​BURIAL FROM THE CHURCH
The death of a member of the Church should be reported as soon as possible to, and arrangements for the funeral should be made in consultation with the Priest of the parish {BCP, p. 468}.
 
Baptized Christians are normally buried from the church (BCP, p. 490), with services planned at a time when the parish has an opportunity to be present. It is immensely helpful to consult the clergy prior to proceeding with any plans made by the family or at a funeral home. The priest is also willing and able to consult with the family on matters of funeral expense and options such as cremation. In all cases, requesting the services of the Episcopal Church and its clergy assumes the use of the liturgy for burial as set forth in The Book of Common Prayer. The funeral home/director does not plan the liturgy for the service. The Burial Office will take place at the church or at the graveside. Memorial Services may be conducted at the church, at graveside, or at the funeral home. 
 
GUIDELINES
 
Family visitation at the church: Family members are encouraged to use the church facilities for greeting friends and relatives on the occasion of the death of a loved one. Contingent on other previously scheduled activities, visitations may take place during the afternoon or evening before, and/or immediately prior to or following, the funeral service. At a visitation in the parish hall, it is also appropriate for those in attendance to go to the nave of the church for individual prayers, whether or not the body of the deceased is present.
 
Flowers at visitations and in the church: The flowers at the funeral will be as those normally furnished for other services of worship. The Altar Guild will furnish/provide two (2) altar arrangements at no cost to the family using one of the parish’s designated florists. Funeral sprays or stands of flowers will not be displayed in the church, though they may be in the fellowship hall or narthex. The altar arrangements should be natural flowers and greens only; ribbons, tulle, and artificial adornment should not be used. It is helpful for the family to indicate to the funeral home and the newspaper alternative suggestions for appropriate memorials, and to provide for the florist and the funeral home a local address where any memorial flowers may be delivered.
 
Concerning the casket or urn at the church: Our customary practice is to have the casket brought to the nave approximately one hour prior to the service or visitation. The casket is normally closed once it is brought to the church, and in all cases, it is to be closed before the service begins, and remain closed thereafter. The urn may be placed in the nave one hour prior to the service or carried in procession by the priest to the place where it will be placed during the service. 
Funeral Pall: The funeral pall is used to cover the casket or urn in the church as a sign that there is no distinction between persons in death. All casket or urns, expensive or modest, appear the same when covered by the pall. 
 
THE BURIAL LITURGY/REQUIEM MASS
 
The Holy Eucharist: The most appropriate way to give thanks for the life of a Christian, and to celebrate our continuing relationship in the communion of saints, is by means of the Eucharist. Burial liturgies are designed in a Eucharistic context, and the added enrichment of music and prayers in the Eucharistic rite make for a hopeful and uplifting service celebrating the promise made to us in Christ. 
 
Music: Organ and other instrumental music is to be taken from the accepted sacred repertoire. The texts of hymns, anthems, etc., are to be from scripture, the Book of Common Prayer, or The Hymnal 1982 and its supplements, or texts congruent with these. Selections are made in consultation with the clergy and the organist, and the family is encouraged to request beloved hymns. Hymns with themes of Easter and resurrection are especially appropriate. If a choir is desired, the family should make this known to the clergy and/or organist as soon as possible. Recorded music and secular music are not allowed. 
 
Participation by family and friends: The prayer book provides for lessons from scripture and psalms to be read during the service; the family is encouraged to select those readings from those suggested on pages 494-5 of the BCP, in consultation with the priest (see planning worksheet below). It is appropriate for friends or family members to serve as readers of the lessons appointed, if desired, or as special musicians, pallbearers, ushers, and other acolytes.  If a reflection on the life of the departed is desired, consult the priest.  Any such eulogy by friend or family will be shared before the liturgy, and will not be in the place of a homily proclaiming the gospel.  Names of participants in the service may be given to the church office in advance so as to be included in the service bulletin (provided by St. Luke's).  The family may also choose between Rite I (traditional language) and Rite II (contemporary).
 
Cremation: Cremation is acceptable for Christians. This is a growing practice among church members, because of its economy and simplicity. St. Luke’s has a memorial Garden available at the church. 
 
Services of fraternal societies: Only official liturgies from The Book of Common Prayer or its approved supplements may be used for burial services in the Episcopal Church. When the rites of fraternal groups are desired, these should precede the church’s liturgy, whether at the home of the deceased, the fraternal meeting place, or at the funeral home.
Costs: There is no charge for the services of the clergy, or for the use of the church by members of the parish. Some families may choose nonetheless to offer honoraria or contributions to the priest’s discretionary fund, as an offering of thanksgiving. The organist should be paid an honorarium of $150 or more, depending on the extent of the involvement in preparations and the service. Flowers are an expense for the family of the deceased, though decisions about flowers are made in consultation with the church (see above). A niche in the church’s memorial garden (with space for 1 urn) may be reserved for $1950 (includes grave marker). There is no fee for use of the parish hall for a meal. Any other gatherings (other than visitation or repast) in conjunction with the funeral may require a nominal fee. Please consult the parish office.
 
         Organist:                       $200, payable to the organist (paid by the Church)
         Flowers:                        No charge for active members.; 
                                                   $100, for non-active members, checks made payable to 
                                                   St. Luke’s 
         Memorial Garden niche:  $1950, payable to St. Luke’s (includes grave marker)
         Thank offering:              at your discretion, payable to St. Luke’s       
 
Post-Funeral Prayers: The deceased is customarily remembered in the prayers for the departed at all liturgies through the Sunday following the funeral.
 
