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Funerals |
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The death of a loved one is a difficult time for family members. The Pastor and staff of Immanuel will help you make plans for the final farewell of your loved one. Please call the Pastor as soon as possible to plan the service. If you have Bible verses which were meaningful to your loved one or to your family and hymns that you love, please remember those and bring them along to the meeting with the Pastor. A Service of Worship The Christian funeral is a service of worship and should involve all those present. Funerals today are held in various places outside the church, but seldom should the locations preclude congregational participation. The funeral serves a support function such that the religious, social, and emotional needs of the mourners are met. Location of Worship Service The funerals of practicing Christians should be in the parish church, the place where their lives of worship have centered. In this setting, congregational singing should be encouraged and participation in the prayers should be taken for granted certainly to the extent of saying “Amen” and joining in the Lord’s Prayer. The Ministry of the Pastor The pastor’s ministry is to lead the bereaved into and through the rites of the church where the voice of the Gospel can be heard with healing power and clarity. In an effort to be positive and to emphasize the victory of the resurrection, the pain and loss of death must not be minimized or ignored. Both must be held in balance. The bereaved need to confront and accept the loss of the deceased as well as be given hope. Moreover, the congregation needs to be encouraged to support the bereaved not only at the time of the funeral but also as the bereaved return to the duties of their lives. The visitation hours and time of service shall be established after consultation with the Pastor. Visitation in the church is highly encouraged. The Service of the Burial of the Dead This is intended primarily for use in the church with the body of the deceased present or as a memorial service. The service may be easily modified for use in other locations – crematory chapel, private house, funeral home – where processions and other liturgical actions are not feasible. Funerals for Non-Members Conducting funerals for people who have no connection with the church is a normal part of the ministerial obligation. It is usually inappropriate to hold such a service in the church and not all parts of the service may be appropriate. By certain omissions and choices of alternate selections this service may be adapted for such funerals. Music Selections Music selected for use at a funeral should embody high standards of quality, and in general reflect the spirit of Christian confidence, trust, and hope in the resurrection. The hymns should reflect such themes as the invocation of the Holy Spirit, the communion of saints, hope of the resurrection. Hymn versions of appropriate psalms may also be sung. Contact the church office to confirm an organist is available for the service date, as well as to inquire about special music needs. The Commendation The Commendation is a prayer that asks God to receive the deceased in mercy. The prayer is a concluding statement of trust to console the living with God’s care for the departed. The Committal When the body of the deceased is to be transported to a distant interment site, when it has been donated for medical use, or in other situations when those present at the funeral cannot be present at the interment, the Commendation alone will suffice. The Mood of the Liturgy The Burial of the Dead is an Easter liturgy. It has its focus in Baptism by which one is made a child of God forever and is dramatized in the Easter Vigil and its celebration of the passage through death to new life, where Christ has led the way. The mood of the Burial of the Dead is richer than the older practice that developed in medieval times and emphasized the loss, the sorrow, and the fear that death evokes. In the service, both the sadness and the joy must be seen together – one tempered by the other. Fraternal and other rites should not be a part of the church liturgy. Fellowship MealAs much as the funeral itself serves as a support function for the family, a fellowship meal or coffee/dessert time following the funeral gives the family additional time to meet with family and friends on an informal level. Fromm Hall may be used for funeral dinners at no charge to members. These dinners are arranged through any number of catering organizations available in the area or by the family of the deceased. Immanuel’s Funeral Team should be contacted regarding any special arrangements needed for the day and will be available on premises to assist in any way. They will be responsible for the cleanup. Incidental Fees for Music Services The church organist shall receive a minimum fee of $100. For providing special music (anthems, solos) there shall be a fee per person as decided upon by the family and the soloist. Gifts to the Clergy The recommended honorarium to the pastor is a minimum fee of $150. The Pastor will have been meeting with the family to arrange the readings and music for the service, performing the actual service, and in most instances conducting the interment service at the cemetery. Visiting Clergy Visiting clergy may be present upon the consent of Immanuel’s Pastor. Flowers After the funeral, flowers may be left at the church for the following Sunday’s service, buried at the grave site, or taken by family members. If they are left at the church there should be arrangements made to pick up the flowers after the Sunday service. Bulletins Bulletins outlining the service will be made available at no cost. Memorials Memorials are encouraged. If the family has no specific request for use of the monies to be donated they can check with the church office to see what special projects may be in need of donations. Fraternal Groups Fraternal groups, upon consent of the Pastor, may be permitted to give tribute to the deceased. However, services by fraternal orders, lodges, veterans groups or other organizations are not appropriate at a Lutheran funeral service. Pastoral Services to Members of Another Congregation The responsibility and authority for pastoral acts or services rest with the pastor where the deceased held membership. If the Pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church is asked to provide pastoral services for members of other congregations, he/she shall contact the pastor of the church in which the person held membership before providing the service. If the request for pastoral service involves an individual who has had conflicts with his/her pastor or congregation, the immediate family should be urged to resolve the difficulty prior to receiving pastoral service. If this is not possible, Immanuel’s Pastor is obligated to provide information regarding that pastoral act or service performed to the pastor of the congregation in which the person held membership.
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