We are planful people. And we’re good at it. Much of the effectiveness and calm of our congregational life is due to the thoughtful making of plans. Now things are thrown up in the air and we have yet to see where they land. What to do?
Well, wouldn’t now be a good time to review your personal End of Life plans? Wouldn’t now be a good time to talk to your loved ones about what types of care you want and don’t want during a serious illness or medical emergency? Now, while we are still relatively calm and thoughtful.
For those of you, who have not given this much thought before, here are a few website resources to guide you in the process.
1. The Conversation Project
2. Five Wishes
3. The Good-To-Go Toolkit
For those of you who already have your Advanced Directive in place, your Health Care Power of Attorney identified, your Financial Power of Attorney, your will, and your memorial service plans, wouldn’t now be a good time to review them? Just in case your situation or your wishes have changed since you last wrote them down. And wouldn’t now be a good time to make sure your loved ones have copies of these documents, and to make sure you have a conversation with them about your wishes?
My hope and prayer is that we won’t need them in the coming months. But if we do, your family, your physician, and your ministers will be calmer and better able to follow your wishes if we know what they are. Please let me know if you’d like to fill out the forms for Final Wishes and memorial service plans that we have available for our church members. I can e-mail the documents to you. You can contact your medical clinic for the Advanced Directive form or visit the Wisconsin Department of Heath Services.
Our congregation thrives on making plans, following plans, and adapting plans through thoughtful deliberation. Perhaps you and your family would, too.