May 7, 1936 ~ February 9, 2025
November 15, 2025 Rev. Kent Gilbert, Pastor
11:00 am Dr. Bernardo Scarambone, Organist
Gathering Music
Ringing of the Peace Bell Sarah Grace Burns, Ethan Burns, Benjamin Freriches
Welcome Rev. Kent Gilbert
Opening Prayer Rev. Kent Gilbert
Opening Hymn They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love (v. 1)
We are One in the Spirit, We are One in the Lord (2x)
And we pray that all unity will someday be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our Love, by our Love,
Yes they’ll know we are Christians by our Love.
Reading Psalm 98 Seth Burns
O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory. The Lord has made known his victory; he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations. He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises. Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody. With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord. Let the sea roar and all that fills it, the world and those who live in it. Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity.
Response They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love (v. 2)
We will walk with each other we will walk hand in hand (2x)
And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land
And they’ll know we are Christians by our Love, by our Love,
Yes they’ll know we are Christians by our Love.
Reading Isaiah 59:19-21 Avery Stolte
So they shall fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun; for he will come like a rushing stream, which the wind of the Lord drives. “And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the Lord.
“And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the Lord, “from this time forth and forevermore.”
Response They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love (v. 3)
We will work with each other, we will work side by side (2x)
And we’ll guard each one’s dignity and save each one’s pride
And they’ll know we are Christians by our Love, by our Love,
Yes they’ll know we are Christians by our Love.
Reading Luke 18:1-8 Luke Freriches
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ ”
And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Response They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love (v. 4)
All Praise to our Maker from whom all things come,
And all praise to Christ Jesus, God’s begotten son,
And all Praise to the Spirit, who makes us one
And they’ll know we are Christians by our Love, by our Love,
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our Love.
Words of Remembrance and Reflection
Family and Friends led by Alesia Freriches, Margot Burns, Matthew Stolte
Homily Rev. Kent Gilbert
Hymn #351 I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry Borning Cry
1. I was there to hear your borning cry, I’ll be there when you are old. I rejoiced the day you were baptized, to see your life unfold. I was there when you were but a child, with a faith to suit you well; In a blaze of light you wandered off to find where demons dwell.
2. When you found the wonder of the Word I was there to cheer you on; You were raised to praise the living God, to whom you now belong. Should you find someone to share your time and you join your hearts as one, I’ll be there to make your verses rhyme from dusk ’till rising sun.
3. In the middle ages of your life, not too old, no longer young, I’ll be there to guide you through the night, complete what I’ve begun. When the evening gently closes in, and you shut your weary eyes, I’ll be there as I have always been with just one more surprise.
4. I was there to hear your borning cry, I’ll be there when you are old. I rejoiced the day you were baptized, to see your life unfold.
Affirmation of Faith Psalm 46:1-11
One: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
All: Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
One: There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
All: God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns.
One: The nations are in an uproar; the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice; the earth melts.
All: The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
One: Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
All: He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
One: “Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations; I am exalted in the earth.”
All: The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
~ New Revised Standard Version: Updated Edition (Friendship Press, 2021
Prayers of Commendation and Release Rev. Kent Gilbert
Hymn #547 Amazing Grace Amazing Grace
1. Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see.
2. ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved; how precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed!
3. Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; ’tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.
4. My God has promised good to me, whose word my hope secures; God will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures.
5. When we’ve been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we’d first begun.
Procession to the Garden
Those who wish may join the family in the Memorial Garden for a brief interment ceremony. Others are welcome to enjoy food and fellowship in the Community Room where family will greet you soon.
In the Garden
Prayers and Committal
Special Music Lord of the Dance Simple Gifts; Carter John Wright Rios and Ann Butwell
Gifts in Annriette’s memory may be directed to the Southern Poverty Law Center (splcenter.org), ACLU (aclu.org), or Union Church (union-church.org).
Scatter my ashes in my garden so I can hear my loves.
Say a few honest words, sing gentle songs.
Join hands in a circle of flesh.
Please tell some stories about me making you laugh.
I love to make you laugh.
When I’ve had time to settle, and green gathers into buds,
remember I love blooms and the bursting forth of spring.
As the season ripens, remember my persistent passions.
And if you are in my garden (or any garden) on an August afternoon, pluck a bright red tomato and let the juice run down your chin.
When I am gone, I want folks to smile and say “That Annriette sure was some tomato!”
~ Annriette Stolte
Annriette Stolte, a lifelong advocate for community, justice, and compassion, passed away peacefully on February 9, 2025, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, embraced in the arms of her children.
Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on May 7, 1936, to a family rooted in the farmlands of Ohio, Annriette grew up embracing education and independence as a woman to shape a better world. She studied English at Ohio Wesleyan University, where she cultivated a lifelong love of literature, music, and reflection. Her travels to postwar Germany began the day of her college graduation ceremony, which she chose to miss, to the dismay of her family, in order to travel on a steamship to Germany. Her travels introduced her to lifelong friends who lived through the Nazi regime and exposed her to the rebuilding of Europe—experiences that gave her a profound awareness of human suffering and resilience, insights that shaped her lifelong dedication to social work and justice.
In 1961, Annriette earned her master’s degree in social work from the University of Chicago, where she met her future husband, William (Bill) Stolte. The day after graduation, the two were married, beginning a 62-year partnership grounded in love, intellect, and shared purpose. Together, they raised three children—Alesia, Margot, and Matthew—while living in West Virginia, New York, and finally Berea, Kentucky, where they built a home filled with music, books, and lively conversation.
Music was an essential part of Annriette’s life and the heart of her family. She possessed a beautiful voice and sang for many years in seasonal performances of Handel’s Messiah, her soprano rising joyfully in community choirs and orchestral productions. At home, her children remember her nightly lullabies that filled the house with warmth and comfort, her voice a constant reassurance at the end of each day. An accomplished pianist, Annriette was the family’s musician (she tried so hard to pass the love of classical music to her children, to no avail)—playing for gatherings, accompanying others, and turning music into an expression of love, creativity, and connection.
Professionally and personally, Annriette exemplified the balance of intellect, independence, and devotion. She worked as a social worker in Eastern Kentucky, co-directed the Berea Children’s Center, and served on the Madison County School Board. She and Bill were founding members of Berea Home Village, helping elders age in place, and long-time leaders at Union Church, where they were honored as Lifetime Deacons for their service. A woman of deep practicality as well as purpose, Annriette understood the meaning of frugality—using resources carefully and thoughtfully so they could be applied toward meaningful endeavors that strengthened her family and community; she often referred to her “personal social dowry.”
Her sense of justice and compassion extended far beyond her home. She opposed nerve gas incineration at the Blue Grass Army Depot, sheltered refugees seeking asylum, and joined peace and civil rights demonstrations throughout her life, including support for the Poor People’s Campaign in Kentucky.
After celebrating 60 years of marriage in 2020, Annriette and Bill moved to Signal Mountain, Tennessee. Bill passed away in 2023. Her children and grandchildren remember her “Annie dill pickles” and the model of grace, empathy, and song—someone who lived her values fully and inspired others to do the same. Her grandchildren especially remember her steadfast encouragement to explore the world on their own terms, her unwavering belief in their potential, and her delight in being the first to send a joyful, spirited birthday wish each year—always loud, loving, and unmistakably “Grandma.”
This Celebration of Life honors a life devoted to love, learning, justice, community, and harmony.
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