Dressed like a 'Michelin man' with five layers of clothing ahead of a funeral followed by 'back fill' on a cold, wet, March day.

Funerals are always pure privilege, and they, rightly, demand professionalism, pastoral sensitivity and a level of preparedness to adapt in the moment. 

If I were to write my memoirs, there would certainly be some funeral stories among them... the unexpected moments of grace or of challenge (and more likely both at once).

What struck me yesterday was the significant cultural shifts that have arisen in the quarter century I've been conducting funerals, with very different expectations in the role not only of clergy but also of funeral directors - and which emphasise the importance of clergy/celebrants and FDs working well together.

Yesterday's was probably the biggest funeral I've been part of, with an estimated 400 people crammed into our Victorian Church, of whom around 150 came on to the burial.  Whilst live streaming of services is quite well established, this was the first time I've seen a live stream set up graveside - the first time I've needed to have a clip on microphone for a burial.  I was struck by the number of phones being held aloft to record the burial, even people stepping forward to film inside the grave... this gave me much to ponder, as a 'celebrant', as a person of faith, and simply as myself.

I hope that the family and friends felt their needs were met, that the life of their loved one was adequately celebrated, that the prayers and reflections had offered some small measure of comfort.

There is much to reflect on for my own future practice - as well as details that, rightly, aren't for sharing on a public platform such as this.     

The idea of live, interactive online worship didn't really exist before March 2020... There was television's Songs of Praise and there had been various forays in the 90s (I think) into television programmes where viewers were invited to light candles or have communion elements to hand, but live worship was something that almost sprang ex nihilo as people discovered Zoom and longed for human contact, even if through a screen.

For our weekend, remote learners, we offer a mini-service on a Sunday morning, just 15 minutes, usually with Communion, and I love taking my turn to lead.

Today I was going to start teaching just fifteen minutes after worship, and needed a rapid room reset, so opted not to hang my 'liturgical drapes' (lengths of fabric to disguise the bookcases) but I did build a 'table' of books which I covered with a sheet of white paper in order to 'centre' my Communion set.  I used recorded music, read scripture, offered a very mini 'thought for the day' and led communion.

We were a small congregation, since attending is completely optional, and several choose not to join us, and it reminds me very much of my 'Uni Chapel' days of old (though those never included Communion).  Just a pause before the busyness of classes begins.  

When people ask me what I like best about pastoral ministry, I often reply that I love funerals... not because I have a strange fascination with death but because they are times of privileged pastoral care that it seems (based on almost 25 years of feedback) I do well.  

On Thursday, I took a small group of ministers in training for their 'behind the scenes at the crematorium' visit.  The staff member who showed us round was amazing - having worked herself as a Funeral Director and for the Coroner's Office she was able to give us deep insights about the practical and pastoral aspects of her work, and also about resilience and boundaries.  A superb visit, which complimented a similarly excellent visit to the cemetery last term.  

Yesterday I was facilitating a day of reflection around end of life, funerals and grief which was led by a Baptist minister who had spend more than twenty years as a funeral director before they were called into ministry, and so brought unique and significant insights.

It was a large group - twenty two people had registered, though a few couldn't make it on the day, and some had requested a Zoom 'contingency' for various reasons.  It was also a mixed group, in so far as there were ministers in training, lay leaders and experienced ministers using this as CMD - a gentle experiment to see whether this is something worth developing in other areas of formation.  I think the answer to that is it depends on both the subject matter, and who chooses to attend.

Among other thing that I took along was my collection of resources around end of life, dying, death and funerals.  What I didn't take was denominational liturgies - I have to trust that people will access those themselves.

Definitely some learning to take forward, especially if we are trying to work in a hybrid format (we weren't really here, we simply tried to adjust a face-to-face delivery to accommodate others) but for a first foray into serving a wider 'audience' I think it went okay.

Importantly, I feel that 'my' MiTs have been good opportunity to think about these topics and that I've done a good-enough job enabling that  to be so. 

This Civic Service yesterday afternoon was a real celebration of all that is good about this place... from dignitaries in their finery, to a brass band and a choir, with voices in around a dozen languages, and people of every skin tone... the  Mayor's requested theme of inclusion was expressed in many different ways.

I managed to hide at the back of the group photo, behind the teddy bear skin edged robes and feathered hats of the 'chain gang' (a term I came across somewhere else a long time ago to describe such gatherings).

Representatives of emergency services, a local school, craft initiatives and other local charities and organisations filled the church, sang lustily (lots of school assembly bangers!) and commented kindly on my words.

I'm not a fan of dressing up, but there are times when it is right to do so  - and for a bruised community that is all too often derided, yesterday was a day when celebration and dressing up were important.   

Today I am doing my impression of a Methodist minister... or, to put it another way, wearing what I wear when I attend the kind of events that say 'clergy to robe'.... my 'not quite bishop coloured' clerical shirt, with my 'I don't have a cassock or robes' suit.  Scarily, I realise that the suit is now getting on for twenty years old (I bought it when I was in Dibley, and I left there nearly 17 years ago) and the shirt probably the better part of a decade.

Today, I am standing in for colleague who is ill, preaching this morning at a joint service of our two churches on the theme of 'Temptations' and in the afternoon at the Civic Service on the theme of 'Inclusion' (as well as being the lead/host minister - the posh programmes were printed well in advance, so my first task is to say who I am not!!).

It is a privilege to be permitted to take part in civic events, and there are times when dressing up is absolutely the right thing to do.  Today we will celebrate the Town Mayor (a devout Methodist) and pray for this town.