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Is Your Website ADA Compatible? by Kris Swiatocho
Recently, I was asked whether my website was ADA-compliant. To be honest, I had never thought about it. So, after some investigation, I found I needed to make some changes to my site. And if you are like me and designed your own site or are your own editor, you are the one responsible for this compatibility.
Now my host web company, "Weebly," does follow ADA standards regarding coding and font size, etc., but they also suggested I do my own research. They often suggest we can add third-party software or graphics that aren't compatible. So I did find one big thing I needed to change. I need to add alternative text or captions for all my photos and logos. While this took a very long time, I could see the value of doing it for those who are visually impaired. I also visited this site and read its 7 suggestions for making my site ADA-compliant. I hope it helps you too as you work toward making your website ADA-compatible |
Christian End-of-Life Planning Resourcesby Kris Swiatocho, Director of The Singles Network Ministries
The Call to Shepherd Wisely—Preparing for the End of Life
As Christian leaders and pastors, we are called to shepherd God’s people not only in times of joy and spiritual growth but also through the most tender and difficult seasons of life—including its final chapter. While conversations about death and dying are often uncomfortable, Scripture reminds us that life is a vapor (James 4:14) and that wise living includes preparing for our passing with both faith and stewardship. End-of-life planning is not simply a legal or medical necessity; it is an act of love, wisdom, and discipleship. Helping individuals prepare spiritually, emotionally, and practically honors the biblical call to “do all things decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40). It gives families peace, reduces confusion in times of grief, and allows people to leave a legacy that reflects their values and trust in Christ. As pastors, we have the unique privilege—and responsibility—to guide our congregations in viewing death not as a defeat but as a transition into eternal life. By encouraging end-of-life planning, we help our people steward their resources, articulate their wishes, and bear witness to their faith in the God who holds their beginning and their end. 1. Spiritual Preparation Books & Guides:
2. Legal & Practical Planning Christian-based Tools:
3. Leaving a Spiritual Legacy Ideas & Resources:
4. Grief & Family Support
5. Ministry-Specific Resources
• 2025 Kris Swiatocho Ministries and The Singles Network Ministries End of Life Ministry Resources (UK)How can churches help single Christians to plan for End of Life? We have gathered some suggestions for churches based on our End-of-Life survey.
Planning for End of Life is particularly important for single people who don’t have a partner to know their wishes and social circles. When single Christians pass away, it is usually the family who are given responsibility for the funeral. They may not have been close to the person who died, and a private ceremony with little or no Church input can often be the result. We want to ensure that the life and faith of single Christians is honored after they pass on, and that friends and church family are given the opportunity to mourn. Over half of respondents to our survey shared that their church doesn’t offer any practical help in thinking about End of Life. We hope this resource can help churches to tackle this tricky topic in a sensitive, loving and practical way. “My spiritual mentor had long talked of the funeral she wanted. None of her family had faith. She spoke to the minister, said she wanted to do it, and gave him very clear instructions, which he followed faithfully. It was a very unique funeral, and it was comforting to know we were honoring her wishes.” 1. Talk about end of life as a church As a society, we don’t talk enough about death and dying. A recent report from Marie Curie showed that only 14% had spoken with friends or family about their wishes or plans, even though most felt comfortable with the idea. While death can be a hard and painful topic, it is one that greatly needs normalizing. As Christians who believe in life after death, we have so much hope that we can speak into this topic, and so we shouldn’t shy away from talking about it openly in our churches. Planning a talk or sermon series could be one place to start. Host a ‘cafe’ Your church may want to host a safe space where people can explore end of life in more depth. The most well-known movement is Death Cafe, a secular group-directed discussion over tea and cake, aiming to increase awareness of death. A Christian alternative is GraveTalk, a café space organized by churches where people can talk about these big questions. Created by the Church of England, they can provide GraveTalk conversation cards designed to be used with small groups. “I think we need to be talking more about death. And have more spaces, in church, where the nitty-gritty of these end-of-life matters can be shared.” — Alison 2. Encourage people to prepare for end of life If the time comes and no plans have been made, funeral plans may not be handled according to a single person’s wishes. Many survey respondents shared stories like this: “The family of a good friend organized a direct cremation with no ceremony or fuss despite the friend being a devout churchgoer. They denied us the chance to say goodbye and give her a fitting ceremony reflecting her amazing faith.” But when preparations are made and wishes communicated in advance, a single person’s funeral can be a moving and meaningful homage to their life and faith, involving family and friends from across the years. If you are a church leader taking the funeral of a single person, it’s important to be open and encourage involving friends and church family, rather than keeping it to just the immediate family. Point people to resources: There are lots of resources out there to help people plan for their end of life, including checklists, funeral plans and courses. Encourage people to prepare - and to share their wishes and details with their next of kin.
