The Care Committee urges all to have advance directives completed and on file with family, friends, and primary physicians. Advance directives, which can be changed at any time by you, facilitate your wishes in regards to your health care should you become unable to respond if either seriously ill or injured.

Persons living alone and those in committed relationships that have not been legalized by the State of Florida are especially urged to complete advance directives. Without advance directives, "next of kin" have the power in Florida to make health care decisions for you. Please consider completing advance directives as a New Year Resolution, with a timeline for completion.

And please also consider joining the Suncoast Tampa Bay Memorial Society. The Society is a non-profit, non-sectarian, and volunteer-led Florida organization, which contracts with local funeral directors to provide dignified, lower-cost funeral arrangements for its members for a one-time membership donation of $20.

Forms for both advance directives and the Suncoast Tampa Bay Memorial Society are available in the church office. You may wish to speak with Laurie Clement (Suncoast Tampa Bay Memorial Society) and Valerie Cadoret, chair of the Care Committee (advance directives).