J. Dana Trent - 'Dessert First: Preparing for Death While Savoring Life'

This guide captures life lessons on death and grief that Dana—a minister and former hospital chaplain—learned at the bedsides of the dying, including her own mother. Using personal narratives, Dessert First illumines the complexity of death and grief—and why we avoid talking about and planning it. This book invites the reader on a rich journey of considering death—our own and our loved ones’—as a sweet spiritual part of life, rather than a dreaded destination. 

"In this disarmingly forthright and often funny book, Dana Trent reminds her readers that we’re all terminal, and we’ll all ride the grief train sooner or later--so why not start the conversation now? ―Barbara Brown Taylor

J. Dana Trent is a graduate of Duke Divinity School and professor of World Religions and Critical Thinking at Wake Tech Community College, an ordained Baptist minister and former hospital chaplain. Her books include One Breath At a Time: A Skeptic’s Guide to Christian Meditation, For Sabbath’s Sake: Embracing Your Need for Rest, Worship, and Community and Saffron Cross: The Unlikely Story of How a Christian Minister Married a Hindu Monk. Dana winds down from writing and teaching with episodes of “The Young and the Restless” as well as leading cardio and strength training classes for the YMCA.

Dana will be in conversation with Sally Bates. Rev. Sally Bates is a retired elder in the United Methodist Church. She holds a Master of Divinity degree from Duke Divinity School, and served parish appointments in Hemel Hempstead, England and Raleigh before accepting a position as chaplain to Duke Divinity School.  She retired from Duke in 2015 after 13 years of service.  Before discerning her call to ministry, Sally attended UNC-Chapel Hill and earned a Master of Arts degree in theatre. For 15 years she worked in NC as a non-profit arts administrator directing community arts councils, art centers, and community theatre programs. In her retirement, serves as chaplain to NC Conference’s Board of Ordained Ministry, enjoys supply preaching and teaching in the local church as well as raising funds to purchase gently used brass band instruments for students in rural Haiti. She lives in downtown Raleigh with her cat Rudy, and lots of original art and books.