My First Funeral Service

Last Friday I performed my first in-church funeral service. I had done a couple of graveside services when I was much younger; but this was my first funeral service performed as a memorial/thanksgiving thing.

I did not know the guy who died; he was a friend of several of the parishoners of the church. Receiving the call last week, I met with the surviving girlfriend (not legally married but together for years and years), the sister of the deceased, and a friend who was a member of the church. Referring to the UCC's Book of Worship, we planned the service together. Prior to our meeting, I had met with a retired Lutheran minister to get some ideas on what to ask the family and how to plan the service. Oh, and I didn't tell the deceased family that this was my first service. I remained calm throughout the planning.

The service, which happened last Thursday, was great. It wasn't too long, the order of service went smooth, and everyone who spoke about the deceased, all pretty much said how great a guy he was. The Eulogy (that I combined with the sermon, at the suggestion of the Lutheran minister) was warmly received too.

Following the service, several of the visitors remarked how the funeral was, bar none, the best funeral they've ever attended. The girlfriend of the deceased loved it too. It sure made me feel good to honor the memory of the deceased in such a way as to allow everyone else to do the same, and to feel comfortable with it all.

Thinking back over this past weekend, I was wondering how odd it is that this is my first funeral. And, I was thinking about how whenever I do something new that I've never done before, God always has this way of making sure I do whatever it is I need to do, very well. I am so convinced that God is not only with me in ministry, but is actively working alongside of me- in situations like this funeral, it becomes so evident afterwards.

God is just soooooooooooooo wonderful and amazing.