“I believe that living well and dying well emerge from realizing we are not separate; we are not our own—we are begotten of Life itself. … Each of us is not made only from/of our parents, but we are a compilation of all that is human that has gone before—wisdom and mistake. Acknowledging and honoring all that is human from age to age helps us to realize that we belong to each other and can only become complete as we embrace our oneness.” (Rev. Vicki Joy McClure, ChI 2007)
“Death rites are not something we think about with much forethought in our society, yet these rites provide an incredible opportunity to grieve and celebrate a unique life that only one person could have ever lived.” (Rev. Amy Brucker, ChI 2005)
“It is as natural to die as it is to be born. Eventually every one of us dies. We were formed of stardust and to stardust we will return. … There is an old Hasidic tale: we each should have two pockets. In one, there is a message, ‘For me, the whole earth was made.’ And in the other, a message, ‘I am but dust and ashes.’ ” (Rev. Vicki Joy McClure, ChI 2007)
