Customer Reviews

The Minister's Manual for Funerals

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I have owned this dandy little book for about three or four years and it has come to my rescue several times. Not only have I found it a great "lifeboat" in a crunch, but its sermon starters and collection of prayers are very useful in preparing for funerals wherein the decedent isn't well known to the minister. It is a perfect size to slip into a pocket or purse and even sports a ribbon marker.

Funerals being what they are, it's rare that you get lots of time to prepare for them. In my case, I was called upon to officiate my first memorial service on short notice when the senior pastor was called out of town by an emergency in his own family. Knowing my predicament, my father gave me this little book. It is the right size to have at the lectern if you choose, but I found the sermons in this book more useful as guides or templates. However, the most valuable sections are those with advice from a long-time pastor on how to work with families, funeral directors, and others from the moment you hear of the death, through the preparations and service, and into the time after most of the guests and friends have moved on to other crises. From the practical (at the graveside, deliver your message from the head end of the casket) to the profound (record the date of death so you can call or visit the family on the first anniversary of their passing), this book was of immense help as I prepared my message and myself.