Other Aspects of Death and the Funeral:
(these are usually handled by the family or Funeral Director, but the minister may be called upon to help with one of the following tasks)
- Newspaper announcement
- Death certificates in numbers
- Floral arrangements
- Musical arrangements if live or recorded
- Floral arrangement to be brought to cemetery
- Security arrangements for the home while family away
- Medical needs
- Notification of Social Security
- Collecting cards from floral arrangements
- Church donations/prayer cards/mass
- Donations of personal belongings of deceased to charity
- Locate will of the deceased/probate
- Notification of utility accounts
- Security arrangements for the deceased home/belongings
- Any rings to remain with deceased
- Hearses last ride by the home
- for a period of time after the completed ceremony
- Will there be an assembly of family and friends at the home of the deceased or elsewhere?
These things may not be appropriate for the minister to accept responsibility for, however they may be given in written form to the family as part of the ministers full concern service.
Planning is the most vital aspect of the funeral service and it is to be conducted in the fullest compliance with the will of the family or friend(s). The above list is for the family of the recently departed. We have also created a Funeral Planning Sheet (pdf) for the presiding minister. Going over the ceremony with the responsible party will give assurance that the minister is acting professionally and is sincere and caring in the fulfillment of his or her responsibilities.
Please understand that the information in this Discourse is provided with the understanding that neither the author nor Monastery is engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional service. Neither the author, Monastery or ULC assumes liability for information contained herein for the use thereof by readers.
