Funeral Planning

Pre-planning a funeral service is a sacred task and one you do not need to complete on your own. Please know that clergy are available to answer your questions and provide clarification as you complete planning. You may also request a face-to-face meeting to pre-plan a funeral if that is a better option for you. You may contact whichever clergy person you wish as all are available to assist you. Even if you prefer a face-to-face meeting, we encourage you to complete the appropriate form to the best of your ability prior to meeting with clergy. If you have specific questions about either form as you get started, please click here to email the Rev. Jeff Bower.

The forms below are for pre-planning a funeral that may not occur for many years.  As you begin, you may wish to take a moment to quiet your mind and heart and give thanks for the blessings of your life. You may also wish to say the prayer below.

Gracious God, all who die in Christ live with you in eternity: I pray that at the time of my death, you will welcome me into your heavenly dwelling. Let my heart and soul now and always sing out to you, God of the living and the dead. This I ask through Jesus Christ my redeemer, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

- Adapted from Enriching Our Worship 3:14

 

  • In the Episcopal Church, a funeral is an Easter service. It is a service that finds all its meaning in the resurrection of Jesus and reflects our beliefs about God, human life and our own hope for risen life for those who have died. Jesus was raised from the dead, therefore, we too, shall be raised. Because a funeral is Easter service, it is imbued with a sense of joy. This joy arises from our belief best stated by St. Paul -- that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ." (Romans 8:37)

    Although funeral services are characterized by joy, we understand that grief is a very real human response to the death of a loved one. The very love we have for each other in Christ brings deep sorrow when we are parted by death. So while we give thanks for the life of a loved one and rejoice that our loved one has entered into the nearer presence of God, we also sorrow with those who mourn. Funerals provide an opportunity to express a mixture of these feelings.

    Because funerals are first and foremost an act of worship, funeral services typically include prayers from The Book of Common Prayer, readings from scripture, the singing of hymns, an affirmation of our faith, a homily and at times, a eulogy by a friend or family member. Holy Communion may be included, depending upon the desires of the deceased’s loved ones.

  • Pre-planning your funeral service is a sacred task and one you do not need to complete on your own. You may contact any clergy you wish with questions, or request a face-to-face meeting to pre-plan your funeral.

    We do encourage you to complete this form to the best of your ability prior to meeting with clergy. Click here to begin.

  • Planning a funeral service for a loved one is a sacred task and one you do not need to complete on your own. You may contact any clergy person you wish for help, or request a face-to-face meeting to plan the service. However, we encourage you to complete this form to the best of your ability prior to meeting with clergy.

    Click here to begin pre-planning a funeral for someone else.