Ooowee! Stay tuned as I break down what went wrong and what we all can learn from this experience since we are still on this side of the grass for now!
Bishop Speaks
The Funeral Service... Just Too Long!
Ooowee!
I was getting angry, speechless, and lost for words to say the least.
Who let this happen? And, who let it continue throughout this entire funeral service?
“Hold on, Bishop, and slow down” because just thinking about what happened at this funeral is getting me angry and upset all over again and this funeral was four days ago.
Before I share with each of you what happened at this funeral service, let me share with you a few things. First, you can’t preach anyone into Heaven or Hell because God has the final say.
Next, at any funeral service, there is only so much you can say and do to encourage the living because the dead is DEAD! How long, I ask each of you, should a decent service take in regards to a time frame?
What is the difference between a “WAKE” and an actual “homegoing celebration?
Here’s another question… should the body lay at the funeral home or church the day before to be viewed by family and friends then another hour and an half hour during the actual service or should that coffin be closed before the funeral service?
Ooowee! I’m trying to move on but here are a few more questions.
When individuals attend a “WAKE” and walk around the front row of the church or funeral home and greet the family, what are these individuals saying to the family?
What purpose do resolutions, letters, etc. serve at the funeral service and what do most families of the deceased usually do with them after the service is over, when everyone has gone on with their lives?
I can go on and on with a few more questions but here’s another question which is, why is there a program for the service and so often it’s changed, most often, adding more to the program at the last minute?
The funeral I attended, I only planned to run in, pay my respects, and run out. The man who passed was very special to me and encouraged me when I was in seminary studying for the ministry. He was a street man, not in church often yet he had a personal relationship with Christ and accepted Christ as His Lord and Savior when he was in his early thirties. Now at 82 years sickness took him out.
When I arrived at the church at 10:45 a.m., the WAKE was still taking place as the line was outside the church door. In Bishop’s robe with my assistant at my side, I stood in line finally saying to my assistant, “This line is moving really slow.”
Some heavy-set sistah came up to me in a white outfit, saying as she took me by the hand, “Bishop, follow me.” I had no choice as I laughed to myself while she pulled me right behind her. I don’t know what happened to my assistant at that point.
The church was packed. I passed everyone in line to view the body. Now standing in front of the coffin, I prayed and thanked God for allowing this friend to encourage me with his words of wisdom while in college. Looking at my watch, it was 10:55a.m. I quickly made my way and never said a word but hugged his wife, his son, and his daughter.
Before I could head out the door to my next appointment, the pastor saw me and asked if I would stay and say a few words. He gave me no choice to answer as he grabbed me by the hand and lead me up on his pulpit.
I said to myself, “These people sure do a lot of grabbing people by the hand.”
The time was now 11:05 a.m. and the line to view the body was not moving but looked like it was at a stand-still as individuals were saying this and that to the family members. The “WAKE,” by the time on the program, should have been over yet it was still being a “WAKE.”
I ask each of you what went wrong and what should have happened at 11 a.m?
It went from bad to worse with different individuals totally forgetting about timeframe of arriving at the gravesite and the wear and tear this had on the family and others in attendance, which showed during the service.
Stay tuned next week as I breakdown and share with you why this funeral service started finally at 12:15 p.m. instead of 11 a.m. and ended with the body going to the hearse at 4:35 p.m. and I think it looked like the dead man had a smile on his face when the coffin finally closed. I think I even heard him say as I stood next to the coffin with the other ministers and the pastor, “It’s over, now I can finally rest in damn peace.”
Ooowee! Stay tuned as I break down what went wrong and what we all can learn from this experience since we are still on this side of the grass for now!
You can email the bishop at bishopspeaks@aol.com. Write him at 969 E. 140th St. Cleveland, Ohio, 44110, or call the church at (216) 761-7100. Check out the bishop on Facebok under Bishop Prince J. Moultry or the church website at www.intouchforchrist.com. Visit the Sunday 11 a.m. Worship Service at the above address off140th St. Clair, directly across the street from the Job Corps Campus in the heart of the Collinwood Community.
