And everyone who has life, and has committed himself to me in faith, shall not die for ever.
As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives and that at the last he will stand upon the earth. After my awaking, he will raise me up; and in my body I shall see God. I myself shall see, and my eyes behold him who is my friend and not a stranger.
For none of us has life in himself, and none becomes his own master when he dies. For if we have life, we are alive in the Lord, and if we die, we die in the Lord. So, then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's possession.
Happy from now on are those who die in the Lord! So it is, says the Spirit,for they rest from their labors.
[Words: Public Domain. Music: Mode 8 antiphon melody; adapt. Bruce E. Ford © 1985 Bruce E. Ford, Church Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.]
The Collect of the Day
[BCP, p. 493]
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
O God of grace and glory, we remember before you this day our sister Carmelita. We thank you for giving her to us, her family and friends, to know and to love as a companion on our earthly pilgrimage. In your boundless compassion, console us who mourn. Give us faith to see in death the gate of eternal life, so that in quiet confidence we may continue our course on earth, until, by your call, we are reunited with those who have gone before; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (61:1-3)
[Dr. Cheryl Washington]
1 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion—to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
A Reading from Psalm 121
[Ms. Tamara Lewis]
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills; * from where is my help to come?
2 My help comes from the LORD, * the maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved * and he who watches over you will not fall asleep.
4 Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel * shall neither slumber nor sleep;
5 The LORD himself watches over you; * the LORD is your shade at your right hand,
6 So that the sun shall not strike you by day, * nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; * it is he who shall keep you safe.
8 The LORD shall watch over your going out and your coming in, * from this time forth for evermore.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
A Reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (4:16-5:9)
[Ms. Jocelyn Bryant Harden]
16 So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. 17 For our slight, momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, 18 because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen, for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal. 5:1 For we know that, if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to be further clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3 for surely when we have been clothed in it[b] we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan under our burden because we wish not to be unclothed but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 The one who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a down payment. 6 So we are always confident, even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.8 Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to him.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
LEV #120: Sweet, Sweet Spirit
1. There's a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place, And I know that it's the Spirit of the Lord; There are sweet expressions on each face, And I know they feel the presence of the Lord.
REFRAIN: Sweet Holy Spirit, Sweet heavenly Dove, Stay right here with us, filling us with Your love. And for these blessings we lift our hearts in praise; Without a doubt we'll know that we have been revived, When we shall leave this place.
2. There are blessings you cannot receive Till you know Him in His fullness and believe; You're the one to profit when you say, "I am going to walk with Jesus all the way."
3. If you say He saved you from your sin, Now you're weak, you're bound and cannot enter in, You can make it right if you will yield, You'll enjoy the Holy Spirit that we feel.
[Words and Music: Doris Akers © 1962, 1990 Manna Music, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #21305. All rights reserved.]
The People stand, as they are able, for the reading of the Gospel.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to St. John (10:11-16)
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon
by The Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda, Rector
The Apostles’ Creed
[BCP, p. 496]
In the assurance of eternal life given at Baptism, let us proclaim our faith and say,
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
[BCP, p. 364]
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
Our Father, which 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
Prayers for the Departed
[BCP, p. 497; Mr. Charles Harden]
For our sister Ella, let us pray to our Lord Jesus Christ who said, "I am Resurrection and I am Life."
Lord, you consoled Martha and Mary in their distress; draw near to us who mourn for Ella, and dry the tears of those who weep. Hear us, Lord.
You wept at the grave of Lazarus, your friend; comfort us in our sorrow. Hear us, Lord.
You raised the dead to life; give to our sister eternal life. Hear us, Lord.
You promised paradise to the thief who repented; bring our sister to the joys of heaven. Hear us, Lord.
Our sister was washed in Baptism and anointed with the Holy Spirit; give her fellowship with all your saints. Hear us, Lord.
She was nourished with your Body and Blood; grant her a place at the table in your heavenly kingdom. Hear us, Lord.
Comfort us in our sorrows at the death of our sister; let our faith be our consolation, and eternal life our hope.
The Celebrant concludes with the following prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to you our sister Ella, who was reborn by water and the Spirit in Holy Baptism. Grant that her death may recall to us your victory over death, and be an occasion for us to renew our trust in your Father's love. Give us, we pray, the faith to follow where you have led the way; and where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, to the ages of ages. Amen.
LEV #188: Is It Well With My Soul
1 When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like seabillows roll; Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.
REFRAIN: It is well with my soul, It is well, it is well with my soul.
