How to Run an End-of-Life Planning Workshop at a Church, Hospice or Community Group

Most people agree they should get their affairs in order, and most put it off. A group series helps, because people do the work alongside neighbors, one small step a week, with someone keeping time. You don't need to be a lawyer or a nurse to lead one. You need a clear plan, honest handouts, and a firm line about what the group is not for.

This page is for church, hospice and community group coordinators. It is general information, not legal, medical or financial advice.

How many sessions does a planning workshop need?

Four sessions of about 90 minutes, a week apart, is a workable shape. One long day tends to overwhelm people, and a series that runs longer than a month loses members. A week between sessions gives people time to find a document or have one conversation before they come back.

A simple order that moves from easy to hard:

1. Why plan now. An "if something happened tomorrow" inventory: who would know what to do, and who to call first.
2. Paperwork and where everything is. Where the originals are kept, money and bills at a glance (where things are, not the numbers), digital accounts, and the professionals the family may need.
3. Medical wishes and the conversation. Advance directives, what a DNR order does and does not cover, and how to start the talk with family.
4. Funeral wishes, legacy and the obituary. Writing down what you want, so the family does not have to guess.

What facts should the medical session get right?

Keep this session to plain definitions from official sources, and send people to their own doctor for decisions. The National Institute on Aging explains that a living will tells doctors how you want to be treated if you cannot make your own decisions, and that a durable power of attorney for health care names a proxy who can decide for you (NIA: Advance Directives for Health Care). NIA also notes that without an advance directive, state law decides who may make medical decisions for you.

MedlinePlus explains that a DNR order is a medical order written by a health care provider, that it is specific about CPR, and that it has no instructions for other treatments such as pain medicine or nutrition (MedlinePlus: Do-not-resuscitate order). Many people believe a DNR means "no care at all." Correcting that one idea is worth the whole session.

What should the funeral session cover?

Wishes first, prices second. Let people write down burial or cremation, music, readings and who should speak, then point them to the Federal Trade Commission's guide, which says the law requires funeral homes to give written price lists for products and services (FTC: Shopping for Funeral Services). A short obituary draft, written by the person while they can, is often the handout families thank you for most.

What should the leader not do?

• Don't give legal or medical advice. Say "that's a question for your lawyer" or "ask your doctor" often, and mean it.
• Don't hand out legal forms as if they were final. Advance directive and DNR forms vary by state. Point people to their state's official forms, or to the Eldercare Locator (800-677-1116), which connects people with their local Area Agency on Aging.
• Don't push anyone to share. Personal details stay on the handout, not in the room.
• Don't sell. If a funeral home, lawyer or financial adviser speaks, set the rule that it is education only.

What makes a group come back each week?

• One small step to take home at the end of every session, written down.
• A folder that holds every handout, so nothing gets lost between weeks.
• Time to talk in pairs, not only listen.
• A gentle close. Grief comes up. Know who your pastoral care or bereavement contact is before the first session, and keep the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline number on hand.

If you'd rather not build it from scratch: our Ready Before the Need workshop kit has this 4-session plan ready to run: a facilitator guide, four editable slide decks with speaker notes, 16 handouts in US Letter and A4, and optional faith pages using the Berean Standard Bible. It is $149 for one organization, or $249 for a white-label edition with logo spots and editable Word handouts. It contains no legal forms. It is also on Payhip.

General information. Not legal, medical, financial or tax advice. The workshop kit is education and organizing material only; it is not a will, an advance directive, a medical order or an official state form, and no outcome is guaranteed.

Updated 2026-10-22.