Planning a Funeral Service

A Funeral Service in most local Churches could be as long or short as you wish. A service at your local cemetery or crematorium chapel will probably be limited to twenty minutes. Happier family events may have been held at your local church in the past. The church is cherished because people meet and worship there. Your local church may have some regular way of remembering those whose funeral has been held there.

A funeral service, religious or othenvise, is a celebration of a life as well as the mourning of a death.

Choices

These are all the decisions of the next of kin, or if you have made a will, the executor has the final decision. They may choose what they wish to do, not what anyone else tells them.

A burial, cremation or green burial may be chosen. The local church may be used for the funeral, with local clergy taking the service. A religious service or secular commemoration may be right for your loved one. A favourite reading or piece of music may be chosen. Refreshments may be offered to the mourners after the service.

Choices like these are on the downloadable checklist in Acrobat PDF format.

Make sure that you write down your choices and leave the list where it will be found easily. You could use the form enclosed if you wish. Keep this with your will if you have made one. If you have not made a will, then you should think about doing so. This will also help your familly and friends and may save them from expense.

It is a good idea to visit some of the local funeral directors before you need to do so to arrange someone else’s funeral, or to help you think about your own. In that way, you could discover one where you feel comfortable and find out if the staff are helpful. They should be quite happy to give you a list of their services and prices.

Charges for doctor’s certificates, crematorium or cemetery, use of the church and fees for the minister will he fixed. These should be the same whichever funeral director you choose.

If you decide to purchase a Pre-paid Funeral Plan for yourself: get several quotations and make sure your fee is safe even if the funeral director closes down. Ask around for other people’s comments and experience. Make sure you leave a record of what has been agreed and what the payment covers.

This website deals mainly with Christian Funerals, hut many of the choices must be made whatever your religious faith or if you wish for a secular funeral. We hope it enables you to prepare for your own, or a relative or friend’s death and funeral. Your local minister, religious leader, humanist or secular organisations and funeral directors will all be able to answer any more questions you have.

Pastoral care and comfort of the bereaved may be given by the minister conducting the service, especially if it is your own minister. He or she could put you in touch with bereavement support organisations.