The Glad Funeral

Minister Sequola Dawson, Ph.D., in The Glad Funeral, declares that there is always room for improvement in funeral preparation, process, and procedure-the carrying of the casket. The church plays a critical role in the carrying of the casket. For the bereaved family, it can be difficult to remain open to God's assurances when in mourning and planning the funeral of a loved one. The Glad Funeral acknowledges the pivotal time of engagement and offers a brighter perspective with the conceptualization of the funeral as a Homegoing-a celebration of life. In this ongoing conversation of funeral preparation and process, Dawson invites the church to reexamine its protocols and traditions. Through theological reflection and the examination of one's practice, Dawson challenges church officials to analyze the methods and the messages sent as one serves. For the funeral goer, it's Dawson's prayer for one to experience a lifting of the heaviness and to embrace the victory found only in Jesus Christ even in death.