The pastor, for whatever reasons, let go and gave up his authority and lost control.
The funeral service... Just too long!
Bishop:
After reading your recent columns on “Funeral services just too long,” I had to write you. My wife and I attended her best friend’s husband’s funeral two weeks ago.
The wake lasted for an hour, with the funeral service starting at noon on time. When I noticed that the coffin was not closed at the end of the wake, which is supposed to be the viewing, I looked over and said to my wife, “Let’s see if we’re going to be here all day like Bishop Moultry was at the funeral service he attended.”
Bishop, the pastor went over the entire program and directed everyone on the program to come up at the appointed time. He made it clear that the many proclamations and resolutions would be acknowledged but not read and, where noted for “2 minute reflections,” only three individuals selected by the family of the deceased will share remarks. I was so impressed by this pastor and said to my wife, “Well he knows how to take charge.”
Bishop the entire funeral service went for over three hours as people started walking out even before the pastor preached his message.
When the first soloist came up to sing, she talked for about ten minutes then sang for about twenty. The other woman, also on program to sing, called herself an Apostle and preached for about fifteen minutes. She sung for what seemed like twenty minutes. She just would not end that song often talking in between the words of the songs. CRAZY!
When it came time to just mention where the proclamations and resolutions came from, the woman who also called herself a preacher said, “I know what the pastor said but the Lord told me to read at least a few of these resolutions since the people took time to do them.” She read about five of them from top to bottom. I looked over at my wife as she said to me, “Please don’t say nothing to me.” Laughing.
Bishop, what really made the funeral service go even longer was that over at least ten people got up to speak, preach, sing or whatever when it came to remarks and, believe me, it went over, at least, fifteen minutes for each person who came up saying what the Lord told them to do.
The pastor just sat there looking like he didn’t know what to do. He tried to move the service as best he could.
When he finally got up to preach, followed by everybody viewing the body again, as if the man in the coffin changed suits, it ended up being a long funeral service.
I guess my question to you is, “Why did the pastor let this funeral service get out of hand?” My wife said the family had to pay additional money because they were late getting to the cemetery as well. Like you, Bishop, at the funeral service you attended, I felt hostage and would have left if my wife didn’t insist I hang on in there with her. I have no more respect for that pastor for being so weak about running his funeral service.
Signed,
What Went Wrong?
Dear What Went Wrong?
No disrespect to the pastor, but what went wrong “was” the PASTOR.
HE WAS IN CHARGE, HAD A PROGRAM, TOLD EVERYONE THAT THE PROGRAM WAS GOING TO BE FOLLOWED AND THIS WAS GOING TO BE DONE AND THAT WAS NOT GOING TO BE DONE AND THAT’S THAT. He allowed others to slap him in his own face and take over as the spiritual leader in charge of that service.
WHEN THAT WOMAN SAID, “SHE HAD TO DO WHAT THE LORD TOLD HER,” IF IT WAS NOT WHAT THAT PASTOR TOLD HER THAN SHE WAS TOTALLY OUT OF ORDER. AND SHE WAS! “Ooowee!” I would have sat her butt down right then and I would have had a sit-down going at that service, sitting everyone down that did not follow my “cut-throat” clear directions.
The pastor, for whatever reasons, let go and gave up his authority and lost control. Also, I would have as a family member, told the pastor that the family had to pay additional money to the cemetery for arriving late. I then would have told the pastor that the Lord told you, to tell him, to tell all those on the program, who told the pastor what the Lord told them to do to split the cost of what the family had to pay the cemetery for getting there late. Maybe this will stop them from lying on the Lord. “Ooowee, they would have never got away with what they did to that pastor with me.”
“Ooowee, call me and tell me who was that pastor, please!”
You can email the Bishop at bishopspeaks@aol.com. Write him at 969 E. 140th St. Cleveland, Ohio 44110 or call the church (216) 761-7100. Visit the church each Sunday 11 a.m. sharp or join the Bishop each Thursday night 6 p.m. for Bible Study, also at the above address off St. Clair in the heart of the Collinwood Community.
