Spring
Valley Presbyterian Church
Policy – Witness to the Resurrection Services
As
the church embraces us in our baptism and throughout
our Christian life, so should it embrace us in our death
and in our hope of resurrection to eternal life. It
is meant to enhance our theological, pragmatic and personal
preparations for death, and to assist our loved ones
in that time. Christians recognize with all persons
the inevitability of death. Because it is difficult
under stress to plan or act wisely, the Christian family
should make calm appraisals of intents and desires concerning
appropriate service arrangements before death is imminent.
To this end, it is recommended that each SVPC member
complete the Spring Valley Presbyterian Church, Witness
to the Resurrection Service Planning document, available
from the church office.
IN
THE EVENT OF DEATH
Those
who are bereaved are not called upon to face death in
isolation from other Christians. They can and should
be sustained and upheld by the Christian community.
When a death has occurred, the minister should be notified
immediately, in order that he/she may help the bereaved
in relating the reality of death to the sustaining reality
of the Christian community and the hope to which it
witnesses. The minister should also endeavor to immediately
notify the appropriate deacon(s), so that they may assist
the family as required. If the minister is not available,
then one or more of the church staff or Elders should
be called upon to serve until the minister arrives.
MINISTERIAL
STAFF
The
pastor of the church should be second only to family
to learn of the death of a church member. Our pastors
also earnestly seek to know of those in our midst who
are dying and need comfort or counsel. By being involved
early in situations of recent or impending death, they
can help immensely in the difficult transition decisions
and funeral or memorial service arrangements. If outside
ministers are to be involved in the service, the family
should seek the guidance and approval of the SVPC senior
pastor. There is no charge for the service of SVPC pastors
for the members of the church. If, however, outside
ministers are involved in the service, the family should
compensate them appropriately for their time and expenses.
LOCATION
OF SERVICES
The
service should ordinarily be held in the sanctuary,
the place set apart for the corporate worship of God.
The minister and others who may be properly invited
to participate shall be in sole charge of the service.
The church building itself is the appropriate place
for a Christian funeral service. Here is where we worship
every Sunday. Here is where we baptize or children,
celebrate marriage and gather at the Lord’s table. Here
we are surrounded by symbols of the Christian faith.
The church building provides concrete reminders that
we are surrounded by “a great cloud of witnesses” and
supported both by the love and grace of God and the
concern and compassion of the family of faith. There
is no charge to members for the use of the sanctuary
for funeral services.
SERVICE
OPTIONS
1.
There may be service at the church with the casket or
urn present, followed by a brief graveside service.
2. Burial of the casket or urn may take place prior
to the memorial service, which can then be held immediately
following interment or at some other time.
3. The may be only a simple graveside service.
4. These services may be observed on any day. However,
a request to observe such a service as part of the regular
Sunday worship service or to celebrate the Lord’s Supper
as a part of the service on the occasion of death, will
require the approval of the Session.
DISPOSITION
OF THE BODY
Christian
methods of disposition of the body are interment, cremation
or donation for medical purposes. A casket or urn need
not necessarily be present at the funeral or memorial
service and a separate interment is an appropriate option.
THE
FUNERAL AS A WORSHIP SERVICE
The
service, which should be conducted with dignity and
simplicity, is a witness to God’s love given to all
people, a love that strengthens and supports even in
the midst of grief. It is a witness to God’s promise
in Jesus Christ, as attested by Christ’s resurrection
from the dead, and to the sure and certain hope that
Christ has gone to prepare a place for the Children
of God. The Service of Witness to the Resurrection is
a service of worship to glorify God and to console the
living. Although thankfulness and honor are to be expressed
to God for the life and witness of the deceased, the
focus of worship is upon God.
