St Leonard's Church Hythe Kent / Special Occassions - Funerals

St Leonard's Church Hythe Kent

St Leonard's Church

SPECIAL OCCASIONS

BAPTISM | WEDDING | FUNERAL

High Street Hythe

Parish of St Leonard with St Michael and Holy Cross - Diocese of Canterbury

FUNERAL

St Leonard's Church

Funerals at our church

SPECIAL OCCASIONS - FUNERAL
A funeral marks the close of a human life on earth. It is the opportunity for friends and family to express their grief, to give thanks for the life which has now completed its journey in this world and to commend the person into God's keeping.

The funeral service of the Church of England can be very short and quiet with only a few members of the family present or an occasion of great solemnity with music, hymns and a packed church.

" We have come together to commend our brother/sister into the hands of Almighty God our heavenly Father.
In the presence of death, Christians have sure ground for hope and confidence, and even for joy,
because the Lord Jesus Christ, who shared our human life and death, was raised again triumphant and lives for evermore.
In him his people find eternal life, and in this faith, we put our whole trust in his goodness and mercy."

WORDS OF COMFORT

If we must part,
then let it be like this,
not hand on heart, nor with the useless anguish of a kiss,
but touch my hand and say:
until tomorrow or some other day, if we must part.

The funeral service will reflect the personality of the one who has died and the circumstances of their death. Feelings of grief, gratitude, joy and sadness often intermingle.

The funeral service
The service begins with the priest or other minister reading aloud such reassuring sentences from the scriptures as: 'I am the resurrection and the life,' saith the Lord; 'he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die, ' and: 'I know that my Redeemer liveth ...'

A psalm - often The Lord is my shepherd - follows and lessons are read telling of God's care and of the hope of eternal life.

At this point, there may be an address or a sermon remembering the life and work of the dead person and the great Christian beliefs about life beyond death. Such words can be a comfort and strength to the mourners but sometimes it is felt that the service and the readings from the Bible convey all that needs to be said.

If the family wish it, the Communion service follows.
The prayers recall the promise of the resurrection, entrust the dead person to the love and mercy of God and ask for comfort and strength for those who mourn.

For more guidance: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/lifeevents/funerals/