Funeral

I walked into the office yesterday, looking like Johnny Cash (all black w/the exception of the boots), and Pastor Wayne asked, "You look like you're going to a funeral." As a matter of fact I was. Not only going, but presiding over my first ever. Although I have assisted with PW on two others (the latest being last week), this was to be a solo effort. I was informed of this on Tuesday when the funeral director for the town of Dresser called the church to see if he could "rent-a-pastor". PW then said in effect, "OK It's all yours. Have fun!" Yow!

I went down and met with the family, 8 of 9 children of the woman who had passed away. Although there was some sadness, they were gracious and as they reminisced, there were times of humor. They all said that they would not give personal eulogies and left it to me to "flesh out" their mother. One of the tools they had to assist in that was a book that their mom had filled out that asked questions about her life from parents and siblings through the early years and on into her later life.

Armed with my own notes and the book, I had for all intent and purposes one day to write a sermon. Which happened, amazingly enough! (Posted at sermonseminarian.blogspot; there is a link to the right>>>>)The other great thing is that PW has laid out the funeral service on a Lotus spreadsheet, which allows the presider to tailor the funeral. Arriving at the funeral home a half hour before the service, I felt strangely calm. I greeted the individual children and then went to work giving Jesus to the 40-50 people in attendance. At the cemetery afterward one of the children asked if I did this often. I confessed that this was my first time, which surprised him. He thanked me for the nice job, for which he was welcomed, and then it was back to the office.

Someone asked me later if it was difficult to conduct a service , when i didn't know the family. I replied that a) I had no basis to make such an evaluation, it being my first funeral, and b) I barely knew anyone in the congregation as it was. I am sure that in the future there will be more difficult funerals, but at present, I am thankful that there was an element of beginner's luck and that the Holy Spirit was alongside guiding. God truly is good!