Last Tuesday I conducted the funeral of Alice Bennett. Afterwards I went to the Library and whilst scanning the shelves found a book entitled "after the death of Alice Bennett" by Rowland Maloney (OUP 2007). Slightly shocked I borrowed it. 

My Alice Bennett has spent the last 6 years in a residential home in a world of her own - that strange in-between place that is dementia and her funeral was a mixture of sadness and relief and afterwards we told our funny sad stories of the days when we each tried to help Alice make sense of a world that was becoming increasingly confused.

The fictional Alice Bennett is a 39 year old wife, mother and teacher who seems to be in the prime of life. Her quick death from a brain tumour has devastated her family and community and the book tells the story of her ten year old son Sam who becomes convinced that his Mum is keeping in touch through text messages on her mobile phone. It is a poignant story that draws tears and laughter whilst exploring modern ideas about death, the place we go beyond this life and what contact there might be with the next world. 

The funerals I lead tend to focus on remembrance and allowing people to live on through the influence they have had on those who are still living in this world. It seems to me that whether we live on in a next world is in God's hands and I can not make judgement one way or another. Yet most people I come into contact with are convinced that their loved ones are in heaven - whatever they have believed or done in this life and that creates problems with orthodox Christian doctrine about heaven and hell. So I find myself giving a tentative hope that God's love is not ended by death and trusting that God continues to love and care for each person who has gone from us. 

But Sam, like most people I meet at funerals, wants to know that his Mum, rather than God, is still looking over him. I don't find that I can offer that hope.