Caring Through The Funeral A Pastors Guide

Caring through the Funeral is a guidebook to take pastors through the complete funeral process, from the moment the call is received to the weeks following the funeral. More than just a "how-to,” Caring through the Funeral uniquely addresses the funeral process from the perspective of pastoral ministry—of pastoral caring throughout the time of mourning, from the death through post-funeral grieving. Many times the funeral is the most momentous means of pastoral caring for the bereaved, and often it is the only time that the church has an opportunity to care for the family and friends. Gene Fowler explores what pastors go through at each stage of the funeral process. Both descriptive and conceptual, Fowler's practical advice, solid pastoral and theological grounding, and case illustrations take pastors and student pastors through many issues: - the language of loss—the vocabulary ministers need for this caring ministry - bereavement and grief - pastoral care of family members - pastoral care of non-family members, including groups within the church and community - the funeral as worship service, including a comparison of our Protestant liturgical books and the elements that comprise a Christian funeral - practical issues of planning the service, including sample services - funeral service as means of caring for the bereaved and as a rite of passage, and the interrelationship between funerals, mourning, and grief - how funerals often launch mourners on a spiritual journey - questions asked by the bereaved - role of resurrection in pastoral care - pastoral care after the funeral

Caring through the Funeral is a guidebook to take pastors through the complete funeral process, from the moment the call is received to the weeks following the funeral. More than just a "how-to,” Caring through the Funeral uniquely addresses the funeral process from the perspective of pastoral ministry—of pastoral caring throughout the time of mourning, from the death through post-funeral grieving. Many times the funeral is the most momentous means of pastoral caring for the bereaved, and often it is the only time that the church has an opportunity to care for the family and friends. Gene Fowler explores what pastors go through at each stage of the funeral process. Both descriptive and conceptual, Fowler's practical advice, solid pastoral and theological grounding, and case illustrations take pastors and student pastors through many issues: - the language of loss—the vocabulary ministers need for this caring ministry - bereavement and grief - pastoral care of family members - pastoral care of non-family members, including groups within the church and community - the funeral as worship service, including a comparison of our Protestant liturgical books and the elements that comprise a Christian funeral - practical issues of planning the service, including sample services - funeral service as means of caring for the bereaved and as a rite of passage, and the interrelationship between funerals, mourning, and grief - how funerals often launch mourners on a spiritual journey - questions asked by the bereaved - role of resurrection in pastoral care - pastoral care after the funeral

For pastors and congregations, caring for those who are grieving is a very important but difficult job. Gene Fowler believes that the church needs a theological understanding of bereavement that can inform the ministry of caring for grieving people. The heart of The Ministry of Lament addresses the relationship between bereavement and the Christian faith in the service of caring ministry. Throughout the book, Fowler brings the psalms of lament into dialogue with a contemporary understanding of mourning so that the entire grief process can be addressed theologically.

Modern life has led to an increase in traumatic deaths, such as accidents, murders, suicide, and other types of unanticipated, violent death. Family members and friends grieving a traumatic death face enormous shock, numbness, and despair, as well as the need to find hope and God’s mercy and grace in the midst of chaos, difficult questions, and confusion. The Christian church and faith community often do not provide appropriate pastoral care to help the bereaved overcome their despair. Jeonghyun Park explores the unique characteristics and dynamics of traumatic grief, or grief in response to traumatic death, and present several approaches to pastoral care. The survivors of a traumatic death are likely to ask pastors spiritually despairing and tough questions, such as, Where is God in this tragic death? If we have to accept this new reality, where can we find God’s grace and mercy, power, and justice? Pastors and other spiritual leaders can provide comfort to the loved ones of victims of traumatic death by assisting them with their questions concerning a “helpless God” and a “cruel God.” This book offers new insights through specific pastoral care models and guidance for families needing healing, recovery, and meaningful rituals.

Death will strike your congregation. Are you ready? Are they? Death has become a four-letter word. Whereas in previous generations, the practice of memento mori ("remember death") was embedded in family life, people today have found ways to distance themselves from death. As Western culture becomes increasingly more secular, the Christian understanding of death and the funeral appear more and more strange. Fear of death affects us all, and so pastors have significant hurdles to overcome. What Christians need today is a renewed vision of the traditional Christian funeral liturgy. In Funerals, Tim Perry recovers the rich theology inherent to the Christian funeral: communion with the saints in death, peace in forgiveness, hope in the resurrection, and joy in life eternal. Perry guides pastors through the practice of funerals, from planning the service to preaching the eulogy, and offers wisdom for the hard cases. Perry's Funerals will help pastors disciple their people to see through the valley of the shadow of death and into the hope beyond.

Introduction -- The new normal in American family caregiving -- Caregiving begins -- The costs of care -- Decision-making: with advance direction -- Decision-making: looking for direction -- Mourning rubrics and burial -- The intricacies of wealth transfer -- 21st century caregiving