Losses

2014 is not off to that good of a start.  I have already done two funerals for church members and have another two that seem to be not long for this world.  After the second of those funerals, I looked back at my records and noted that I had 10 funerals in 2013, which is the most that I have had in any year of my ministry.  I really don't want to be the preacher known for his funerals, but it seems like I may be headed there.

In two of the last three funerals I have done I was overcome by the emotion of the moment as I came down to the end of the funeral message.  Now, some might think of that is pretty normal, but it is not for me.  I usually have very good control of my emotions at a funeral service.  I think of it as being the responsible way to respond to the situation.  The family and friends may be all torn up by the emotion of things, but the pastor should maintain control and lead the family through this experience of grief.  I realize that many will not agree with me on that, but it has been my thinking on the subject.

All that being said, I realized with these two funerals where I just "lost it" that it communicated something to those assembled.  I probably received more compliments on those than on the previous years worth combined.  I don't really think that I did that much better of a job as a preacher in those messages, but there was more of an evident emotional connection.  I learned something important in that.  One of my foundational beliefs about pastoral ministry is that the pastor must love the people.  Now, you can't manufacture an emotional moment to express that love, I suppose all you can do is thank God for those moments when it comes through.