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The Funeral Memorial Service
By Carole Galassi
What is the purpose of the funeral memorial service? No
matter what form it takes, this ritual has two clear
purposes: to help the bereaved family say farewell to
their loved one; and to dispose of the body of the
deceased respectfully.
If your thinking about the funeral memorial service as a
means to saying farewell, it is important to have some
goals for this service. Goals might include reaffirming
spiritual values, healing old family wounds, or even
helping your loved one make the transition from this
life to the next.
All the decisions that you will need to make will be
easier if your initial goals are clear. How do you
accomplish goals and how do you turn them into a funeral
memorial service? Start with a general picture. What
type of funeral service do you have in mind? How many
people will be attending? Where do you plan on having
the service? Will there be music, readings from the
Bible or other favorite book? Will there be a eulogy?
Think about your reasons for choosing this type of
service. For example, if it is a small service, perhaps
that is how the deceased wished it to be, maybe you want
to keep the cost down, or family members prefer
simplicity.
Consider creative alternatives in the location of the
funeral memorial service. For example, a place that
meant something special to the deceased. A school
assembly in a gymnasium may be appropriate for a
teacher. You may even consider having two services; for
instance, one may be small and theother service a larger
public event.
Consider your finances. Don't go into debt for a funeral
or strain your family's cash flow. The expenses
surrounding a death can add up and get costly. So plan
wisely and carefully according to what you can afford.
Remember that the funeral memorial service is a
celebration of the life of the deceased. Create a
memorial funeral program or memorial table so that
others can view and celebrate the life as well.
For more funeral memorial service resources, visit The
Funeral Program Site where you will find a wealth of
information that can assist you in the details of the
funeral or memorial service. This website offers
beautiful funeral programs that highlight your loved
one's life, obituary help, poems, readings, and
scripture verses. |
