About this site
Last Mile of the Way is an interactive website designed to help those thrust into the uncomfortable position of having to plan a funeral or memorial service.
This site can also be used as a church counterpart to a pre-need contract, a service offered by most funeral homes which allows people to decide on which services they want in advance. This website allows you to make your requests known. Use this site to make your requests known. Determine a program outline based on the type of service you envision, save or print a copy of your order of service, and place it with other important documents intended for those who will be tasked with making your final arrangements.
About Pastor Farrow
The Reverend Thomas Farrow, Jr. is the pastor of Reeder Memorial Baptist Church of Charlotte, NC, where he has served for the past 5 years. Prior to coming to Charlotte, Rev. Farrow served at First Baptist Church Clinton for six years. Rev. Farrow holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and a Master of Arts degree in Mental Health Counseling from North Carolina Central University. He holds a Master of Divinity Degree from Campbell University, where he is currently studying to obtain his Doctorate of Ministry Degree.
Rev. Farrow serves God faithfully as evidenced by his unique and energetic preaching and teaching style. He approaches the tasks of ministry with earnestness, sincerity and humility. Rev. Farrow has preached all over North Carolina and beyond in diverse contexts. He’s preached in the prison, nursing homes, and in various denominational traditions. He has preached the MLK Commemorative Day Service for Shaw University. He has preached multiple times for the students at Campbell University. He has also preached and taught at the General Baptist State Convention of NC’s Annual Session. He is active in the United Missionary Baptist Association as well as the State Convention, where he serves on the Executive Board.
Among his numerous honors and awards, Rev. Farrow has been recognized by the Fayetteville Observer as one of the area's rising leaders under the age of 40. Rev Farrow has a broad range of experiences in ministry, which have formed the basis for his passion for ministry and missions; however, the joy of his life is his family. Rev. Farrow is married to Kembrie Farrow, who works as a social worker in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System. They are proud parents of three children, Kadence, Karson, and Kailand.
Why Last Mile of the Way?
Last Mile of The Way is a beloved hymn in the African American church context. It was made especially popular in 1970 when a version recorded Sam Cooke was released posthumously. I come from a singing family. During my formative years, I traveled on weekends with my family's quartet group. I eventually became the drummer and occasionally sang background. To this day, it's not uncommon for my dad and his siblings to be asked to minister through song at funerals. When my uncle is asked to do a solo, it is always Last Mile of The Way. This hymn speaks of coming to the end of one's journey and the Christian hope of standing before Christ; however, I use these words to call attention to what I believe is the sacred obligation of the church, which is to come alongside, "weep with those who weep," and respond to the impact of each loss. As Thomas Long notes in his book, Accompany Them with Singing:
Underlying all Christian funerals is a very basic action shared by all humanity. Someone has died, and the body must be cared for and carried to the place of burial, the place of farewell.
This title also resonates with me because in Scripture, before followers of Jesus were called Christians, they were simply said to be those who belonged to "the Way" (Acts 9:1-2). In John, Jesus says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). The way of discipleship is not always calm, comfortable, or convenient. The way of discipleship is the way of the cross. The cross, a central symbol of Christian experience, carries the message that neither sin nor death will have the final word. On the other side of the cross is a crown. On the other side of death is the resurrection. Therefore, our stories and the stories of our loved ones do not end at the cemetery. Our story ends with God, the one to whom we belong. When we experience loss, we grieve but not as people who lack hope because faith in God always gives us a reason to be hopeful. This hope is what we must bear witness to as we journey with the saints of God the last mile of the way.
About Patrick Lewis
A web developer and lover of all things computers, Patrick Lewis partnered with Rev. Farrow in order to help bring this vision to life. They met at New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Durham, NC where they both became licensed ministers of the Gospel. Also during that time, Patrick worked at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for over 15 years in roles ranging from helpdesk support to development and engineering in a number of programming languages and technologies.
What drew Patrick to this project was not just a friendship with Rev. Farrow, but the same thing that kept him working at the University: a passion for creating projects that meets a real need for people. No one wants to think about death, but yet everyone has to deal with it in some form at some point in their lives. The goal of this site is to provide a customizable framework that will help people deal with some of the administrative aspects of planning a service. There are different types of services and details to consider when planning one, and with a whirlwind of emotions, a daunting task becomes even more difficult. Patrick is proud that this site is here to help.