What Gives Order Of Service A Personal Touch At A Funeral?

Having an order of service can add a personal touch to your loved one’s funeral. This is the main reasons why the Order of Service Booklets are almost always included. But how does an order of service make the experience more personal?

You should keep in mind that orders of service vary depending on whether you go to church or to a chapel of rest. Furthermore, you can choose to add or remove certain parts which can make the experience even more personal. Generally, an Order of Service consists of the following:

1.    The Gathering

The minister receives the coffin at this point and sentence of scripture is used. All people are then welcomed and tributes are made. Everyone offers prayers of penitence including the collect.

2.    Readings and Sermon

Hymns, psalms and a number of bible verses are now included, after which the minister preaches a sermon.

3.    Prayers

First, the prayers begin by giving thanks to the life of the deceased.  Then, the family of the deceased and those who mourn are recognised.  If prayers of penitence are not used during the Gathering, it is done during this section.  It is then followed by a prayer so that the deceased can be received in eternity.

4.    Commendation and Farewell

The deceased will now be praised with agreed words, ready to go the eternal living.

5.    Committal

The body of deceased is then placed in its final resting place.

6.    Dismissal

Mourners are blessed and asked to go home during the dismissal.

The points above make it clear that orders of service are “usually” very much based on religion. Even those who are not that religious tend to pick out certain parts of it, or sometimes use the same order, excluding the prayers, psalms, hymns and blessings. They use personal readings and songs instead, that they have specifically chosen to bid farewell to the deceased.

This is how an order of service can make things very personal. Even the psalms, hymns and sermons that are chosen - if you do follow the religious steps - are geared specifically towards the deceased, rather than being a standard reading. People can ask for specific, personal words to be spoken by the minister as he will use authorised words during commendation and farewell and during committal.

Having a structured funeral in an organised manner such as this stops people from feeling overwhelmed, takes a lot of the stress of the day off them and can be very useful. It is always beneficial even if major changes are made.

Contact Farewell Services at 1800 080 700 to get your order of service booklets printed within 48 hours.