Remembering Jane Harrell

by Church Leaders

Jane Harrell, a member of our parish, passed away last Wednesday, August 5. Jane joined our parish about two years ago and immediately jumped right into parish life! She was a member of the choir, EfM, and was elected to the vestry in January 2020. Recently she became involved in the work of the Faith in Action Commission and was a strong advocate for establishing a scholarship fund to serve local underprivileged young persons seeking to improve their lives through education.

Jane was a woman of strong and deep faith. Before coming to us, she was an active member of the Methodist church. As many of you know, it was just a few weeks ago that she was diagnosed with cancer. Because the cancer was in an advanced stage and an aggressive form, we knew that her time here with us would be short. Jane responded to the news with a tremendous measure of grace, courage, and faith. In her final days, she expressed her love for and trust in God, and her love for this parish. She found a home here at Good Samaritan, and many of us had the privilege of knowing her well. She will be missed.
Our faith teaches us that at death, life has not ended but changed. Jane is at peace now and with God. She has joined that great cloud of witnesses that the writer of the book Hebrews tells us is cheering us on in our own journey of faith.
Jane is survived by a sister, her two children (Miller and Laura) and their spouses, and several grandchildren.
We want to make you aware of three ways to celebrate the life our friend:
  1. Attending in-person worship on August 16 (in person or online)
  2. Sharing remembrances and prayers with the parish on MyGoodSam
  3. Giving to Good Sam’s new Educational Scholarship Fund, which Jane helped create.
Read below for the details on all three of these options.

Attend Outdoor Worship on August 16

It was Jane’s desire that in light of the pandemic a burial service not be held but rather prayers be offered for her and her family during a Sunday service of Holy Eucharist. This Sunday, August 16, we will remember and honor Jane at our 10:30 am outdoor service of Holy Eucharist.
We will offer the Eucharist in thanksgiving for her life and witness and bless the hats she knitted for distribution this winter at Issaquah Meals. The service will be offered online on our Facebook page, as usual. Registration is required for those choosing to attend the service in person.

Share Your Remembrances in MyGoodSam

Since we will not be gathering in person to celebrate and remember Jane, we have set up a group in MyGoodSam so that anyone can share a story or a prayer for Jane with the parish.
Click the button below to go directly to the group. You may have to log in to MyGoodSam, but once you do, simply click the button in the top right corner that says “Join the Group.” To post messages, you can click on the MESSAGES tab and then the “New Message” button. Everyone in the group will receive the message.

The Good Samaritan Education Scholarship Fund

Several months ago, the Good Samaritan Faith-in-Action Committee set out to identify how we might help address inequities in our community, many of which are particularly acute in this time of unsettled and changing social dynamics. Our focus was sharpened by the events surrounding the death of George Floyd and the renewed national conversation about racism and, in particular, its economic injustice component. We found ourselves increasingly drawn to creating opportunities to positively impact the lives of youth who are struggling to better themselves with limited available resources.
Working with Friends of Youth and The Lake Washington Institute of Technology, we are in the process of establishing a scholarship focused on disadvantaged youth of color who are ready to take a step toward advancing their learning and furthering vocational skills.
Jane Harrell, who spent a lifetime contributing to the betterment of those less fortunate in her community, was a member of the vestry work group focusing on mission and was instrumental in helping us understand the need among disadvantaged youth of color, and how even a small contribution can profoundly change lives. It is in this spirit that we have created the Good Samaritan Church Faith-in-Action Education Scholarship Fund, with our 2020–2021 grant in memory of our friend, Jane Harrell.
Jane and her family have requested that those wishing to honor Jane’s memory contribute to this scholarship fund. Contributions can be made by
  • sending checks to Good Samaritan Episcopal Church, with “Harrell” or “scholarship fund” in the memo line
  • giving online, using the button below. Choose the “Education Scholarship Fund” on the giving page.
For more information, contact Fr. Steve or any member of the Faith in Action Commission.

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