The late humorist Grady Nutt said that during a wake, the home was so full that the only place he could meet with the widow was in the hall bathroom. When they finished, he stood up and just as she opened the door, he automatically flushed the commode. Every eye in the house gave him a horrified look that matched his own!
Pastors provide a tremendous ministry during the death of a loved one. They counsel, they listen, they lead eulogies, and they are there for you.
My Dad, age 92, died in January and his funeral was on my birthday. He had dementia and had really declined since last Fall. He was a wonderful Christian man, so his funeral was a celebration. It was great to see my pastor James Kerr and Bill Hounshell and Ken Dillard in the receiving line prior to the funeral. They had made the trip to Kentucky. We have received hundreds of timely cards and posts. These kinds of connections have more impact that I could have ever imagined.
The biggest surprise was the cost and logistics that my mother had to endure while grieving. My brother and our fantastic wives helped. Costs included funeral, obituary, casket, vault, thank you cards, flowers, honorariums, meals, and cemetery plot with updated tombstone.
While I can’t recommend grief counseling in a hall bathroom, I can give my thanks to God for Dr. Kerr and other CABA pastors who help in times of bereavement.
--Mark Snowden is the director for the Cincinnatia Area Baptist Association
Added:
Mission Dignity, a Guidestone Ministry, increased their funeral benefit for a widowed pastor’s spouse %10,000 a couple of years ago. Mission Dignity also provides $9 million annually in benefits to a number of widows. Applicants to the program need to meet some requirements. Consider having a Mission Dignity Sunday in your church. More info: https://www.guidestone.org/mission-dignity/
Comments