Ill-served at the service

I'VE COME to the conclusion that when my time comes, it'll be a non-religious send-off.

I simply don't approve of clergymen using a person's funeral to bang their own drums.

That's what happen at Mike's service, today - and to be honest, I think he deserved better.

For nearly the whole of the forty-minute service, this vicar droned on about his church, his ministrations, his devotion to his calling and how his house was always open to visitors.

He had nearly the whole of the full crematorium chapel sitting with bowed heads - it all made for a nice sight, but to what end? What were we supposed to be doing? Praying? Meditating? Communing with nature?

He made a point about letting us know that his leaflet, with his name, address and phone number were available to be picked up at the door.

He admitted that he never knew Mike personally, but surely this vicar could have found out more about Mike the man than just a few bald facts about his career?

The result was we ended up leaving the chapel with a rather unpleasant taste in the mouth.

This was not the way we wanted to say goodbye to our friend; I feel that he, we and the family were all ill-served by this clergyman.