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Back when we started putting the Funeral Ministry portion together we were at a conference, and in a conversation with a priest,
he stated, "Why do we need that? Between the funeral home and the church it is all taken care of." Having recently gone through
arranging a funeral for a 21-year-old son, I knew his statement was false. But, I didn't have the documentation, or the will
to argue the point. Now, many years later, I heard the same statement at another conference from a Family Life Minister.
I don't fault them, as neither had lost a spouse or child. To answer these Doubting Thomas' we have developed a list -- "What
is Needed to perform a Funeral." We use this list in our training sessions. The Church has five items; the Funeral Home has
seven; but the family has twenty-five. The family also has to contend with the shock of the loss. For the funeral Home and
Church, they follow their routine.
Fortunately, we were not discouraged early and went on to develop the Funeral Packet. This information was compiled by analyzing
many funerals, and by much volunteer input over many years on how best to serve a family during the time of a death. There
are thirteen areas covered in this packet, and I will discuss two of them.
The first item is the Funeral Priorities Checklist. This list covers forty-four items in eight categories. Until this
list was developed all the information was in the volunteer's heads, and they had to ask the responsible party tons of questions.
Now the volunteer sits down with the families and goes over the list of what should be done, and how the volunteer might help.
The volunteer is also on standby until after the funeral to answer any questions or to provide any other needed assistance.
The next item is the Funeral Home Price Comparison Sheet. This compares the prices of the four types of funerals --
Traditional Funerals; Immediate Burial; Cremation with a Viewing; and Direct Cremation. It also compares the funeral homes
in an area.
It is not about getting the cheapest price. It lets the family make decisions with knowledge and no pressure. Who wants
to make a $1,0000.00 to $20,000.00 purchase with no knowledge or comparisons, at a single source, while not thinking clearly?
In
many Coalitions, Funeral Ministry members can meet with families and help them make funeral plans in advance. It helps remove
a lot of pressure at the time of a death.
I started this article with a negative comment, and will end with a positive.
A while back we met with a Pastor and a committee that were considering the Ministry. When we reviewed the Funeral Ministry
portion, a widow of two months said, "We need this. Pastor, you were there for me, but this is also help that I could have
really used." They are now installing the entire Ministry.
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