The season of Lent offers Christians the opportunity to reflect on their mortality and offers Christian churches the opportunity to provide safe spaces to discuss issues of great significance to congregants, especially those who are nearing the end of their lives.
Lent is an opportunity to discuss:
Funeral planning
Wills and planned giving
Important legal documents including Advance Directives
Health care decision making (who should make decisions for me if I can’t make my own?)
And by doing, so Christians can:
Affirm their call to God to be with them in the midst of trials and triumphs
So that, being guided by the Holy Spirit, Christians can walk through all of life in the confidence of the gifts of courage, grace and joy with the Father.
Here are some ideas for activities:
Incorporate the topic of end of life and mortality into sermons and newsletters.
Show the film, “Being Mortal” before or after services and hold a discussion.
Organize a discussion session on dying and dying well.
Invite a trained faith community nurse or health minister to walk through advance directive planning with a small group at your congregation.
Faith community nurses and health ministers can provide important support for these conversations. We encourage each faith community to customize their activities to fit the needs of their community. Don’t feel qualified or called to facilitate these discussions? There are experts in our community who are happy to help.
Contact us with questions at director@healthministriesnetwork.net.
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