Lions Club Memorial Service
By Lion Past District Governor Joel Ragovin
The following is the text of the Necrology Service held May, 16, 1999. This could very well be adopted for Club, Zone, Region or District use.
(At the beginning of the service, the bell is rung three times.)
We call to order this special meeting of Multiple District 23, to commemorate the Lions and Lioness who are no longer able to answer the call at our meetings. We stand here today to honor those who at this very moment just one year ago stood with us as together we served humanity. They were our husbands, they were our wives, they were our fellow Lions. Those with whom we worked side by side. Always giving of themselves. At this moment in time just one year later they are silent. But if they could speak today, they would ask that the torch of service, the torch of Lionism be passed to those of us who remain.
"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven; a time to be born and a time to die; a time to tear down and a time to build; a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together..........."
Ecclesiastes 3:1
Our hearts are saddened by the loss of these many Lions, but we are grateful to them for sharing their great compassion and energy with us. Each had a concern for their community and the communities of the world. Each had compassion for their fellow man which is the essence of Lionism. Each worked long and hard to create an atmosphere of service and fellowship that makes all of us so very proud to be part of the greatest service organization on earth.
They are no longer with us in Life, but their Lion's spirit remains to inspire all. Let each of us here today reach out and accept the torch as it is passed to us to carry on complete the humanitarian deeds; to fulfill their dream and the dream of Helen Keller, that one day soon we will eradicate the causes of preventable blindness. Take the torch and hold it high and hold it proudly for you are the hope of the future.
You watched as each District Governor placed two flowers in a vase, using the Lions colors, one purple and one gold to symbolize in our hearts that they are Lions forever. The flowers will remain by the Lions emblem throughout the remaining hours of this convention in remembrance of those Lions and Lioness who remain with us in spirit.
So today we honor and remember our departed Lions . May we have a moment of silent prayer to reflect on their lives.
(At the conclusion of the service the bell is rung three times.)
I now declare this special meeting adjourned.