Other Options: The Book of Common Prayer provides “An Order for Burial” (p. 506) when pastoral considerations make the use of one of the other forms inappropriate. Also, The Book of Occasional Services provides an order for the “Burial of One Who Does Not Profess the Christian Faith” (p. 171). Consult with the clergy for more information.
 
Advanced Planning: If you have special wishes for your own funeral, or that of a family member, it is wise to have those plans on file in the parish office after consulting with the clergy. You may also wish to give this information to other family members, a trusted friend, and to your attorney. Remember that the contents of safe deposit boxes are often not examined until sometime after one’s death. Assistance regarding organ donation, wills, and charitable bequests is available from a number of sources, including the “Life Planning Manual” available from St. Luke’s. A member of the clergy will gladly offer guidance in this.
 
The Church’s Ministry at the Time of Death
Whenever a person is near death the clergy should be notified in order that appropriate pastoral care may be provided. In addition to the general ministry of prayer and presence that the priest may offer, family members and friends may wish to avail themselves of the “Ministration at the Time of Death” (The Book of Common Prayer p. 462 ff.). When death occurs in a Christian family, the ministrations of a priest, and the services of a mortician are of immediate and necessary concern. Each has a specific role to play as bereaved family members and friends make funeral and burial preparations. This leaflet is designed to offer helpful guidance to members of the church who often find themselves under family, commercial, and social pressure to depart from the normative practice of The Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.
 
Guidance for Families and Friends
The liturgy for the dead is an Easter liturgy. If finds all its meaning in the resurrection. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we, too, shall be raised. The liturgy, therefore, is characterized by joy, in the certainty 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 our Lord.”
 
This joy, however, does not make human grief unchristian. The very love which we have for each other in Christ brings deep sorrow when we are parted by death. Jesus himself wept at the grave of his friend. So, while we rejoice that the one we love has entered into the nearer presence of our Lord, we sorrow in sympathy with those who mourn. (The Book of Common Prayer, p. 507)


Planning Worksheet
 
Full name of deceased                                                                                                                                   
Date of birth                                                               Date of death                                                             
Please announce death and burial arrangements in e-news
 
Pallbearers                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
 
Visitation: 
Day and time                                                                                                                                                   
Place                                                                                                                                                               
           
There will be    a casket       an urn          no casket or urn present.   
 
Please place a table in the fellowship hall for photographs or other display.
 
Burial service:
Please celebrate the service (The Burial of the Dead, BCP) using    Rite I  (or )  Rite II. 
The service will include a celebration of Holy Eucharist unless: 
    I request the Burial Office (with Communion).
 I request the Burial Office only to be read (no communion).
 I request a Graveside service (Committal). 
Music is desired. The church will arrange for the organist.
An honorarium, payable to the organist, has been prepared by the family of the departed. 
 
Hymns requested (normally 3-5, with prelude and postlude); If an Offertory Anthem is also desired, the anthem will be chosen by the Organist and/or Priest. 
 
Entrance Hymn                                                                                                                                   
Psalm (Spoken or Chanted)                                                                                                    ______
Sequence Hymn_________________________________________________________________                       
Gospel Acclamation/Alleluia (yes/no) ______________                                                                               
The Offertory: Anthem or Hymn                                            _______________                             
The Lord’s Prayer (Spoken or Chanted) _______________________________________________
Communion Hymn _______________________________________________________________
Communion Hymn _______________________________________________________________
Hymn at the Procession Out of the Church ____________________________________________
 
 
 
Flowers:
Flowers are desired. The Flower Guild or church florist will prepare the altar flowers.
Flowers: no charge for members; $100 for inactive or no- members, payable to St. Luke’s has been 
        prepared by the family of the departed.
 
Flower requests (type, color), as available                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
 
Names of family or friends who will participate in the service. Please designate whether they will serve as Reader, Acolyte, Usher. If none, the church will arrange for servers.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    ______            ______________________________________________________________________________
 
Estimated number of family members for whom pews should be reserved                 .
 
Scripture readings:
 
Choose one from the Old Testament
Isaiah 25:6-9 (He will swallow up death for ever)
Isaiah 61:1-3 (To comfort those who mourn)
Lamentations 3:22-26,31-33 (The Lord is good to those who wait for him) 
Wisdom 3:1-5,9 (The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God) 
Job 19:21-27a (I know that my Redeemer lives)
 
Psalm suggestions: 42:1-7, 46, 90:1-12, 121, 130, 139:1-11.                                                                       
 
Choose one from the New Testament
Romans 8:14-19,34-35,37-39 (The glory that shall be revealed) 1
Corinthians 15:2-26,35-38,42-44,53-58 (The imperishable body)
2 Corinthians 4:16--5:9 (Things that are unseen are eternal)
1 John 3:1-2 (We shall be like him)
Revelation 7:9-17 (God will wipe away every tear)
Revelation 21:2-7 (Behold, I make all things new)
 
A suitable psalm, hymn, or canticle may follow. Psalm suggestions: 23, 27, 106:1-5, 116. (Normally a hymn, when music is part of the service.)                                                                                                           
 
Choose one Gospel reading
John 5:24-27 (He who believes has everlasting life)
John 6:37-40 (All that the Father gives me will come to you)
John 10:11-16 (I am the good shepherd)
John 11:21-27 (I am the resurrection and the life)
John 14:1-6 (In my Father's house are many rooms)
 
Committal:
Burial will take place in (cemetery, memorial garden, columbarium)                                                           
 
Other: 
Lector preference, if Lector available. If no preference, the church will provide___________________________________________________________________
 
Pall Bearers (preference), if pall bearer available (6). ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
Notes: 
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