Mary "Honey" Serrao Camara

(April 28, 1916 - September 9, 2007)

Memorial Service Main Page and Recordings

September 20, 2007 Memorial Service Transcripts

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Track 01: Solo - Amazing Grace (Stephanie Shade)

      

Track 02: Eulogy (JLL) >
Amazing Grace
by John Newton, others

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now I'm found,
Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
But grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.


The following verse is not by Newton. It was added to a version of "Amazing Grace" by Harriet Beecher Stowe, as it appears in her novel Uncle Tom's Cabin:

When we've been here ten thousand years,      the lyric is normally "been there"
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we'd first begun.

(repeated first verse)


Verses not sung:

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call'd me here below,
Will be forever mine.

Notes:

I didn't notice the singer stepping up to the microphone, so the recording doesn't have the first two lines.

This was one of the songs that was sung for Grandpa's funeral. Mom guys thought it would be nice to tie the two together, so it was added to the visitation time just before the eulogies. At first, they'd tried to get Kalani Brady (who sang at Grandpa's), but couldn't. I think it was good having someone else - I'm not sure why. It just fit - it was a different atmosphere, and I also liked having a woman sing at Granny's. Stephanie Shade also sang "Ave Maria" for the meditation song.

Since the release of the Amazing Grace movie, there have been many more versions popping up. I like the one by Chris Tomlin called "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)" on "Amazing Grace: Music Inspired by the Motion Picture" (as of 9/28/07, $10.99 at ChristianBook.com and $13.99 at Amazon.com). According to a Google search, he sings the first two verses (above), then his added one (below, with a slighly different melody), the "The Lord has promised good to me" verse (above), his "My chains are gone" verse twice, the "The earth shall soon dissolve like snow" verse (above) and ending with "Will be forever mine. You are forever mine."

     My chains are gone
     I've been set free
     My God, my Savior has ransomed me
     And like a flood His mercy reigns
     Unending love, Amazing grace

Also, Kris will be sign-dancing to ? by ? at our church on one of the Sundays around Thanksgiving.

See Track 09: Solo - Amazing Grace (Kalani Brady) from Avu's for more notes.

TODO