Funerals
A Christian funeral is a good way to both acknowledge the memory of our loved ones and the hope of the eternal life we have in Christ.
Christians celebrate the liturgy of funerals to offer worship, praise, and thanksgiving to God for the gift of a life which has now been returned to God, the bringer of life and the hope for eternity.
In the face of death, the Church confidently proclaims that God has created each person for eternal life and that Jesus, the Son of God, by his death and resurrection, has broken the chains of sin and death that bound humanity.
Once it was most common for most Christian funerals to take place in a church or outside in the cemetery. Nowadays it is also common for people to choose a crematorium. While a crematorium service has a stricter time schedule (usually about 30 minutes) there is more freedom of time in a church service. The crematorium is typically chosen for more private family services, while the church opens up for a broader invitation to local people.
By cremation the funeral service might be followed by a later burial of ashes ceremony and some people want a little memorial service on anniversaries.
What does a funeral service entail?
A Christian funeral service consists typically of two or three hymns, one or more reading(s) from the Old and the New Testament, prayers for the deceased and her/his family as well as a committal of the deceased into the hands of God. It may also contain a eulogy for the deceased and/or a sermon. There might also be instrumental or choir music.
In the Catholic tradition the service might have the character of a mass (a requiem).
How do I get a funeral service through All Saints'?
A good place to start is to get in touch with a funeral director. They are dealing with all the details and will contact All Saints’ Church if people want to make use of the staff or the church. You are also welcome to contact Fr Tudor and talk more about the different services we might provide.