The Pastor's Guide to Weddings and Funerals

When the topic turns to weddings and funerals, most pastors admit to facing a variety of challenges to their ethical standards, creativity, and crisis management skills. Although experience tends to help pastors make better decisions in such sacred but uncertain circumstances, the new pastor who has little or no experience is at a decided disadvantage. This field guide was written to bridge that gap. Author Victor Lehman combines ten years of his own pastoral experience with the insights and observations of his colleagues in an effort to put seasoned know-how at the fingertips of ministers struggling with these new and unfamiliar challenges.

The Pastor's Guide to Weddings and Funerals offers both theological perspective and practical ideas -- a combination ideal for helping pastors work through the various ethical dilemmas and major and minor crises that arise when loved ones gather to celebrate or to grieve. This hands-on manual includes helpful checklists and practical resources, including suggested songs and Scriptures, sermon outlines, and sample wedding vows, all of which will help ministers create tailor-made ceremonies and services exacted to the situation at hand.

Included in this valuable volume are actual services for a variety of wedding and funeral settings. These services, along with the book's other helpful checklists and resources, are available on the Judson Press website -- www.judsonpress.com -- for you to download and customize to fit your own needs.