Funeral Services

Sometimes you will never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory.

May I express my deepest sympathy for the loss of a loved one. May you find comfort in the memories that are yours to cherish always, and strength in the companionship of those that share your loss.

The funeral service will give an opportunity to offer thanks for the life of your loved one, and in the company of family and friends to be open to the mixture of emotions that his or her death brings.

Feelings such as grief, gratitude, sadness, and joy often intermingle.

In all of this, you will be commending your loved one into the hands of God who holds us all in life and death, the one who is both the source of life and its goal.

 

Funerals - Planning The Service

By Michael Russell

Planning a funeral is never going to be a pleasant task, whether it be your own or that of your nearest and dearest. However, this article aims to give you some idea of what to expect when you have to plan a funeral service for the first time.

Funeral Director or Undertaker

The first thing you will need to do is to contact an undertaker. A good one will guide you through all the decisions which have to be made in order for the funeral to take place, with the minimum of pain and disruption. You will find undertakers or funeral directors listed in your local telephone directory and on the internet. However, in view of the nature of the occasion, I always feel that a personal recommendation is good.

Having chosen your undertaker, you will need to make an appointment to meet. Some firms will come to your house and others will expect you to go to their premises. If you have a choice, do whatever you're most comfortable with.

Burial or Cremation

The questions will now begin. Firstly do you want burial or cremation and in either case, will the service be religious or secular? If you want a church service and a burial, you will also need to choose a cemetery as not all churches have space available. You may want cremation but with burial of the ashes. If you want a non-religious burial, you may be able to choose a woodland area or similar. So you have now chosen your church, crematorium and/or cemetery. (For church, read any appropriate building depending on the religion in question.)

When you choose ground burial for your loved one’s final resting place, you’re giving your family a place to find comfort and renew cherished memories.

Benefits of Cremation

• Cost savings: On average, cremations can save thousands of dollars over a full size ground burial.
• Flexibility: Many families opt for cremation at time of death, then take the time to plan a fitting memorial service at a later date.
• Cremation saves land space and has a smaller impact on the limited land available for burial space.

Coffin or Casket

You will now be offered further choices - this time coffins. You will need to select the style of coffin, the material from which it is to be made and the design of handles. You will also have to choose the style and wording of a plaque. If there is to be a cremation, you will need to select a casket or urn for the ashes. Obviously the cost varies tremendously, depending on what you opt for.

You will have to tell the funeral director where you wish the body to rest until the funeral and whether you wish it to be on view for people to pay their respects. Whether or not the deceased will be on view, you will have to decide on their clothing.

In the next article, we will continue to discuss the options when planning a funeral.

Michael Russell Your Independent Guide to Funerals
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

As you plan for the next few days, you will be looking for ways to celebrate the life of your loved one, to express your feelings at this time and to bring some measure of comfort to family and friends.

Prepaid Funerals

Prepaid funerals are just one of the services funeral homes offer. The cost of final arrangements are getting more and more expensive and some people do not want to leave this burden to the family they leave behind. It is becoming more popular for people to pay in advance for these services, in the form of a trust fund, or to take out funeral pre-planning insurance to cover these costs. For many people, prepaying a funeral is a gift to their family. Having a funeral prepaid and prearranged is one less thing the family has to worry about in the midst of their grief.

Pre Arranged Funerals

Preplanning a funeral can give people peace of mind. If you want to be in control of the arrangements, even in death, then it is a good idea to write down your wishes and to let your executor know where they are kept. Most people are not comfortable talking about the inevitable death of a loved one so these conversations are often avoided at all costs. When you prearrange your funeral you can let family know if you prefer burial or cremation, the style of coffin or, if there is to be a cremation, a casket or urn for the ashes. You may want to plan the funeral service itself, perhaps you would like a best friend to write a eulogy or you have a favorite poem, prayer or song that you would like included in the service. All these decisions can be made well in advance making it easier for the loved ones you leave behind.

Things to Know About Planning Your Funeral or Memorial Service

1. Speak with a Funeral Director, know the choices available to you
2. Record your wishes
3. Discuss your choices with your family
4. Decide the final disposition
5. Determine how much your funeral will cost
6. Consider planning and prepaying for your arrangements
7. Insurance may not be enough
8. What government benefits are you eligible to receive

An Irish Wake

A traditional Irish wake involves the family preparing the body for burial and hosting a viewing in the home. Nowadays, the Irish Wake is an opportunity for the family to host a party to celebrate the life of the deceased rather than mourn their loss. Everyone who knew the deceased is invited to attend. Much food and drink is consumed and guests are invited to sing and share happy memories of their loved one. It truly is a celebration of life!

Poem on the Role of Funeral Directors

It's when we suffer tragic loss,
They help us bear the heavy cross.
Preserving loved ones in their rest,
They try and fill each last request.
Within the valley's shadowed death,
They help us stop and catch our breath.
They offer comfort and relief
To cope with sadness, stress and grief.
From older folks to juveniles,
They walk us through the many trials.
And as we share our sad goodbyes,
We see compassion in their eyes.
With hope and wisdom to impart,
They comfort each sad, broken heart.
They offer guidance through the day
And gently help us find our way.

~ Larry Howland

Sympathy Quotes

Although no words can take away the sorrow that you bare. May it be comforting to you to know that others care.

A wounded heart will heal in time, and when it does, the memory and love of our loved ones are sealed inside to comfort us.

May the memories of your loved one give you strength in the days that lie ahead.

Memories are the one place we can visit those we've lost. Since memories are portable, we can take our lost loved ones with us anywhere at any time.

Those we hold closest in our hearts never truly leave us. They live on in the kindness they have shared and the love they brought into our lives.

Grief never ends... but it changes.
It's a passage, not a place to stay.
Grief is not a sign of weakness,
nor a lack of faith...
It is the price of love.

The hardest part about losing someone,
isn't having to say goodbye, but rather
learning to live without them. Always
trying to fill the void, the emptiness that's
left inside your heart when they go.

If you are looking for bereavement poems, eulogy poems, or memorial poems, which are suitable for eulogies, obituaries and tributes, please click on the links above.

For funeral handouts and sample funeral programs, as well as funeral songs and funeral hymns, our downloadable resource will help you plan a funeral service.

Thank you for visiting  - I hope that we may be able to assist you in some way at this time.

Please feel free to contact us with your recommended sites for funeral planning.