A busy day of funerals and meetings

On Thursday I presided over two funerals. Randy Milligan and Mona Lindstrom both died before their time. I usually don't do two funerals on the same day but I felt called to do them. The Lindstrom funeral was at 11:30 a.m. at the Labenski funeral home. The Milligan funeral was at 4:00 p.m. at the church. Both were very emotional.

When I agree to do a funeral I try to paint a picture of the person with my eulogy and the scriptures and readings I use. I think back to the service that they had for my mother. I don't remember a thing about it except for the fact that it was very impersonal. It left its mark on me though. From the very first funeral I did, which happened to be for my friend Mike Slomianyj's grandfather, I have always refused to pull a service out of the book. I use many of the same elements but the heart and soul of the service is personalized for that man or woman. I think it is the least we can do for them. I like to say that the funeral service is a benediction on a life well lived.

As it turned out it was a good thing we brought the heat up in the sanctuary. The furnace that heats the rest of the building was down. The repairman was waiting on a part and it was cold. The Hispanic church usually meets for worship in Fellowship Hall so we moved them upstairs into the heated sanctuary.

The Deacons were scheduled to meet on Thursday night so I put the space heater in the parlor. It was a little chilly but it worked. On Friday the heating man came in and got us back up and running. So it all worked out.

Cal