MVP Training & Formation

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Formation for faithful leadership. Explore courses for CREs, pastors, elders, deacons, and other church leaders.

Training scheduleLeadership pathsCatalog source: Church Commons

Course information is maintained by Church Commons and refreshed automatically on MVP. Course numbers identify curriculum areas, not a learner’s experience. Prerequisites apply only when listed.

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PRAC 105 · 100 Series

Practicum: Witness to the Resurrection—Leading a Funeral

Foundational Ministry Practice

About this course

This practicum prepares students to lead funeral and memorial services as a faithful witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and as a pastoral act of care for those who grieve. Grounded in the hope of the Christian gospel and shaped by the Reformed tradition, the practicum attends to the unique theological, liturgical, and pastoral dimensions of death and loss within the life of the church.

Students learn from experienced leaders through observation, guided practice, and reflection. Emphasis is placed on proclaiming the resurrection with honesty and humility, holding together grief and hope, and speaking with pastoral sensitivity to families and communities in moments of profound vulnerability. Attention is given to planning services, selecting scripture and music, crafting homiletical reflections, and collaborating with families, congregational leaders, and funeral professionals.

The practicum also addresses the emotional and relational demands placed on ministers in times of loss, inviting students to reflect on their own responses to death and grief and to cultivate practices that support healthy, compassionate leadership.

Course objectives

  • Articulate a Reformed theological understanding of death, resurrection, and Christian hope.
  • Plan and lead funeral or memorial services that are faithful, pastoral, and appropriate to the context.
  • Proclaim the resurrection with clarity and compassion while honoring the reality of grief and loss.
  • Provide pastoral presence and care to individuals and families in seasons of mourning.
  • Collaborate effectively with congregational leaders, families, and funeral service professionals.
  • Reflect on the personal and pastoral impact of leading services of death and resurrection.
  • Articulate what is the primary function of a pastor during the time of death and during the Witness to the Resurrection, as well as secondary healing elements of this work.

Who may participate?

All church leaders unless a prerequisite or a particular offering states otherwise.