Just as people would plan the details of a wedding - it’s good for people to plan their own funeral, so it’s what they would like. The best way to do this is to make a Letter of Wishes. This will help the person writing up your funeral plan, and guide whoever is leading the funeral to involve people outside of your immediate family. The more information in your letter of wishes, the more likely you are to have a funeral that honors your life, faith and relationships with friends and church family. You could include:
“If they can afford it, suggest that they pre-plan and pay for their funeral. Then it’s what they would like, rather than relatives having what they want.” 3. Encourage church members to discuss End of Life as a community. As church families, it’s good to support each other in thinking through these vital issues. And it’s important for single people to be able to discuss big decisions on end of life with others, rather than carrying the weight alone. For single people living far from family, they may also need to list a close friend as their emergency contact. Providing opportunities where these issues can be discussed can make these conversations and decisions easier. “I am estranged from my only sister and her adult children. I am very fortunate as friends have stepped in as next of kin and [Power of Attorney] and I have given them details of my funeral plan. I have paid for it in advance and planned my funeral service in the hope to lighten their load.” – Alison Ensure the church and next of kin can connect As an individual, it can be helpful to give someone in church (e.g. friend or small group leader) your next of kin details. Should anything happen to you, your church family will be able to connect with those with legal responsibility - and stay informed about funeral arrangements. Ensure that your next of kin also has your church's details. Your church family will want the opportunity to attend your funeral to honor your life and say goodbye – and you can’t assume they will be invited. You should also make a contact list to inform about your passing, especially if they are unknown to your next of kin. I was at a funeral yesterday of a very popular and well-known widower. The funeral hadn't been advertised well; I didn't see friends and acquaintances there. It's not just the funeral content that needs to be considered but also letting people know of the death through as many channels as possible. “I’ve been to one funeral of a dear single friend where her family provided ample space for friends to contribute. They acknowledged during the family tribute that many of her friends were as close or closer to her than family.” 4. Run an event or course to guide people through end-of-life planning. One of the most effective ways to help your church plan for end of life is to host an event about it. This could be as simple as walking people through some ideas for their funeral (e.g. songs and Bible passages) – or a whole series on spiritual and practical preparation. You could draw on the resources above and create your own course, or find a course already running.
When a single person passes away, it may not be immediately obvious who is grieving. Their friends and small group, for instance, may feel their death keenly and need pastoral support. “My grandmother, a widow, is very close with a group of older ladies at her church. Some are lifelong singles, others widowed or married. In the last few years, several have passed away, leaving their friends feeling their loss so much. The church has been great at supporting them in their grief.” Be mindful of your general language around bereavement and focusing solely on the family of those who have died. The departed may have been just as close (or closer) to friends as to family, and their friends can feel their loss just as deeply. Encourage church friends to honor their friend in an informal way It can be very helpful for church friends to come together at a later time to pray together and share memories of their friend, in a less formal way than the funeral. This is especially important if you encounter a situation where the deceased’s friends or church family are left out of the funeral or not able to contribute in the way they had hoped. Run a Bereavement Course You may want to consider running a bereavement course in your church to help those who are grieving. The Bereavement Journey is an excellent option. At A Loss is a great organization that signposts to grief support options available for a range of situations. |
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