House Church Talk - As Homechurchers - How Do You Handle the Funerals ?

[jim pierceall]

Often we homechurchers are asked, "how do you handle the weddings and
funerals", as if there was some special formula, mixed w/ special clergy
skills, that might make these more acceptable in God's eyes...  I share
today, a living example, not as an only way - but for us at this moment, w/
these I have been home-fellowshipping w/ for over 30 years

Bob Jennings, my greenhouse owner/operator friend - came down w/ ALS, and
has now passed on over...  I have written family, keeping them abreast to
local activities, surrounding this event...  I hope my e-letter to my
family, will serve to share insights, answering questions that you may have
wanted to inquire concerning...
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<written Thursday>

Family decisions were made this morning approx noon-ish..

Visitation is at Marrow's Funeral Home, La Center - 6-8 pm tomorrow evening
<Friday>...  Bob really didn't want this visitation, no fanfare, just an
assembly of family, celebrating Jesus - but children needed it, as
expressions of love and concern extend out to their families and friends...
Melly relented as she could see the need for the children...

We selected the plot for burial, yesterday afternoon/evening...   Burial
will be within 1/2 mile of Bob's home - We all walked down from the house
together - a precious tender time for us...  Sorrow on our hearts - Yet
grateful to God, ever present on our lips...  What a paradoxial time...
Selecting a plot - yet so close to God...  so very close and loved by God!
\O/

Interment at 11 am Saturday ...  Pleasant Hill Methodist Cemetery (dating
back to pre-civil war) ...  a community cemetery of "no charge" in which Bob
has family all represented there...  Up keep is by donations in that
community...  and through endowments cemetery is nice - if nice could be
suggested .. O;>)

Bob requested an informal "family atmosphere"  graveside gathering (no
service as such) - a "no suit good bye" for a "no suit" brother.. <smile>  A
few words may be exchanged, encouragements given, as friends are led...
Melly asked I facilitate/make easy the encouragement that any might speak,
sign song, read a verse, pray, as the Holy Spirit might lead...  I told her,
I suspected I would NOT be needed...  We have done it this way for so long,
today will be but an extension of that way...  and we need not take much
forethought for what we shall say...


All of the families needs are being met - food, drink, paper products even
to toilet paper ha... all in abundance...   Nothing needed at the present
time at all...   Abundance and thoughtfulness coming in from the brethren
and community, and all those that dearly loved him and family for years...

What do we do for a friend that owned a "greenhouse' - offer dead flowers?
No!  He suggested no flowers - plain and natural send off - w/out
pretense...  I noticed neighbors stepping up w/ cards and tokens of the
flower money for Melly...  I thought that wonderful... \O/  We shall
duplicate that leading...

Any questions?

Love jp and ok
--------------------------

 Already as we gather w/family in the house and spilling out into the yard -
we miss Bobby - He would have enjoyed this collection of family and friends
soooo... O;>)
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Ms Melly, Bob's wife, gifted in song and lyric, had most recently these
thoughts, as she pulled the "nightwtach" tending to Bob's needs in these
latter days...
-----------

Father mine!  Father mine!  \O/
I have been thinking...
For the longest of time...
In this world...
racked w/ sickness and sin...

Love wins!  LOVE WINS!!!  \O/