Funerals and Bereavement: A Pastoral Liturgy Focus course
Although the landscape of funeral and bereavement care has changed significantly, the church still finds itself ministering to a great number of people on the journey of death and bereavement.
This day course looks again at our liturgical provision, re-explores some of the lesser-known material, and reflects on what we do, why we do it, and how we might do things better.
There is a multitude of provision in Common Worship, as well as in the Book of Common Prayer, for ministry to the dying, ministry at the time of death, and through the journey of bereavement. On this day course we will revisit the resources that the church provides us with, explore some of the lesser-known material, and through the lens of the liturgy ask ourselves the theological and pastoral questions about exactly what we are doing when we minister to a dying person, to those closest to them, and to the wider community. Questions such as ‘who is the funeral for’, and how might we respond to the burgeoning industry of ‘direct cremation’ are likely to be among the things we explore. As well as input from Tom there will be lots of opportunity for conversation, questions and the sharing of best practice.
This course will be of interest to clergy, lay ministers, vergers, members of pastoral visiting teams, and any who have an interest in how the church understands our ministry to the dying, the dead, and the bereaved.
Leave a Reply