Few moments in ministry carry more weight than walking with families through death and grief. From planning and leading a meaningful funeral service to supporting families in the weeks and months that follow, clergy and laity have an opportunity to offer care, hope, and faithful presence.

Following the success of last year’s inaugural 4 in 1 event, the NC Conference Worship Committee invites you to four workshops in one day, this time focused on preparing meaningful funeral and grief ministries.

Thursday, August 13, 2026, 10am – 3pm
Edenton Street UMC (Raleigh)
$15 (includes lunch)

This year’s workshops include:

10–11am | Planning to Fare Well
Denise Waters and Laurie Hays Coffman
How pre-planning and thoughtful conversations can help families and churches create meaningful celebrations of life.

11am–12pm | After the Funeral: Grief Ministry and the Church
Terry Hamlet and Scott Glasser
Ways congregations can support those who are grieving after the funeral service ends.

1–2pm | Preaching Resurrection: Funeral Homilies with Honesty and Hope
Laura Fine Ledford
Practices for preparing funeral messages that acknowledge grief while proclaiming resurrection hope.

2–3pm | Faith and Farewell: Partnering with Funeral Homes for Compassionate Care
Robert Lewis
How churches and funeral homes can work together to serve grieving families.