When a family calls to minister to them in times of death, we are really called upon not just to put together and perform a service. We are asked to be a solid presence of compassion, as we hold the safety and the space for the family and friends of the deceased to express their grief, reflect upon their relationship with the one who has died and with the rest of the family, and to be there as they begin the process of coming to terms with the whole process of death. It is a time of great reflection, great emotion and sometimes great confusion.

It is a time for the minister to draw upon her/his humanness, her/his spiritual reserves to be the presence of compassion and love.

Funerals are rarely planned. Even with the knowledge that death may come soon we are not used to “organize” this last rite for ourselves. This is a time to say farewell. It is important for the bereaved to honour the life of and the relationship with the person who died as well as to receive some comfort for their own grief.

A service is therefore uniquely designed to reflect the wants and needs of the family and the person who died (sometimes the person has left a written or verbal instructions).

I offer any religious, spiritual, humanist or non-denominational way to assist you to give this service the attention, support and care that it deserves.

Peace my Heart, let the time of the parting be sweet.

Let it not be a death but completeness.

Let love melt into memory and pain into songs.

Let the flight through the sky end in the folding of the wings over the nest.

Let the last touch of your hands be gentle like the flower of the night.

Stand still, O Beautiful End, for a moment, and say your last words in silence.

I bow to you and hold up my lamp to light you on your way.

Rabindranath Tagore

Planning the Service:

–       Initial contact to establish date, time and venue

–       Meeting or interview to gather information about the person who died and the family/friends

–       Basic Structure of a Funeral/Memorial Service

–       Assistance and guidance to find songs, prayers, rituals and to write eulogy (if wanted)

–       Writing the service

–       Holding the service