Voices From Beyond? Bay Area Cemetery Set to Broadcast Messages from Dearly Departed

March 31, 2012 - PRLog -- Voices From Beyond?

Bay Area Cemetery Set to Broadcast Messages From Dearly Departed

RICHMOND CA:  We can listen with our ears -- or our hearts. It depends on where we are. Compared to watching a home movie or other recording of a deceased loved one, the listening experience takes on a whole new meaning when heard from their final resting place.  Prayer-in-the-Air™, a new feature of a local Bay Area cemetery, makes such moving moments possible.

Now available at Rolling Hills Memorial Park in Richmond, Prayer in-the-Air allows visitors to the cemetery to hear a blend of comforting outreach messages from the convenience of their car. "We are always looking for ways to improve our families' experience," says Bill Farrar, managing partner of Rolling Hills. "We are pleased to be the first in the Bay Area to offer Prayer-in-the Air. This will be a powerful medium for our customers."

Prayer-in-the-Air, a Solemnity Service of Pittsburgh-based Advertel, is specialized community radio programming broadcast over low-power FM, that employs the talents of local clergy, psychologists, death-care professionals, as well as national authors, celebrities, and musicians. This program is composed of a series of rotating segments that can include optional family messages, guest interviews, and uplifting music. Inspiring content is provided in part by media partner Billy Graham Evangelical Association, as well as a variety of other local and national sources, of both secular and non-secular interest.  Traditional and contemporary hymns include original compositions recorded exclusively for the program.

Advertel founder Paul Beran was inspired to create Prayer-in-the-Air after the burial of his mother in 2009.  Using a radio transmitter no bigger than a beach novel, broadcasts are localized to cover only the grounds of the participating cemetery or funeral home. The program’s playlist is controlled by the hosting funeral director and updated quarterly by Advertel. Playlists can also include optional sentiments recorded by family members, as well as pre-recorded messages by the dearly departed themselves.

Word of Prayer-in-the-Air has been steadily spreading among the members of the International Cemetery, Cremation, and Funeral Association and Catholic Cemetery Conference.  After a moving memorial tribute of a local dignitary in Hindman, KY which included the departed's own voice, Bill Terry of Bethel Memorial Mausoleum said Prayer-in-the-Air has made them “…the talk of the town!"

In addition to several other cemetery and funeral home facilities in the Bay Area, Prayer-in-the-Air is scheduled to debut in Washington, DC, Ft. Lauderdale and Milwaukee.  Adding to existing locations in KY and PA, "We’re on track to be in 50 cities by the end of 2012," says Beran.

For more information, go to www.prayerintheair.info or call 1-855-SOLEMNITY (1-855-765-3664), ext 107.

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