Area churches not much help with funeral

My grandmother, Frankie Coleman, a lifelong resident and taxpaying resident of Culpeper, recently passed away.

This ordeal has been made even more unbearable by the fact that we have had such difficulty finding a church at which to hold her funeral.

We have contacted every church in Culpeper and been greeted with the same response: They will not host her funeral because she was not a member (financial supporter?) of their church.

One church we did find required a $500 donation up front.

I have always been under the impression that a “donation” was unsolicited and given from the goodness of one’s heart, with no dollar amount attached. In fact, the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “donation” as “A free contribution [or] gift.”

I fully understand that a church is still a business and that bills need to be paid, but do not distort the context of the word “donation” to collect that which is really just a fee or “deposit.”

I just wanted to take a moment to express my grave disappointment in the “Christians” of this town who put the lining of their pockets before their duties to the Lord and His flock.

To all of you who have so coldly and selfishly rejected our family, I say “shame on you!” Your priorities have been severely misconstrued, and it is my prayer that you throw yourselves at the foot of the cross and ask the Lord to forgive you for your ways. I certainly pray that He shows you more mercy than you have shown to one of His bereaved, yet dearly beloved flock.

Marquite Williams
Washington, D.C.