I’m a pastor here in Cleveland and I want to personally thank you so much for your powerful insights on handling funeral services.

The funeral service, just to long!

The letters keep coming

Bishop:

First, my mother and I want to thank you so much for your Bishop Speaks Columns that we’ve been reading for years. We heard about your book coming out soon, that will consist of the best of your Bishop Speaks and I know my mother and I will be in line to get one of the first copies, which will be a blessing to so many of your readers and new fans across the country as well.

With your most recent columns on funeral services, my mother, who is seventy three years old, finally sat down with me and my husband last week and said, laughing, “After reading the Bishop’s column on funeral services and life insurance policies, I need to talk to the both of you.”

My mother has cancer and, after reading your columns, she finally shared with us her wishes. She even put them in writing. I learned she had a life insurance policy of over one hundred thousand dollars. The policy is paid off to take care of her burial expenses with money left over for me, her only daughter, and her three grandchildren, whom she loves so very much.

My husband and I didn’t even know she had a policy. We already have one on her that we’ve been paying, like her, for years even before we knew she had cancer.

Bishop, because you have been anointed by God to put things on paper and get people to think and look at reality with a sense of humor, my mother was inspired to bring us up to date for the first time. She also made it, as you always say, “cut-throat” clear, that she didn’t want [a] long funeral service, no more than an hour, as she said  “And that’s too long,” laughing.

I didn’t have a question. I just wanted to share this with you and let you know how powerful and effective your Bishop Speaks columns are.

KnowClevelandloves you so much and continue to keep up the good work with your ministry as you’ve done for all these years.

Bishop Moultry:

I’m a pastor here inClevelandand I want to personally thank you so much for your powerful insights on handling funeral services. I’ve had my secretary run off copies of your most recent articles on this topic and, now, before I meet with family members regarding funeral services for one of their love ones, I give them a copy. Right away, they know what I’ll be expecting even before they come into my office to meet with me. They also know “WHY” as you explained so clearly using the word of God as your foundation.

I’ve had individuals at funerals come up to say a few words, yet don’t have a clue, while others don’t care they are limited to speak for only two minutes. I’ve even had preachers on the program to say a prayer or read a Scripture only to do everything but that, leaving me sitting with my head down wondering how to get the microphone back and take control of the service. Bishop, you helped me a great deal as a young pastor. Starting tomorrow, when I do a funeral, I already know who will be doing what and they already know what they are to do on the program. The family already knows the coffin will be closed at the end of the WAKE and the service will be over in no more than two hours as the family requested. My wife laughed at me when she heard me tell the two singers on the program to not preach or talk but to just sing the song, minister through that musical selection, and sit down. You’re so right, many singers just don’t know when to end a song as they often try and work on the emotions of people who are hurting enough on the loss of their loved one.

Bishop Moultry you really helped me and so again I say, “THANKS.”

You can write the Bishop at Bishop Speaks 969 E. 140th St. Cleveland, Ohio, 44110. Email Bishop at bishopspeaks@aol.com or call the church (216) 761-7100. Visit the church 11a.m. each Sunday for the Praise and Worship Service at the above address off 140th St. Clair Ave, in the heart of the Collinwood Community, directly across the street from the Job Corps Campus.