✦ life is a gift from God, to be received with thanksgiving; ✦ the integrity of the life processes which God has created should be respected; both birth and death are part of these life processes; ✦ both living and dying should occur within a caring community; ✦ a Christian perspective mandates respect for each person; such respect includes giving due recognition to each person’s carefully considered preferences regarding treatment decisions; and ✦ hope and meaning in life are possible even in times of suffering and adversity, a truth powerfully proclaimed in the resurrection faith of the church.