PALL
(Optional) (SVPC Pall not available at this time)
The
proper object of the service is the worship of God and
the consolation of the living. The casket, if it is
present during the service, is ordinarily closed. The
casket may be covered with a funeral pall. The pall
may be in the form of flowers or a large cloth covering
for the casket. It is symbolic of the fact that in Christ
we are “clothed” in grace. In Christ we put off the
old self and put on a new creation. In covering the
casket, the pall symbolically expresses the Christian
conviction that all persons are equal in the eyes of
God. If the family chooses to use a cloth pall, the
flowers on the casket will be removed when the casket
enters the church and the cloth pall will cover the
casket during the service. Following the benediction,
as the casket is taken from the church, the flower pall
will again be placed on the casket. Acceptable “palls”
would be the American Flag for those who have served
in the military or government office, or other coverings
requested by the family and deemed appropriate by the
minister.
SEATING
The
family of the deceased will be seated at the front of
the sanctuary, on the right center aisle, facing the
Chancel. Care should be taken to ensure that the immediate
family, and especially the next of kin, be seated near
the center aisle of the second pew and that an adequate
number of pews are reserved to ensure that all members
of the family shall be seated comfortably. Active pallbearers
should be seated on the second and third pews to the
left of the center aisle, facing the Chancel. Honorary
pallbearers should be seated to the left of the center
aisle, facing the Chancel, beginning with the forth
pew and continuing back as required.
ORDER
OF WORSHIP
Emphasis
should be placed upon the reading s of Scripture for
the declaration of the Christian hope, and any further
readings or music should be carefully scrutinized to
ensure that they are consistent with the biblical affirmation
of God’s power over death. As an expression of their
common faith, it is appropriate that those assembled
join in the singing of hymns which declare belief in
the life everlasting. A sermon may be preached which
likewise bears testimony to the one who has died and
intersession made for the family members and other loved
ones who grieve. The service ends by commending the
one who has died to the care of the eternal God and
sending the people forth with a benediction. The service
shall be complete in itself, and any fraternal, civic
or military rites should be conducted separately.
A
printed “Order of Worship” may be provided.
The
service may include all or any combination of the following
elements:
Scripture
Readings: The scriptures are a rich resource for the
funeral service. Passages which have special meaning
to the family or which were special to the deceased
may be chosen in consultation with the minister.
Hymns
or Spiritual Songs: Hymns or Spiritual songs should
be chosen which affirm the goodness and grace of God
and which give comfort and support to the mourners.
Musical selections should be reviewed by the Director
of Music and/or the minister.
Music:
The church organist or other organist may be contacted
by the family. Other instrumentalists and/or vocalists
may also be employed and should be contracted by the
family of the deceased. Suitable sacred music should
be used, as approved by the SVPC organist or an SVPC
pastor. The family of the deceased is expected to cover
the cost of any organist, instrumentalists, and/or vocalists.
Honorarium amounts are suggested at the end of this
policy.
Candles:
The candles on the Communion Table should be lit prior
to the service.
Sermon: A brief homily praising God for the resurrection
of Jesus Christ and for the promise of the resurrection
for all Christians can be included in the service if
the family so chooses. The homily can also offer words
of thanksgiving for the particular gifts of the deceased.
RECEPTION
If
suitable to the family, a reception will be provided
by the funeral committee in the atrium before or after
the service. Punch and cookies will be served. The Funeral
Committee should be notified if possible of the time
and place for any meal which is to be catered or provided
by an outside group, whether in the church or at the
home of a family member.
OTHER
Funeral
services in which the ministers, and/or the Director
of music, of Spring Valley Presbyterian Church are not
involved, will require having a funeral coordinator,
assigned by the church, to attend the funeral. This
person will be available to answer questions and ensure
the use of Spring Valley Presbyterian Church in keeping
with this policy and any facilities use policies.
SUGGESTED
HONORARIA
Organist/Pianist
- $100
Soloist - $50
FEES
FOR NON-MEMBERS
Additional
fees associated to funeral services for non-members
are covered in the Facility Use Policy of Spring Valley
Presbyterian Church. Any and all fees may be waived
or adjusted at the discretion of the Session or of the
participating SVPC minister.
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