Death is a universal experience of life. A significant aspect of the minsitry of your staff at SPUMC is to join with you in facing death. Your ministers offer their presence at any time of crisis and especially when death is iminent or has occured. In the event of death they want to be called at any hour.
Funerals and Memorial Services
A Christian funeral (when the body is present) or memorial service (when the body is not present) is an opportunity for believing people to gather in faith to praise God for the gift of life. It is also an opporunity to ask God for strength and courage to accept death. The church seeks to help its members express their faith in their response to death as well as in their daily lives.
A Guide for Members
The following suggestions are presented to guide members of SPUMC in the hope that in time of death each shall be helped in making the event an occasion for expressing faith in the Lord of life and death.
In the event of death, contact a minister of the church. During the day, you may call XXX at xxx-xxxx. She will put you in contact with a minister. If you call the church at night, an automated answering machine will tell you how to contact the minister in case of an emergency. Please do not hesitate to call regardless of the hour.
The funeral arrangements include consideration of time and place of the funeral and comittal, the order of worship, and any verses of scripture of pieces of music that are particularly meaningful to the family. These arrangements should be completed with the help of the minister before information is given to the press and before the funeral director proceeds with plans.
Music is a vital part of the service and should be carefully selected in consultation with the pastor and the Minister of Music.
The use of flowers is appropriate, but not necessary. If you choose to purchase flowers, they should look the same as the flowers used on Sunday mornings. Funeral arrangements sent to the church by family and friends will be placed in xxx Hall.
The church offers, to those who may desire its use, a pall to cover the casket. It is placed over the casket before it enters the sanctuary or chapel and remains on the casket during the service. The pall symbolizes the common humanity we share in death. No flowers are placed upon the pall.
XXX Hall may be reserved for receiving and greeting friends before or after the service.
Members of the Funeral Committee will be present to help people who may not be familiar with our building find their way around.
There are no charges for the use of the sanctuary or chapel for funeral or memorial services. There are no fees for the minister or staff or organist. Such service is fulfillment of their vocation in the church. If a soloist is requested, the Minister of Music will let you know how much that person should be paid.
The Columbarium at St. Pauls United Methodist Church