FUNERALS
- A celebration of life
- It is inevitable that death touches all of us, and the Church has an important place in supporting people through this difficult time. A funeral marks the close of a human life on earth. As well as being a time to say goodbye to our loved ones and express our grief, it is also the opportunity for friends and family to celebrate and give thanks for the life that has ended and commend the person into God’s keeping. We can also thank God that because of the death and resurrection of Jesus – death need not have the final word and that eternal life is available to us all.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- Where can a funeral service be held?
- Funeral services can take place in any of our three churches. They may also take place in the chapels at the local authority’s crematoria and cemeteries. The clergy are happy to officiate at funerals in any of these places.
- What are the advantages of having a funeral in church?
- A service at a local crematorium / cemetery chapel is normally restricted to a maximum time of 20 minutes. Many people feel this provides insufficient time, and also leads to the whole service feeling rushed. By coming into church prior to the committal service there is a greater opportunity to commemorate your loved one’s life more fully, as we can agree a length of time for the service which fits your requirements.
Another practical advantage is the larger size of a church compared to most crematorium / cemetery chapels. If you are expecting many mourners to the funeral, we are able to accommodate a much larger congregation.
People from some cultures also appreciate the opportunity to open the coffin during the service so that the mourners can file past and pay their last respects to the person who has died. This is not permitted in the local crematoria and cemetery chapels, but can take place in church.
Finally St Martin's Church is equipped with data projectors. Increasingly, families are making use of these to project pictures during the service which help them in remembering the life of their loved one and the times that they have shared together.
- Do you have a churchyard for burials or scattering of ashes?
- St Martin's doesn't have a churchyard for burials or scattering of ashes. Burials and burial or scattering of ashes can take place following a service at St Martin's in one of the local cemetries. This can be arranged in advance with the funeral directors.
- What arrangements can I make now for my own funeral?
- It may feel somewhat strange to make plans for your death, but it is very wise and sensible to realise that it will come one day and be ready in every way for when it happens. In particular, it is essential to make sure we have taken hold of the promises that Jesus makes about eternal life and live our lives in such a way that we are ready to stand before God. It is also helpful to have made known your wishes about your funeral.
The clergy are available to discuss your requirements and can file them away for the time they are needed. Also, most funeral directors offer schemes whereby you can arrange and pay for your funeral now, thereby removing some of the worries from those left behind.
If you wish to make arrangements for your own funeral, it is important to ensure that your next of kin are aware of your wishes.
- How do I arrange a funeral?
- You will need to speak to one of the clergy. You will also need to appoint a funeral director and very often they will liaise with the clergy on your behalf to agree the date and time of the funeral. If you want a particular person from the clergy team to take the service, this should be done before any other funeral arrangements are made to make sure they are available. Otherwise, it doesn’t matter whether you speak to the clergy or the funeral director first – for many people it is a matter of starting with what they feel they can cope with first.
The clergy see the taking of funerals and the comforting of those who mourn as important parts of their work. They give a lot of time to visiting families, comforting those who are facing loss, finding out what they want included in the funeral service and helping them to arrange it. To arrange the details of the service, the clergy will make an appointment to meet up with you. If they did not know the dead person, then they will ask you to provide details.
The funeral director plays a very important part in all these arrangements and will want to know if the funeral is to be in one of our church or if the clergy are to take the service in the crematorium. Funeral directors know the local clergy, the local cemeteries and the crematoria. As part of a national network of funeral directors, they can, if necessary, give advice on funerals in other parts of the country, as well as on costs and fees.
- What does it cost?
- Most of the costs of the funeral will be incurred with the funeral director. There are separate fees for the church, but these are normally settled by the funeral director on your behalf and then passed on to you.
The church fees below are for 2010. They are set annually by the Central Church authorities and our Church Council and go towards the church upkeep and ministerial fees. The fees vary for each church and there will be a small increase in fees each year.
Service in church £99.00 Organist £50.00 Verger £30.00 Travel Expenses £25.00 Total £204.00
PLANNING A FUNERAL SERVICE
- What to think about when planning a funeral service
- Organising a funeral service can feel like a daunting task, especially if you have not done it before. This is why the clergy are here to help you, they will guide you through the process so that you can create a service which will be a fitting tribute to your loved one. Before meeting with the member of clergy who will be conducting the funeral service you may find it helpful to consider the following points:
FUNERAL IN CHURCH OR CREMATORIUM
The first thing to consider is do you want the service to take place in a church or crematorium. Even if you are not a regular church attender, there can be advantages in holding the service in church (see Frequently Asked Questions: What are the advantages of having a funeral in church?).
MUSIC ENTERING & LEAVING CHURCH/CHAPEL
It is normal to have music entering and leaving the church/chapel. This can either by played by the organist, or on CD (which you provide). When thinking about what music to play, consider what music your loved one liked, or music which you feel represents them. If you are not sure what music to choose, the organist at the funeral would be happy to choose something appropriate for your. Or if you prefer you can enter or leave the church/chapel in silence.
HYMNS
People normally have two or three hymns at a funeral (because of time constraints, if the funeral is taking place in at a crematorium it is best to have no more than two hymns). In choosing hymns, think about hymns your loved one liked. It is good to go for hymns which will be well known by the congregation.
READINGS
At a Christian funeral we have at least one reading from the Bible. When choosing this reading think about whether there was any passage of scripture that was special to your loved one, or to yourself. If you are not sure what Bible reading to choose, the person conducting your service will be happy to offer advice and guidance.
You may also want to choose a poem or other reading to be read at the funeral.
Consider who you would like to do the readings, if you cannot find anyone to do the readings, the person leading the service will be happy to do the reading for you.
TRIBUTE(S)
Who would you like to lead the tributes at the funeral? The person conducting the funeral will be more than happy to lead the tributes on behalf of the family, but if there are others who would like to speak as well this is normally fine.
A crematorium service lasts 20-25 minutes, and therefore this must be born in mind when preparing the tribute (bearing in mind that there will also be hymns, readings, and prayers in the service).
MUSIC FOR REFLECTION
When the funeral service takes place in church, you may want to consider the possibility of have a period of musical reflection in the middle of the service (usually after the tribute) played either on the organ or on CD. This gives an opportunity for some space in the service for people to reflect on the life of the deceased, and have time for their own personal thoughts and prayers.
If this is something you would like to include in the service, give consideration to what music you wold like played.
Because time is more limited at a crematorium, if you want a period of musical reflection, it would be better to have only one hymn rather than two.
DONATIONS
At many funerals people often have a retiring collection to support a charity.
HELP IN ORGANISING THE SERVICE
Do not feel overwhelmed by the task of organising a funeral, the clergy are there to help you, and answer any questions you may have.
ORGANISING YOUR OWN FUNERAL SERVICE
If you are planning your own funeral service, please ensure that your next of kin are aware of your wishes.
