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On Death and Dying
The UU position on death and dying was well illustrated in the words of Forrest Church, long-time minister of New York’s All Soul’s UU Church. In a 2008 sermon, after learning he had a terminal illness, he said:
“When dying comes calling at the door, like a bracing wind it clears our being of pettiness. It connects us to others. More alert to life’s fragility, we reawaken to life’s preciousness. To be fully human is to care, and attending to death prompts the most eloquent form of caring imaginable.”
When dying comes calling for anyone in the Asheville UU church, the minister and staff are prepared to advise or help make arrangements for a funeral or memorial service. Meanwhile the Pastoral Visitor program is immediately on hand to help family and friends through the painful period of loss. A Memorial Receptions group arranges for gatherings and refreshments after memorial services. The church’s Memorial Garden is a peaceful lasting place for interment of ashes and placement of name plaques. The church also provides a variety of ways for remembering and honoring loved ones. In the case of death or its approach, contact the minister (254-6001 xt 203 or Minister@UUAsheville.org).
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