INPUT NEEDED: I have been tasked with rendering military honors at a grave site service tomorrow. Here are some background information of the following: 1) the elderly deceased is retired Army personnel, 2) the deceased father, a minister and a retired Army personnel, along with the Family’s minister will be doing the message at the grave site, 3) I don’t know the deceased or the Next of Kin (NOK), 4) How can I minister while facilitating the grieving process to the Next of Kin (NOK) and Families present?, and 5) How can I use the movement of our team rendering military honors and purposefully tie it into the message?
And so, here is the short message…
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A Flicker in our hearts by JD Sims
<glance at the crowd from right to left with a soft command voice> During the Civil War, Soldiers would know to close the evening to call it a day when the bulgar would play the tune, “Extinguish Lights” also called “TAPS.” In a few minutes, as we hear the tune TAPS, know that the United States of America renders <glance back toward the casket> our Final Salute for [Rank, first and last name of the deceased]’s patriotism and service. NOK and softly whisper> And the light of [first name of the deceased]’s story will flicker on in our hearts. And so we whisper “Good-bye [first name of the deceased] but the touch of his hand and the sound of his voice flickers on in our hearts always.”
Then offer a pastoral prayer (if requested) <with a soft pastoral voice> “Would you pray in your faith as I pray in mine?” (no more than 1-2 minutes)
After prayer, join with the honor guard team in rendering military honors to deceased.
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ANY FEEDBACK IS APPRECIATED. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS MEANT TO BE TWO MINUTES OR LESS. Thanks in advance, jdS.
P.S., What is more important is that we pray for the NOK and the families during their time of grieving…
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