The Worship Committee, in partnership with the Center for Leadership Excellence, invites you to 4 in 1: Preparing Meaningful Funeral and Grief Ministries.
Thursday, August 13, 2026, 10am – 3pm
Edenton Street UMC (Raleigh)
$15 (includes lunch)
Planning to Fare Well
Denise Waters and Laurie Hays Coffman, 10am–11am
A meaningful service of worship at the end of life gathers a community of friends, loved ones, and guests to worship God. It points to the hope of resurrection, comforts those who grieve, and honors the life of the one being celebrated. This workshop will focus on helping families (and clergy who meet with families) to plan a “Celebration of Christ’s Resurrection and Service of Thanksgiving and Memory” or “Celebration of Life” for their loved one.
Such a service of worship can be aided by pre-planning, utilizing favorite scriptures, hymns, obituary details, and stories significant to one’s life. Inviting people to write down their own wishes and share them with family members can make the time of grief and service planning easier.
Using drama and their real life experience of leading hundreds of memorials, these chaplains will engage participants in making end of life celebrations meaningful for clergy and families alike.
After the Funeral: Grief Ministry and the Church
Terry Hamlet and Scott Glasser, 11am–12pm
Once the planning and funeral service is over, families are left picking up the pieces and trying to make sense of their loss. Local churches have an important role to play in helping survivors through this process. Hosting a grief support group can bring people together and provide comfort for the survivors. This session will walk through the key considerations for supporting these kinds of groups, weighing different options and formats.
Preaching Resurrection: Funeral Homilies with Honesty and Hope
Laura Fine Ledford, 1pm–2pm
Preparing and preaching a funeral homily can be some of the most meaningful and daunting work a pastor is called to do. We proclaim resurrection in the midst of those who believe deeply, and those who rarely enter a church building. We are invited to name suffering, grief, and the complexities of being human for those who lived long lives, and those who did not, for people we knew deeply, and people we’ve never met. In this session, we will explore together how we might step into this challenging task: how to listen well, how to find the text, and how to proclaim a word that is honest and hopeful.
Faith and Farewell: Partnering with Funeral Homes for Compassionate Care
Robert Lewis, 2pm–3pm
When a loved one dies, families rely on funeral homes for essential services, and pastors and church leaders frequently collaborate with these professionals. However, assumptions and misunderstandings about each other’s roles can create challenges. This workshop lifts the veil on what funeral home directors do behind the scenes, clarifies the church’s vital responsibilities, and shows how both can join forces to serve grieving families with empathy and efficiency. Participants will gain sharp insights into timelines, communication, and teamwork—ensuring that when grief is raw, the focus remains where it belongs: honoring the life lived.