As I’ve gotten older I’ve realized that not everybody keeps their habits like I’m pretty apt to do.  I met two retired friends for coffee last Friday morning and while I choose my simple Black Light Roast my friends choose the fancy latte’s with something added. . . And before I even knew it, my treat for the three of us totalled almost $13. . .even before I was prompted by the credit card scanner to put a nice tip on top of that!  That cost aspect is another story for another day though!!

 

So it goes for me. . . . I’m a pretty simple person who does not change habits easy.  Like the black coffee, it’s the same way with my faith.  I still attend every Sunday and go to Wednesday morning Bible Study at the same church I was baptized, confirmed, and married in.  It is the one-time Swedish language church that my great-grandfather organized and signed the charter for in 1877 only five years after arriving in America.  The church is much larger today but the principles that I attend for are pretty similar to the value principles that my forefathers had.

 

But like my friends who have changed their “coffee habits”  surveys like this survey entitled “The Cost of Death Report 2.0” that recently came out of Australia, reflects that people do change.  In my time in the funeral business I saw the movement from traditional earth burial to cremation. . . .and I responded in a way to capture that business by building a new funeral home that contained the first crematory in our county.

 

The recent Australian survey now tells us that death care clientele are looking for, among other things, “A greater focus on celebrating than mourning” and “fewer religious elements” in their future funeral services.  I’ve already seen the greater focus on celebrations in my community and am beginning to see families opt out of religious services in greater and greater numbers.

 

It’s my opinion, just like building a crematory to capture the cremation business was strategic, a funeral business needs to look at its strategy in how it pertains to this growing element of “more celebration” and “less religion”.  And like cremation was, according to the linked survey, the group that is asking for “less religion” is not small as the survey says that 64% of the respondents poll that way.

 

One strategy that I might suggest is either training someone on staff to become a Certified Funeral Celebrant or using some type of contractual arrangement to pair up with a Certified Funeral Celebrant or two for your funeral home.  It appears to me that a high number of potential death care clientele will be comforted by the fact that there is a secular celebrant on staff to help the family “celebrate” a life without bringing religion into play.

 

Here’s what the website of Insight Institute Celebrants says of celebrants:

“An InSight Certified Celebrant is a person who has been trained and certified through InSight to meet the needs of families during their time of loss. A Funeral Celebrant serves by providing a funeral service, memorial service or tribute that is personalized and individualized to reflect the personality and life-style of the deceased after consultation with the family and loved ones and coordination with the funeral home.

The Celebrant will meet with the family to offer guidance and consulting while planning a personalized and meaningful funeral to honor the loved one. The Celebrant will have a Family Time for sharing of stories and memories. A Celebrant has a wide library of resources for readings, music and other special ceremonies to help the family design a service that honors the life.

 

Funeral Director Daily take:  Habits change.  And, over time they can change in a big way.

 

I still live a life of faith.  And, I fully expect that my funeral will be one with a celebratory faith element to it.  I also expect that I will not change my course about being buried in a casketed service.

 

However, when operating a business I want to attract clientele. . . some of whom may have different thoughts, ideas, and habits than I do.  Just like adding a crematory to pull in the cremation business to my business. . . .it may be time to bring a secular celebrant on staff to make those who want less religious services feel more comfortable at your business.  Doing so does not de-value your faith –  it simply accommodates those who might have a differing viewpoint or habit.

 

From a Christian mission point of view, it might even give you a chance for evangelism.

 

According to the recent National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) General Price List Survey 21.5% of all funeral homes now have a certified celebrant on staff. . . . is it time for your firm?

 

How to Become a Celebrant

 

More news from the world of Death Care:

• Death becomes her:  The future of funeral home work is female.  Portland Press Herald (ME)
• Chiles-Laman Funeral and Cremation Services comforts those grieving over the holidays at 33rd Annual Tree of Remembrance ceremony.  Video story and print article.  WLIO – TV (OH)
• Chiles-Laman Funeral and Cremation Services website
• Seventh generation family member becomes new director of North Shields funeral business.  Chronicle Live (United Kingdom)
• E Turnbull & Son Funeral Directors website   —  Since 1790

 

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