How to attend an African American funeral :
Step 1
1. Crowded: You must arrive early. Funerals are very important in our community. This is one of the times that family members make the sacrifice to travel from all over to attend.
Step 1
1. Crowded: You must arrive early. Funerals are very important in our community. This is one of the times that family members make the sacrifice to travel from all over to attend.
Step 2
2. Seating: In the African American tradition, when you enter the sanctuary their is seating for the Family of the departed and then general seating on the adjacent side of the sanctuary. The family has a processional into the sanctuary and is seated. Please stand during this part of the opening of the service.
2. Seating: In the African American tradition, when you enter the sanctuary their is seating for the Family of the departed and then general seating on the adjacent side of the sanctuary. The family has a processional into the sanctuary and is seated. Please stand during this part of the opening of the service.
Step 3
3. Exuberant: You can expect the entire service to be very celebratory with clapping, dancing, standing, noise, shouting, etc.. For our community it is important to rejoice when someone who loves the Lord dies. So join in with the celebration.
3. Exuberant: You can expect the entire service to be very celebratory with clapping, dancing, standing, noise, shouting, etc.. For our community it is important to rejoice when someone who loves the Lord dies. So join in with the celebration.
Step 4
4. Program: There is a well thought out program to include prayer, scripture reading, words from family and friends, singing, solos, etc.. Be prepared to celebrate for a while.
4. Program: There is a well thought out program to include prayer, scripture reading, words from family and friends, singing, solos, etc.. Be prepared to celebrate for a while.
Step 5
5. Eulogy: This is the highlight of the funeral. The pastor is really going to express the life of the departed in relation to their walk with the Lord. If the person was not a believer, the preacher will then place his/her focus on those who are gathered in the audience. This message can be long, but it will end on a high note with music, dancing, and shouting about heaven.
5. Eulogy: This is the highlight of the funeral. The pastor is really going to express the life of the departed in relation to their walk with the Lord. If the person was not a believer, the preacher will then place his/her focus on those who are gathered in the audience. This message can be long, but it will end on a high note with music, dancing, and shouting about heaven.
Step 6
6. The recessional will be joyful. Join in and greet the family on your way out after they have viewed the remains of the departed. Then the congregation will travel to the grave site for a short ceremony and burial. Following all of this will be celebration with food
6. The recessional will be joyful. Join in and greet the family on your way out after they have viewed the remains of the departed. Then the congregation will travel to the grave site for a short ceremony and burial. Following all of this will be celebration with food
(I forgot don't let Aunt Willona jump in the casket)
anything else I forgot?
get the jesus juice ready!
ReplyDeletefor some reason young folks don't believe in looking nice when they go to funerals. what's that mess about? folks come in there looking like they're straight out of the gym or straight out of the club. no damned home training.
ReplyDelete7. Don't forget to grab you slice of that red velvet cake, made by the deceased great aunt...there's always red velvet cake at any african american gathering
ReplyDelete@Krazy
ReplyDeleteYou are speaking the truth especially white folk. A woman from work was murdered by her husband and I went to the funeral and child people were walking in with flip flops, dresses with no hose (yes it was summer but come on) and jeans. I thought to myself what a way to disrespect the dead.