2 Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And has shed His own blood for my soul. [Refrain]
3 My sin oh, the bliss of this glorious thought My sin not in part, but the whole Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! [Refrain]
4 And, Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll, The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend, Even so it is well with my soul. [Refrain]
[Words: Horatio Spafford. Music: Philip P. Bliss. Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #95056. All Rights Reserved.]
A Silent Reading of the Obituary
On May 10, 1933, Ella Marie was born to Lucy [Jefferson] and William Clifford “Saul” Solomon, longstanding owner and operator of local Savannah waterfront institution, Saul’s Place on Wilmington Island. Ella Marie received her early education in local Savannah schools. At the age of 13, she transferred her membership from St. John Baptist Church and joined St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church. In 1948, she was crowned Miss Cuyler. To no surprise, Ella Marie’s 1951 graduating class at Alfred Ely Beach High School voted her “Most Comical”. 1956 was an eventful year for Ella Marie. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Home Economics from Central State University. Following graduation, she and Lawrence Capers were married. To this union, 3 children were born – Clifford Charles, Tina Alicia and Gina Marie.
Ella Marie employed her skills as an ADA-certified dietician at several hospitals in Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Her career focus shifted as Program Coordinator for Connecticut’s Housing Improvement Program where she facilitated the cultural and economic assimilation of newly-arrived Caribbean immigrants as they established themselves in this country.
Upon her return to Savannah, Ella Marie joined the Chatham County School System, where she taught Food Service at Richard Arnold Vocational High School and Savannah Vocational and Technical Schools for many years. While at Richard Arnold, she also led the Teen Age Pregnancy Program (TAPP), where she provided guidance and support to young mothers. Ella Marie developed parental and vocational skills to foster students’ success as parents, by earning a high school diploma and achieving gainful employment. Across these appointments, Ella Marie developed a group of accomplished culinary artists who launched successful careers with some of the city’s legacy fine dining establishments. Ella Marie has been a mentor to many of her students and young adults beyond her classrooms. To this day, they appreciate and respect her “tell-it-like-it-is” approach to life and love. In her retirement years, she continued to demonstrate her concern for our youth as a volunteer with the Juvenile Justice Court System.
In 1980, Ella Marie entered a 9-year marriage with Reverend Charles Hoskins, former rector of St. Matthew’s. For many subsequent years of her church life, she worshipped at the Collegiate Church of St. Paul. In the final years, Ella Marie looked forward to viewing on-line mass back where it all began, at St. Matthew’s.
On February 9th of this year, Ella Marie passed away peacefully surrounded by family. She is preceded in death by her infant son, Clifford Charles, and siblings, Evelyn, William “Kippy”, and Harriette. Ella Marie leaves to mourn her two daughters, Tina Capers-Hall (John) and Gina Capers-Willis, grandchildren Ian (Morgan) and Gabrielle Hall, and great granddaughter, Stoni Soleil Hall. Joining the immediate family, a host of nieces, nephews and extended family and friends will sorely miss her light and love.
The Eulogies
[Mr. Ian Hall and Mr. John Hall]
The Commendation
[BCP, p. 499]
Give rest, O Christ, to your servant with your saints, where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting.
You only are immortal, the creator and maker of humankind; and we are mortal, formed of the earth, and to earth shall we return. For so did you ordain when you created me, saying, "You are dust, and to dust you shall return." All of us go down to the dust; yet even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Give rest, O Christ, to your servant with your saints, where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting.
Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Ella. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.
The Blessing of the People
[Adapted from Enriching Our Worship 1, p. 71]
Live without fear: your Creator has made you holy, has always protected you, and loves you as a mother. Go in peace to follow the good road and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always. Amen.
LEV #189: Great Is Thy Faithfulness
1 Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with thee;
Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not,
As thou hast been thou forever wilt be.
REFRAIN:
Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed thy hand hath provided,
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!
2 Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness,
To thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. [Refrain]
3 Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,[Refrain]
[Words: Thomas O. Chisholm, Copyright © 1923, ren. 1951 Hope Publishing Co. Music: William M. Runyan, Copyright © 1923, ren. 1951 Hope Publishing Co. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #95006. All Rights Reserved.]
The Dismissal
[BCP, p. 366]
Let us go forth in the name of Christ!
Thanks be to God!
Permissions and Credits: This service is reproduced from The Book of Common Prayer 1979 (BCP), Enriching Our Worship 1 (EOW1), The Hymnal 1982 (Hymn), Lift Every Voice and Sing II: An African American Hymnal (LEV), and other sources cited. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible.