Hospice or Renewal #Discussion
Spoiler alert = there is no easy answer to this one. I recently looked at the church congregation around me, and did the 'grey vote'. Have you ever done this?...
Legacy
For some it is the thought of a priceless heirloom, or an object which they might covet; however, for some, these days, the legacy we might offer to our family...
Who doesn’t like a story?
At our Death Cafe today we spoke of life beyond today. We considered, whilst eating coffin shaped biscuits - why not? - what some might call their bucket list. We...
Are memories so valuable?
At The Death Cafe today, we spoke of our thoughts following last Saturday and Sunday, the Armistice and Remembrance Day respectively. Well, it was for the UK, but what about...
EASEing into Death
This has been a week of death cafes, and it's not even Halloween or our annual time of Remembrance. We met on the Tuesday to listen to a presentation from...
The last breath
What might you expect if you were to attend a death cafe? Our death cafe today started with a joke about a mother-in-law, who had been on holiday in the...
Death Cleaning
The Swedish term "döstädning" means 'death cleaning'. Before you prepare the swabs and disinfectant, it is more about the graceful art of decluttering the house...before someone else needs to do...
Hope when facing death
The death of George Alagiah, the BBC newsreader and journalist, made front page headlines, whilst also receiving emotional coverage across the main media broadcasts. But in the words from this...
What does a ‘good death’ mean for a church?
We might possibly engage in a discussion about what is a good death for an individual, but a church? In Paula Gooder's book called 'Heaven', she explains that in the...
A ‘Good Death’?
<Trigger alert: this post deals with the history of society considering assisted suicide - please be careful with your own wellbeing. Call the Samaritans on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org...
How is will doing?
When at the Death Cafe, we might wonder about whether cremation or burial is the 'way to go', but the legal stuff also might make us worried. So what's the...
When death is merely a comma
As I sat at a bedside of someone in their last days, we were listening to some classical music. I sat bathed in the music that she so loved. I...
The questions will never stop
When we start to talk about death and dying, there are so many questions. Perhaps, once we start to engage with death in a positive way, the questions will never...
Death Cafe
What might be the reason behind a death cafe? What questions might be asked? Does it have any humour? Our next one is at Pollokshaws G431LH on Tuesday 9th May...
A two-way swing bridge
This is so different to the Easter message of last week. We celebrate Easter with eggs, daffodils, cheers and songs of praise, and don't forget those wonderful Marmite flavoured Hot...
Beyond the Cremation?
Sanctuary There is one way which we can decide 'how to go'. Yes, there is burial - both in a coffin or natural; there is aquamation or terramation - neither...
A life size Cow
Not this large though... When people celebrate the life of a loved one, we may wish for a visible sign. We heard today of a motorbike laying next to the...
Terramation is natural
What is so toxic about the dead that we desire such separation? Where there was life, it goes on. Here, we might see what composting actually means. Human composting, also...
Death Cafe 10 Jan 23
When you attend a meeting there is normally an agenda, something to look to agree upon. Today, everyone brought their own personal agenda, they sought to find understanding, perhaps a...
What to expect at the Death Café
The skeleton is listening! Atmosphere If you are expecting a foreboding venue with spiders webs, open coffins and a bit of dampness thrown in, sorry to disappoint. How about a...
Composting is good for us
In a recent blog they announced that only 5 States in the USA have legally accepted human decomposting. In the UK it is legal already. So what is this? "The...
Where are we going?
So much to think about when confronted with death. And after the service all the people scatter. What do we do after the service? Where are we going? If we...
How many deaths?
At last week's Death Cafe there was a surprising comment - there were many in fact - but this one stood out to me. How many deaths do we have?...
Words, Poems and the Eulogy
According to the Economist (paywall), the percentage of funerals led by Christian ministers (in England) had dropped to just over 20%. The significant increase in the number of civil celebrants...
Hallo-death
Today is Halloween, also known as All Hallow's Eve, the day before All Hallow's or All Saint's Day. So Halloween precedes the day that some in the Church might commemorate...
Funerals have been a-changing
When we contemplate the end for us we typically may think of cremation. But things have for a long time been a-changing. The first crematorium was legally allowed and opened...
So what about death?
This week we launch the Death Café. It sounds a bit strange launching a café in October, let alone one that focusses upon Death. One person said that the advertising...
You’ll get over this
Why not listen to this classic track https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FgDles4xq8 from Boney M. This passage of Psalm 137 probably originates from the period 587-539 BCE. Their captors are pleading for them to...
I am ready to go…
Are we ready to go? When we speak of death we talk in hushed tones, or do we look at our feet not wishing to engage eye-to-eye with the one...
A Good Send Off
We often hear that "we should give <person's name> a good send off..."Why exactly? If we don't manage to give them a 'good send off' will that affect their departure?...
Where next?
I'm often perplexed by the question "After we die, what's next, or where's next?" What's your answer to that question? Some answers relate to living in a mansion, or a...
Death Café
What a liberating time! To talk openly about death, those issues which are generally taboo. How times have changed. Why are we so reticent to talk about death? Here are...