As families' preferences continue to evolve, it is more important than ever for funeral directors to offer a variety of services to exceed their expectations. To help you meet the needs of families that are not affiliated with a particular religion or church, NFDA has partnered with InSight Institute to host two Certified Celebrant Training seminars in 2018.
Americans are, generally speaking, less religious than they were in the past. According to Pew Research Center's most recent “Religious Landscape Study,” while a many Americans still believe in God, they are much less likely to :
- Pray daily
- Feel religion is very important to their life
- Attend religious services
According to the 2018 NFDA Consumer Awareness & Preferences Report, 38.7% of consumers said religion was a “very important” component of a funeral, down from 49.5 percent in 2012 years ago.
With fewer families incorporating religious rites into funeral and memorial services, many funeral directors see certified celebrants as a way to meet the needs of non-religious families and those who may see themselves as spiritual but are not affiliated with a particular church or religion.
A certified celebrant will work with you and the family to create a funeral, memorial service or tribute that is personal, meaningful and reflects the personality and lifestyle of the deceased.
The Certified Celebrant Training seminars hosted by NFDA will be conducted by InSight Institute. In a creative and collaborative environment, attendees will develop such skills as:
- Articulating the Value of the Funeral
- Facilitating Family Meetings
- Using Music and Readings Resources
- Art of Ceremonial Writing
- Presentation Skills
- How to Serve as a Master of Ceremonies
- Developing the Celebrant Concept in the Community
- And much more
The seminars will be held:
- July 17-19 at NFDA headquarters in Brookfield, WI
- October 12-14 in Salt Lake City, UT(an NFDA preconvention seminar)
For more information and to register for an NFDA-hosted Certified Celebrant Training seminar, visit www.nfda.org/celebrant or call 800-228-6332.