When a Loved One Passes Away – Checklist for Funeral Planning
- Contact the Congregational Care Administrative Assistant by calling our office at 601-353-8316.
- Our staff will assist in scheduling the funeral, the visitation (should that be at the church), and a visit with the minister conducting the funeral.
- The church staff will arrange for an organist, ushers, and service bulletins.
- The funeral home, with assistance from the church staff, is responsible for conducting the visitation at the church.
Funeral Services at First Presbyterian Church
At First Presbyterian Church a funeral is a worship service during which we give thanks to God for His providence in the life and death of our loved one, receive His comfort, and rejoice in the sure hope that salvation brings the believer upon entering the fullness of eternal life. The church has the following funeral policy in order to help families plan for a service which honors God and serves the needs of the family and friends.
Scheduling a Funeral Service
- Contact the Minister of Pastoral Care who will help guide you through the planning of the funeral.
- The Minister of Pastoral Care will notify others on the church staff to make arrangements for music, ushers, and printed bulletins.
Scheduling a Family Visitation
- The funeral home, with assistance from the church staff, is responsible for conducting the visitation at the church.
- The minister overseeing the funeral is available to help with any particular questions concerning these arrangements.
- Our church office should approve the day and time for the visitation. Because of our corporate worship services, visitations are not held on Sundays. It is also requested that visitations not be held on Wednesday evenings after 4 p.m. Weekday visitations should avoid 2-3:15 p.m. during the school year due to school dismissal traffic.
- The visitation should be completed fifteen minutes prior to the funeral service to allow a time of prayer with the minister conducting the service. The funeral home is responsible to assist with this visitation conclusion.
- Ordinarily, visitations are held in the Greeting Courtyard which is just outside the sanctuary but may be held in other locations in order to meet the family’s needs.
Arrangements for Visitations with a Large Number of Guests
- In order to have a smooth flow of visitors for a large funeral, the funeral home representatives should direct guests to be seated in the sanctuary. From there the funeral home representatives may direct guests to the Greeting Courtyard.
- We suggest that the family not form a single receiving line at large visitations. The funeral home representatives may assist the family in positioning themselves around the room in smaller family units.
- To assist with such visitations, funeral home representatives are requested to provide several guest books stationed at various places for the convenience of guests to sign.
- The church will provide ushers and greeters to assist with directing guests to the sanctuary for the visitation.
The Placement of the Remains
- If there is a casket present, it may be placed in the Session Room for a visitation the day before a funeral and left through the night. However, on the day of the funeral it should be placed in the sanctuary by the funeral home.
- The casket should remain closed except for a time of private family viewing as arranged with the funeral home.
- If there has been a cremation, the remains may be placed in the Session Room for both the visitation and the funeral service.
- Because of difficulties connected with moving a casket in and out of the chapel, the casket should remain in the Session Room during funeral services held in chapel.
The Funeral or Memorial Service
- Funeral services are conducted by ministers of First Presbyterian Church.
- Eulogies and personal reflections by family members and friends are best included as a part of the Burial Service at the cemetery instead of during the funeral service.
- The church will provide ushers, service bulletins, and an organist for the service.
- The funeral home representatives are responsible for consulting with the head usher.
- The funeral home representatives should reserve adequate seating for the family.
- The funeral home representatives should move the casket into the sanctuary on the day of the funeral as well as out of the church at the conclusion of the service.
- The funeral home representatives should remove all flowers from the church by the end of the day.