Some words of appreciation after a Covid funeral of a very longstanding and beloved friend of mine, where I sent a written and audio ceremony by email so that everyone could take part from their own homes, as Zoom wasn't possible .
Hi Jane,
Hi Jane, .... I just wanted to personally thank you for the last couple of days, culminating in such a beautiful service yesterday in such wretched times and circumstances.
It was lovely and I know, my mum would have love it and especially honoured that you did it. Dunc xxx
Some Words of Appreciation
Jane did a fantastic job as minister for my father Joe's funeral. She was a great help to us personally and a calming, grounding presence to have around….
I am particularly thankful for an extended phone call we had in which I had the chance to outline what I intended to say in the eulogy. After that phone call I felt reassured that what I would say was not only sufficient but worth saying.
The ceremony was very cathartic for us, the direct family; the attendees who I spoke to afterwards were very touched and felt it was a send-off that my father himself would have liked. In the days after the funeral Jane reached out to me and we had a chance to debrief after what was an extremely intense and emotional experience. We discussed what we took from the experience.
I honestly feel that it helped me to say goodbye to my father. For that I am so very grateful.”
Colm
End of Life Plans
In attending to our deaths in the midst of life, many people find that they have shed a burden and can live their lives more fully. I can help you to think clearly about how you would like to die, ideally, and what you would like to happen in the aftermath of your death, ideally, and go through the process of creating a ceremony, and a statement of your wishes concerning your dying and your death. This is a truly loving deed for those close to you, who otherwise in the midst of sorrow may have no idea, or many different memories of what your wishes would be.
Of course no one can tell how they will die, and so it is important , having drawn up your wishes, to then make sure that no one feels under pressure to make your wishes happen if circumstances dictate otherwise. It is a process of making plans, and then of letting them go, as with so many things in life. .
The recognition that death comes to each of us, a recognition at once consolatory and conciliatory, brings us closer to one another and closer still to the innermost truth of our own being.
The Rev Jane Killingbeck has recently guided my husband and I gently through the somewhat tricky task of planning our own funeral arrangements. We took our time thinking and talking everything through with Jane and there was no pressure whatsoever to complete the process until we were ready. The resulting peace of mind was quite overwhelming and I would encourage anyone to make this journey with Jane, so that a potentially difficult time in the future can be made a lot easier for everyone.
Maggie