Two Funerals, One Family

Let me begin by letting you know this is not an article about a tragic accident. It is, however, an article about the family of God.

Last Saturday, we had the somewhat unusual experience of having two memorial services in our congregation’s auditorium. Both of the individuals being remembered and honored had passed away sometime before but both families had chosen to wait on a service. 

You may be thinking: “Wait. Both families? I thought you said there was only one family.” I did, so keep reading for the explanation.

The first memorial service was for an older man who spent over 60 years preaching the gospel. His faithful widow had chosen to wait to hold a memorial service but when she did, it was an amazing service. It made me wish I had known the man in his younger years. She had the service divided into sections that were focused on the things he considered important: preaching, teaching children (specifically with pew packers), and the covenant relationship of marriage. It was incredible.

The second service was for a fairly young, single mother. She had not been a Christian for many years, and for most of the time since she was converted she battled health problems and surgeries that kept her from attending worship services with the congregation. Our youth minister led her service because her son is the only other connection that family has with our congregation. Her other family members have taken this teenager in to finish raising, be he is the only member of our congregation now in his family. This service focused more on the lady’s accomplishments in school and work and her dedication to her son.

Two very different funerals but again I would say, one family. Not the physical families. They were very different – in ages, in places of residence, in faith. But God’s family showed up at both services. People I saw at 11:00 a.m., I saw again at 2:00 p.m. Why? Because both services were for members of our spiritual family. One had an older widow left behind with a lifetime of memories while the other had a teenage boy left with a lifetime to live without his mom. And we need to be there for them both. And we were there for them both. Because that is what family does.

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” ~Ephesians 4:4-7

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AUTHOR: Amber Tatum