7 ideas for engaging with your community through funerals - and after the service

1. Gather a team around you to help with the funeral and also with the pre- and post-funeral visits. Take one person with you when making the initial visit to arrange the service. Have that member of the team present in the service, maybe even officiating in some capacity. The day after the funeral, and again ten days later, ask the same person to pay a visit to those most closely associated with the loss. Look to introduce them to a local 'befriending scheme' or 'bereavement support group'.
2. Start a befriending scheme to support people after the funeral service - where newly bereaved people are put in touch with people from the church who have walked this way themselves, and can act as a listening ear and a helping hand. For further information, take a look at the article 'Supporting bereaved people in your community'.
3. Start a bereavement support group. Invite those who have been bereaved to meet with others who've lost a loved one, and run a course designed to help them express their feelings and process them. For further information, contact Bob and Joy Jones at Care for the Family on (029) 2081 0800.
4. Run an annual remembrance service so that all those who have been bereaved can come and give thanks for the life of the one they have lost. More and more churches are doing this, and some are using All Soul's Day as a natural opportunity in the church calendar to hold such a service.
5. Mark the anniversary of the person's death with a card or a visit, at least on the first anniversary, but better still for the first five years.
6. If your church doesn't conduct many funerals, consider getting together with another church if you'd like to follow through some of the ideas mentioned here.
7. Encourage people to get further help when necessary, as it is likely that your church won't have the expertise to deal with everyone's problems following bereavement. So, tell people about Care for the Family's A Different Journey initiative for people who have been widowed early in life - find out more at www.careforthefamily.org.uk/adj

And discover more about Care for the Family's Bereaved Parents' Network at www.careforthefamily.org.uk/bpn

We've also put together a list of other specialist bereavement organisations. And, of course, it might be appropriate to encourage them to visit their GP.

Last Updated 19 February 2010