Tumultuous Service

Some services are memorable for what shouldn't have happened. A few years ago, the African National Congress (ANC) asked me to conduct a funeral for a local official. Just before we got started, a man started ranting in the aisles. Some relatives of the deceased asked me to remove him from the Church. I said: “Find someone to do it.” This was passed on as: “Reverend orders us to remove him!” During the service, a man walked up to the front of the Church and seized a microphone. There was a rapid exchange of punches on the altar. I switched off the sound until he was muscled out. Then others tried to walk up, and were physically stopped in the aisles. There was a viewing of the body at the altar, and the partner of the deceased tried to touch him (but he had died of meningitis). A strong man grabbed her in an iron grip. Afterwards, there was a punch-up at the Church gate. OBSERVATION: Fortunately I didn't need to manage this. I let various functionaries sort out the “glitches”. In a way, though, the service did a lot of good. People were very thankful that I conducted it, and that I ministered to family and friends.